Deer tracks - walking direction

[Tater]

OK, this is probably a stupid question but here goes. Had a doe come right up on the back porch last night and it ate the half a bagel I threw out there earlier.
I was trying to figure which direction he came in from, the tracks have a "tail" behind, or in front of the prints. Which direction is it walking in relation to the "tail" behind each foot print?
In this pic, the middle tracks show the tail I'm talking about.

[starlingassassin]

the way the powdered snow is laying on top of the snow in front of the hole,
suggests to me that it was traveling towards the direction the picture was taken from

or down to the left LOL however you want to describe it LOL

[Tater]

So they drag their hoof as they put it on the ground, rather then drag it after lifting it to walk?

[BenjiHunter]

the way the powdered snow is laying on top of the snow in front of the hole,
suggests to me that it was traveling towards the direction the picture was taken from

or down to the left LOL however you want to describe it LOL

+1
Deer drag their feet in deep snow to conserve energy.

[dk1677]

Looks like deer

[starlingassassin]

So they drag their hoof as they put it on the ground, rather then drag it after lifting it to walk?

you know, now that i watched some deer walking through the snow im not sure LOL

[Tater]

So they drag their hoof as they put it on the ground, rather then drag it after lifting it to walk?

you know, now that i watched some deer walking through the snow im not sure LOL

Yeah, I can see them dragging as they pick it up to step forward too. Seems like it could go either way.   

[TheBullsEye]

I would agree towards the picture you gotta think they dont walk heel first like we do the bend there legs up ward towards there body unless its super deep snow the only drag they should be doing is when there takeing a step forward jmo.

Ethier way they drag it would still be the same drag mark*

[brwndg13]

The deer was walking from bottom to top (away from photographer) in that pic:

"Toe" drag after hoof comes out of snow & is lifted upward, hence the tapering.
Deer don't drag feet but stab the ground when walking.
Also, snow in front of footprints as snow is kicked in the direction of travel

[Smoketown]

The pointy part of the hoof tells which direction they are going ... Works even without the snow.   

Cheers,
Smoketown

[Tater]

The pointy part of the hoof tells which direction they are going ... Works even without the snow.   

Cheers,
Smoketown

I didn't feel like walking out in the snow to look that close.   

That makes sense Tim.
 

[Nod]

"Doe" = "He" ?

[mudduck48]

"Doe" = "He" ?

It must be one of those "new" breeds, "doehe".

[Tater]

LOL, it was dark out (4:00 am) and I didn't see antlers so I assume it was a doe. Could have been a young buck maybe.

[Sfttailrdr46]

  Don't they shed their antlers about now and yes I think that the kicked snow would show the direction of travel it is just hard to tell from a picture without seeing the actual foot/hoof print at the bottom of the depression

[starlingassassin]

mystery solved 


went out to take a few shots,and pow,there was the proof LOL

[Tater]

Don't they shed their antlers about now and yes I think that the kicked snow would show the direction of travel it is just hard to tell from a picture without seeing the actual foot/hoof print at the bottom of the depression

Shoot, it's too late now. It snowed over them last night. Interesting about the shed possibility. Today after work noticed a shrub out there had bark scraped off. It is right near the base of it so I disregarded the possibility thinking they usually scrape higher up a tree or shrub. Do they ever scrape close to the ground? I really wish it didn't snow again, I don't remember the direction of the tracks that were near the scrub, but it may have been made before there last tracks.