White-tailed Deer Scat and Tracks: How to Identify Them (Odocoileus virginianus)

Deer, elk and moose are hoofed, so every track is two crescent-shaped halves with the points facing forward; the size and how far the halves splay are what separate the species. Their droppings are pellets, single or clumped, and the pellet size scales with the animal. Look along field edges, game trails and browse lines (twigs nipped off at a slant) for more sign. The measurements below for White-tailed Deer are quoted from the wildlife agencies linked at the bottom of the page.

• Size: Dark, cylindrical pellets about 1.3-2.5 cm (a bit over 0.5 to 1 inch) long
• Shape: Cylindrical pellets
• Contents/color: Dark-colored
• Where: Left in piles, with deposits much larger than a rabbit's

• Front: 2.5-4 inches long (front and hind hooves not measured separately)
• Toes: Two-part cleft hoof with a split down the middle, overall heart-shaped
• Gait: Walking stride about 1 foot; can reach 10-15 feet while bounding

• Rubs (antler rubbing on tree bark): Bucks rub their antlers against tree trunks, tearing the bark to leave a mark
• Scrapes (ground scraping marks): Bucks paw the ground with a hoof to expose bare dirt and urinate on it to mark territory
• Beds and browse lines: Deer beds and browsed vegetation lines are also signs of presence

Similar in appearance, but deer leave far larger deposits than rabbits The Eastern Cottontail page has its own sign list.

Moose hoofprints are larger and less pointed The Elk page has its own sign list.

Put something of known size next to it (a coin, a pen, a boot) and shoot straight down in soft light; low side light brings out the shape of tracks in mud or snow. For scat, photograph the whole deposit and one close-up showing contents. Note where it was: on a log, in the open, on a trail, near water. The app suggests the likely animal; confirm with the size and shape notes above.