It was Sunday afternoon and we were deer hunting near the headwaters of the Warm Springs river.(Mt. Hood national forest).

We had been exploring logging roads in the Jeep for a while and decided to go to the water as it was getting late in the day. Maybe find some deer going to water. We walked into an area we had hunted before, but there was very little sign of deer activity.

We found a lot of elk tracks and signs, but no deer signs, at least no fresh ones. We were on the way back to the Jeep when a track caught Allen’s eye.

It seemed so out of place that he took a picture to show me, get a second opinion I guess.

When I saw the picture later that night I was intrigued. I made a plan to check it out the next day.

After hunting the morning near camp, we headed back to checkout the track more closely. This is what we found.

There were 5 good tracks in very poor soil and moss. We could make out toes without claws in the first track. I put my wallet next to it for size reference. The stride was 3 1/2 to 4 feet and moving through the trees, so not running. Anyway, here they are. See what you think.