deer slots and 'racks'

Erik Hamburger

Well-Known Member
On a recent DI course the word 'racks' was used to indicate deer paths.
Of the 12 people present, quite a few very experienced, nobody had come across that word previously to indicate deer tracks or deer paths.
So. Is this a typo in the DI Best Practice publications ('racks' should read 'tracks'?) or is it a Scottish term imported to us here in England?
 
I also read in a glossary of an old stalking book and have heard other older members of the DMG refer to them as 'racks' through the woods so I now say the same,

Stratts
 
Rack is also forestry term meaning a narrow path through trees, often by cutting a single or double line of trees out. This has possibly been picked up by deer managers and adapted for their meaning.
 
On a recent DI course the word 'racks' was used to indicate deer paths.
Of the 12 people present, quite a few very experienced, nobody had come across that word previously to indicate deer tracks or deer paths.
So. Is this a typo in the DI Best Practice publications ('racks' should read 'tracks'?) or is it a Scottish term imported to us here in England?

The context I would expect to hear 'racks' in is forestry, as in extraction routes (racks) where the forwarder has been driven or a rack where a row of trees has been manually thinned. Or an inspection rack.

Regards

JCS
 
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Best racks I've ever seen are in hooters restaurants in the states.
 
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When the word rack is used in conjunction with stag it stems from the old days of when a stag (running away) thrashed through woods/bush/cover etc and broke branches etc whilst fleeing...the broken trail was termed the "rack"
 
We had a weekend with a few scottish lads 2 weeks ago and my mate apollo could not understand a word they were saying when they were talking amongst themselves, lol as of the racks i have heard of it as in heads only not as tracks in the wood,
 
Rack is also forestry term meaning a narrow path through trees, often by cutting a single or double line of trees out. This has possibly been picked up by deer managers and adapted for their meaning.
+ 1 most of forestry I stalk has racks between plantings and rides and a ring rack just inside the woods perimeter very useful if kept clear for extraction and stalking along as for the deer paths / motorways / duel carriage ways I try and stay off these and let the fallow use them I've Seen fallow come to my sent trail and stop and turn back .
norma
Ps here we call them deer workings
 
Down here in hunting country it generally refers to the "path" over/through hedges made by Reds. They can be very impressive unless you are the farmer.
 
Yes, down here deer walk along racks and have horns on their heads.
You can always tell forigners from up-country when they start talking about antlers.
 
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