Scouting

[sportsman34]

Since all the weeds are grown up in the woods now, and it rains quite a bit this time of year to see tracks in the mudd, would scouting for deer paths and so on be worth it now?

[eschatts]

If you are looking for deer sign period then you could do it now. However the only thing that this indicates is whether or not deer are in the area. Their pattern will change so many times between now and the opener that it is kind of a waste of time as far as patterning them goes.

Ed

[BuckEyeCam]

eschatts right - they will shift their pattern/travel routes later in the year so what you see today will be different during season.
It can be worth it to scout for last year's signs though - rub lines leading to crossing travel routes, saddles, etc.

[coonskinner]

best time to scout was a few monthes ago...all the trails are very easy to see...all the rubs,scrapes and even a few sheds and theres still mast on the ground...i scout a very large area...and this is the only time i have a chance to see the contours of the land and then compare to my map...it make sense of things on the map and i understand the map much better...i will see every ridge,every point and every valley,and and creek...scout each one...noting it on the map and i can say this...if there is a lot of rubs in an area in feb...there will be a lot of buck activity again there during the next rut...guaranteed...unless something very major changes the area...like condos or a 4 lane highway...i still get out there though all year long,every month,just to see the deer and learn the area even better which really aids in tracking too...i already know all their trails from feb...in late august i am trying to run into a bigboy in velvet...with all i learned earlier,this is usually purty easy...i hang out around waterholes which are usually purty scarce in aug...deer usually bed close by and have trails from bed to water...i see them many times at the hottest part of the day...it also seems this time they let you get very close...especially if theyre in a thicket figurin you cant see them...sometimes i've been 5-10 yds. from a big boy in velvet...but make a suspicious move and theyre gone...i put a lot of miles on muh feet in those woods...especially right after bowseason...right now i have all my stand sites marked and i know a lot more bout my area then i did last year...i never worry bout running the deer off...private land or national forest...but especially in national forest...scouting is an all year thing...i take a recurve bow too...its fun...:mischeif:

[hunTer06]

nope not a good time to scout....like said, deer will completely change their travel habits come season

[coonskinner]

there is more to just finding trails,feeding areas etc...and about deer...its important to know an area like your own backyard...and a very large,thick folage area like the wayne is even more important to know the area...when i get into a new area...one of my top priorities is to learn it as best i can to aid in tracking a deer i just hit...so knowing an area well can aid in tracking...very important to recovering deer...i hunted an area a few years ago...just started hunting it,not familure with it at all...i hit a very nice buck...went to where it was standing when i shot it...a ton of blood but no arrow...i trailed the sucker easily outta the oak woodlot...as i hit the field with tall grass blood was getting harder to find...i noticed he was running a small trail...so i stuck with this and kept finding a speck here and there but it was getting smaller specks and the distance between each was getting farther apart...and finally i found nothing...i shot the deer in the morning so i went to my brother in law who was off work now...he knew the area well...he only needed to know one or two things...where the deer was when i shot it and the direction it ran...i started to tell him where i lost the blood trail but he cut me off and asked if i went past a strip pit with a creek and lakes in it...i said i hadnt...he said c'mon...if he still is bleeding i can pick the trail back up ther...oh i thought...ok i'm following you i say...so we head off to the strip area with high walls with only one place to go thru...even before we got there he says,well if he went this way,he has to cross there...theres a nice path thru there and if theres one drop of blood it'll be easy to see...sure enough the drop of blood was there...then bout twenty yds. later in the bottom,another drop...and we seen more on the rocks going up the other side...before we got to the top he said he already knew where the deer would be if it were dead...that he would still be following the same trail...not worrying bout blood as much now,i followed into a thick swampy area...he then said the hard work is now...but he's in this little area right here...his first guess was a lucky strike...the big buck jumped up and was off like it was never hit...at first i suspected it was another big boy even though it resmbled the one i shot...and as i was saying this was a possibility he says nope,thats the big one you shot...reached down and picked up the fletched end of my shaft...there was but a speck of blood in the bed...he says well you wont get that one,he's going to be ok...may as well get back to hunting it...well i searched the next day...found a speck here and there...he got back to the original trail...i found the rest of the arrow...i tracked that deer bout 2 miles and was finally convinced he was ok...i did see him limping a few times in winter...and the next year i seen him in velvet twice...after bowseason i got up close and personal twice...once at 18 yds...once at 10 yds. but no shot...the third time we met that same year it was 16 below zero...and now the big boys head is on my wall down stairs...but i was really amazed at the tracking job my brother in law did that day...he later told me he'd helped several others find their deer shot in that area...every one went thru that cut and to the spot where we jumped mine...and every one of those deer were recovered...since then i try to learn every inch of trail...every low gap,every bed...and since then its made tracking much easier,not just the hunting...:mischeif:

[deerhunt45]

anytime is a good time when you have the time...:whistle:

obviously, if you're hunting a new area it is worthwhile to spend a little time there ...as for this time of year, it can possibly be a good time to pattern for the fall hunt if you approach it with the mindset that the deer movement will change some come fall...what will be their food source when the season changes and rut approaches...depending where you hunt, bedding areas may not change that much. but the food sources and the water will. hell, get out and scout when you can...you will see old sign, and new sign as well, and it will give you a feel for the lay of the land and the number and quality of deer around. and you could decide to hang a stand or two but i concur that a lot can/will change when harvest time comes. be mentally prepared with alternate stand locations and ready/willing to move them. also a portable blind (i got a doghouse) can be a quick and deadly setup when there are no good spots to hang a stand where it needs to be.

i am bowhunting private land for past 4 seasons, know it very well. (but i may venture down to the wayne :yikes: before i'm too old and decrepent, take my guitar and pick a couple tunes at george's campfire:biggrin: ). anyways, i personally tend my stand locations about 3 times a year, 1 of the times is about a month before bow season...just sneak in and do a walk by...make sure nothing has changed from what i expect:mischeif:

btw, i have big expectations for this coming bow season. gonna tag a wall mount...birthday present to myself...on a mission...:cool:

have fun:bouncy:

[Ross Co. Bowhunter]

I've hunted the same area almost 20 years now and know it very well so I don't do much stumping around in it during the summer months. I spend most off my time sitting on a bank overlooking the fields with a spotting scope. I take one to two weeks toward the end of July to tend to stand sites then back to glassing. Typically the deer are doing the same thing in August that they will be doing the first couple weeks of the season after that I move from the staging areas for food sources to the same old rut stands and wait for the last week of October. If the weather is cool during this time the action is gonna be good.:bouncy:

[coonskinner]

worst thing now,the heat...be out this weekend though...hang a few stands,check out new areas...hope to run into a bigboy...be carrying muh climbin sticks all around the woods this time 'stead of my rover stump,leaf killin bow an arrah...got 4 stands layin out there waitin for me to come back an put em up...no matter how hot...its great to be back where i was born an raised...:mischeif:

[hunTer06]

Now is the time to trim your shooting lanes....git r done

[coonskinner]

Now is the time to trim your shooting lanes....git r done



watch out for ticks and snakes...both are rampant,mild winter effects...:mischeif:

[deerhunt45]

got a chance to visit my hunting grounds today:bouncy: ...slipped around the perimeter and did some glassing mid afternoon. everything in full green growing splendor. what a difference a few months make. yes it is time to trim those shooting lanes for sure. i gotta get a couple of paths mowed with the bush hog myself:mischeif:

saw 3 deer, one was a biggin but by the time i got the glasses back up it was gone afore i got a real good look but it was a big big bodied deer. and for the first time in 5 years i been huntin this property i saw a hen turkey. i had heard them when i hunted SW corner of the property last fall. all this and my captureview camera had dead batteries:irked:

will post some pictures of the new hay field in the food plot post...will make sure camera batteries work.....happy trails:)

ticks and snakes...oh my:yikes:

[hunTer06]

I will hang stands soon as I get some steps...got more stands than steps...

[deerhunt45]

I will hang stands soon as I get some steps...got more stands than steps...

aint that the truth. hey 06, you ever use climbing sticks? i like em better than steps, screw in ,strap on etc.

[coonskinner]

definately like the climbin sticks...:mischeif:

[hunTer06]

Oh yeah I love the climbing sticks, but hate paying for them:yikes:

[hunTer06]

probably will hang a few stands tomorrow...gotta go to college for a few hours then im free to go hang stands :woohoo1:

[coonskinner]

they practically give the climbin sticks away in february...:mischeif:

[hunTer06]

yeah i know...i took advantage of alot of good deals but never even thought of the climbin sticks :whistle:

[coonskinner]

i am always lookin for the bargains...some people like to pay a lot of money for the same thing i get for almost nothin...never could figure that out...:mischeif:

[deerhunt45]

timing is everything.:mischeif:

[coonskinner]

timing is everything.:mischeif:



and that is right after season ends...they made their money on inflated prices during season...now they give the rest away to make room for whats in season now...:mischeif: