RE: Time spent scouting
I don't really scout much anymore. I have a place I know VERY well. There's really not much left to learn, other than where the deer are spending most of thier time and which travel ways they seem to be using for that particular year. In my opinion patterning my hunting area is a myth. When I have new areas to scout, that is done in the previous seasons late season, spring and turkey hunting. Maybe if our season started 2 weeks earlier you could pattern deer around here.