The first thing I do is find a satelite image of the new property on Google maps or terraserver.com. As far as terrain features that I look for when finding a new spot are:
[ul][*]Bottlenecks, funnels or pinch points....I look for these on the satelite image so I generalizethe area Iwill hunt.[*]Interior edges....like downed trees, thick cover, a small creek or a fence row inside the woods. [/ul]
As far as sign goes, here's what I look for:
[ul][*]Staging areas....I don't like to hunt field edges. I like to get back in the woods a bit from the field edge and hunt the staging area where the deer "hang out" before the enter the feeding area, which is usually at dark.[*]Droppings....is some of my favorite sign. They tell me if it's a buck or doe and how often deer visit the area.[*]Secondary trails....When I find a heavily used trail, I look for a secondary trail next to it. It may be 50 yards or so on one side of it. I found that the bigger bucks have a separate travel route than every other deer.[*]Scrapes....I like to hunt scrapes at certain times of the year. I don't hunt rubs that much but I do like to see them.[/ul]
I always have to fine-tune when the season starts.

This year I hunted a new spot. I generalized the area by looking at a satelite image before I even set foot on the place. Then I took a quick walk on it and saw the sign I was looking for andI started hunting. I hunted there 7 times and moved my stand4 times within a 60-yard radius fine-tuning to the proper location. The 7th day produced my avatar buck.