If you can afford it, get a cheap digital trail cam to aid in scouting. Or ask for one for Christmas or your birthday or something. Would help make your outings more productive. You can move the camera around every couple of weeks and look for hotspots. Wouldn't require much time.

As for me, I have to make the most of my time in the field and so am hoping to see some deer on every outing. I don't need to shoot one all the time. I just enjoy seeing something rather than nothint while on stand or in the blind. So my trail cams and limited scouting help in terms of making my one or two outings a week a fun and relaxing experience for me. Not only do they tell me what deer are coming through but when the most productive hunting times might be.

I realize all of our time is valuable. I just can't get out as much as I could in the past few seasons as I want to be there for my kids, a 3 year old and 3 month old, right now. But I'm looking forward to a couple of year from now when I can start taking my son with me to sit in the blind. I'm even making plans for a nice tower stand that will accomodate me and both the kids. I'll start on this in a few years and will have bow hunting window slot on each side of course!