iSnipe

One form of scouting I like is similar to hunting. You are setting up a stand, blind or ambush point during regular hunting hours, except killing something is not your main objective. What you are trying to do is place yourself in a spot where you can see as much as you can. This will maximize your viewing potential and see more animals given the time you put in it. Locate yourself far enough away from the action so that you don't blow any deer out coming in the morning.(hard not to do sometimes) Also locate yourself in the evening that you don't scare deer that are now out at last to past legal shooting light. An example would be a field edge. If you set up there until dark, there is a very good chance you will blow deer out or at least alert them to your presence, as deer see much better than us in the dark... and hear better too. At the time when they are most apt to be in a field, is the same time you are leaving it. This is my longe range scouting technique. I use it for bowhunting especially, because if I were doing it with rifle, most all deer are within shooting distance anyway.

When you have located deer movement, notice the time, where they came out and where they headed and did while you were there. Does are always on a feeding pattern; bucks too, but not so much now as it's rut-time in many parts of the states and bucks are starting to travel. If you notice the does' pattern, then set up for them, a buck may come out checking them out while you are there.

I have general scouting practices that I stick too.

I scout during mid-day because it's not good to do it while the deer are out, unless you are rifle hunting because you can reach out and touch 'em if you see one. I usually check food sources first. I'll look for feeding activity and tracks, then I back track the trails that come to the field. But before I do, I make an educated guess of where the bedding areas are at. That way when I follow a trail I see what primary direction the tracks are leading. This then tells me if it's a morning trail, ie, deer headed back to bedding spot... or leading away, deer leaving the bedding area in the evening. It's often a trail that goes both ways too, so don't get upset if you see tracks going either direction. Trails in grass and leaves are easy to see, but to see the tracks, you have to move/flip some leaves or spread the grass aside so you can look at the dirt underneath. Whatever it takes to check out the impression left.

Once you determine bedding areas, by seeing beds, thicker/brushier spots, vantage points, wind breaks, etc, then you can determine if you want to set up for them when they are coming out or headed back. When scouting nearby bedding areas, I always focus on being quiet, quick and watching the wind. Wind is paramount as it can alarm the deer you are there. Being quiet is obvious why, but I do it quickly so as not to leave as much lingering scent. I also spray down my lower 1/2 quite thick with a scent killer when I do so.

I have a totally different technique for trying to determine a buck's bedding spot, but during the rut and for the most deer activity to be seen, I locate the "doe" and younger buck bedding areas as they're easier to find and locate. Deer have no problems bedding in grass too. As long as they're hidden while laying down, they feel comfortable. Helps to have grass thick enough for a wind break too. Grass only needs to be a height somewhere between your knee and thigh for them to bed. Don't overlook spots that look open lack of trees or foliage. As long as the grass/weeds are tall enough, provides some security from view and wind; it's a potential spot for deer to be. The height is also good because they can be out of the wind as well as get sunlight at the same time.

More of a traveled trail is used by doe groups during the day. The less obvious trails in thicker cover are used by the bucks during that time. When the rut is on, you can bet they'll throw caution to the wind and walk wherever they think they'll find some doe-action.

iSnipe