the best time to scout is the day after the season ends. or the day after your last hunt if you know when that will be. it is the only way to be positive where and what trails the deer will be using. remember the 3 things to consider when choosing stand placement: food, drink, and bed. will the deer be using this trail to get to and from the bedding area? a creek between a food plot and a bedding area would be a great trail to put a stand on. i also scout while im in the stand during season. if you see more deer on a trail 40 yards away, thats where you need to be. it would be the first thing to do in the spring. you may want to get a climber so that during the season if you think you need to move, you can try a couple of times with your climber