Off Season Scouting
 

Don't you guys think we should have a post at the top of page 1 this time of year that reviews scouting?

Anatomy charts---take good pics---what to do after the shot--be proud of what you shoot.........these are always at the top before and during the season for obvious timing reasons. Since we should all be scouting right now and this could be the most beneficial information for someone to have a successful 2007 it just seems logical to me.

Aerial photos, topo maps, when to go, what to do, what to look for and what it means, public vs private, big woods vs small plots......there is so much info involved in scouting, plus it evolves as the off season progresses. I just think it could be VERY helpful. We spend so much time talking about what happens during the month or 2 of the hunting season and not that much about what we could and should be doing the other 10 months of the year to increase our chances of success. There is so much more to hunting then just hanging stands at the end of summer over some deer sign.

So, I'll start.


I like aerial photos A LOT.......but not for the reason that some may think. Most of the private property I hunt is small (under 100 acres) so this handicaps me in the traditional sense of finding their bedding areas and food sources then figuring out travel routes in between and you're in business. It's not that easy on smaller plots IMO. Depending on the makeup of the land it could contain a great bedding area, a great food source, or neither and just be part of a travel route between the two. My point is that I use aerial photos to study the bordering properties as much as the one I get to hunt. Figuring out where and when the deer will enter the property from adjacent land is valuable info in my book because if they are just passing through you better know where because your window to catch them is small. Seeing as how I can't physically go on the neighboring properties I think aerial photos are a great way to obtain this kind of info.

I'll wait and see where this goes. I would love to hear about what people do on foot during the offseason. How deep do you go??, Do you try and get in and get out as quick as possible or do you not care about bumping deer around?? Do you observe now and if so how much and from where? Do you observe from in the woods like from a stand or glassing from far away??

I know this is a HUGE topic so I am trying to think of the best way to discuss it without bouncing all over the place so nothing gets skipped or overlooked. We could cover one subject at a time or go chronologically or just lay out whole routines. I guess I should wait to see if anyone else is even interested first.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

ORIGINAL: Germ


Atlas here is link that was started last night with some good info

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1924079

I do all my scountingin Jan & Feb. Go ahead and bump them all you want in those two months.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

ORIGINAL: Germ

Atlas here is another link Buckeye started!! really good info

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1909798&mpage=1

Eberhart had a DVD coming out, I read you were reading his book. He hunts north of me about 2 hrs. I take it you are going to try and shoot some thing a little older next year?

Well if so good luck!!!

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

ORIGINAL: RDHunter

I agree scouting is improtant all year round and using areial photos is a good resourceful tool especiallyif you want to see adjacent land.
It also helps keep your foot work down to a minimun , but when your out walking looking for sheds , old rubs , scrape lines and other good deer sign.
You can also do some pre season scouting for the up coming turkey season as well , don't worry about bumping deer they forget about your visit before the next deer season comes.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

ORIGINAL: BigJ12

I have posted this on two different threads now....boy am I getting lazy.:D

But I think it applies to this one as well so.............Number three!

To add to this, I have found that the main deer paths will get used year after year after year, I will start to scout during the winter months just after the season closes, I find it much easier in the snow.;)

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

ORIGINAL: rybohunter

This kind of fits the situation I am facing exactly. I gained permission to a new place but have yet to set foot on it. Within these next couple months I plan to makea few trips there. I will walk the entire place. I probably won't go into any of the real nasty spots, no need to bowl thru them. I'll look for oaks and other food sources. I already know they plant some sparse corn and the deer dome out to feed in this other feild as well despite no plantings. I'll look for rub lines and trails, edges and funnels. I will also look for stand sites from other hunters as there is another guy who hunts the place. I don't like to hunt where other guys are. I'll turkey hunt over there as well, but hope to have a lot of what I need to see, already seen by then. If the place has any good vantage points I'll note them and spend some evenings in late summer watching and seeing what I can. Otherwise it'll be next season when I set foot on the place again.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Good for you Atlas. Great idea.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Even on smaller plots??.........I ask this because I try not to disturb my smaller areas as much or as deep as I do bigger woods........especially if the bedding area is on the small plot. My feelings are that the deer treat their bedding area with the most regards for safety. They know when they travel and/or when they eat they could run into trouble but those are risks they feel they have to take. If they don't feel safe in bed then they may move on (which can make all the differenece in a small plot even if they only go a little ways............a little ways could mean I will never see them again.

What is your take on this strategy for smaller areas?? Still OK to give them the boot??

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Couplemore things, remember you have to find a way in and out that you will not disturb the deer. This is no 1 in my book. You can have a great spot, but if you can not get into itand hunt it, well it is pretty worthless IMO.

Look for a Primary scrape area, this will be in the woods and is a mature bucks home range. You will see 3-4 scrapes in kindoff a circle. Then I look fora bedding area inthe area. Find a funnel between the too and look out!!

Note Scrapes on the edge of fields are worthless IMO. A mature buck lives and works in cover!!

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

yep, they will be back next season. One of my best bedding area's is 20 acre woods. I scout each year in jan. March is the deadline for me, past march I stay out.

The deer have been pushed for 2-3 months, soa scounting trip is not going to hurt.

I still wear rubber boots and use scent control as if I was hunting. I even set the stand this time of year. I will cut all the shooting lanes, etc. Then in Sept make a quick trip to hang the stand. I am in 100% hunting mode. All scent control, thenI do not hunt these spots until Rut, last weekend in Oct for me.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I have read Pressured.......and am now reading Precision. The DVD is actually a 3 piece set I think. I wanted to be sure it wasn't just the book repeated in the first one before ordering it. I like them. Very grounded in the "real" world IMO.


I will if I see him before he sees me ;) No changes here.........I do think that scouting is an area I need to improve on though.......that, and not letting the deer know they are being hunted. I always see more deer in early season.........which makes me think I need to be more stealthy in my entrance and exit strategies.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

You read my mind (see earlier reply)


From the books I read I'm sure you know I am familiar with this method. How far apart do you look for the bedding area once you found the primary scrapes?? I had what I considered a primary scrape area this year but hunting it turned out to be a dud............I think I blew the call on the bedding area.


Agreed..........I saw a couple bucks work field edge scrapes 2 years ago in daylight hours and was surprised.........usually they are worth bubkis.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I do not think there is a "standard distance" In 1 spot I am right in the bedding area, because I can get in and out. My other spot I am 25 yds from each, but this is the best spot. Here it is, bedding area is to the right. The PSA(Primary Scrape Area) is down the gull about 25 yds.



This one is now sandwich between two bedding areas now. We planted a huge CRP Field which is behind me.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

This year sneaking in and out of my stand and the wind were the biggest issues for me.
I finally have a stand where if a wind is a certain way I wont have to worry about swirling winds.
Every other stand no matter what on this 35 acres swirls.
Also between now and march I will check things out again put new stands up and after that stay out until
august and try to do some trimming.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Ok I am posting aerial of my spot. The stands are in red and yellow is my way in. The one in the southwest corner drives me nut because of the winds and because they bed in the woods and in the southwest corner.
The stand to the east is where I got my biggest buck so far this past fall and yellow is my way in. Now I take that way with the corn standing. On Jan 5th the corn was down and on my way in I got bust for out in the X area that looks like a swamp. I think its the weird green color is what the buck took to me from when I first saw him. White line is property line and the reason I chose this stand closer to the farm is it seems the deer like to come by that stand and bed on the other property in the southeast corner. I have new ideas for next season and if you have any feel free to add. Thanks

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Peak why not enter the furthers S stand from the line I drew? Only hunt it on a NE or Ewind. Sneak behind the deer, I would get in there early, at least two hours before sun rise.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

rest of property

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I like the spot with the X top left of the last picture, Oh man I like it!!

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

It looks like the stand is good for a SW wind and maybe a NE. Germ's way looks good for the NE wind.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Thats not a bad idea but I know no matter what I will bump deer
and trying to get there in the dark is a challange.
Where you start to go in from the highway you marked to the south
they bed big time. Heck they bed all over that property.
Its one of those damned if I do damned if i dont. But the 2 hours ahead
might just work. I only wear my boots when hunting so hopefully that wont be a issue. You know my uncle likes to take the catapiller out and play I might just ask him to make me a trail to it?

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Greg,
This is my union grove spot

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

peak I like the spot I just put a red blob by. South end of the field. Not know what is across the street, but if there is some woods I bet during the rut you could catch one sneaking through there. You could get to the stand with disturbing the bedding area.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

now if you get in the woods maybe 25-30 yards from there is one heck of a beaten path that crossed the crick to the south. That is exactly the spot I took a look at tuesday and want to put a stand up and from the farm to that corner I can sneak in no problem. You just got me pumped for that one thanks.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

25-30 yards west that is

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Yes cut a nice trail to get in and out, the two hour deal is to beat them back to the bedding area. Would I used a tractor for a trail, no. I would start a nice trail for me and keep it clean of sticks. Twice a year.

I only would hunt it during the rut, I bet the first day is awesome!!!

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Yes i seethe crick, I like it!!! looking at it you can catch them coming off the farm to the south also

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Germ thank you much for the advise it will be put to use. I do put a cam by that stand in the southwest corner area and the times are usually around 04:30 am heading south to southeast and 07:30 pm towards the north or northwest. Sept-oct sunrise is usually i think 5:45ish and sunset from 07:15 down to 6ish then of course adjustments going into nov.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I like the southwest corner also, looks tought to get to, but you have 2 fence rows coming together. What does the woods look like I circled.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

nice spot!!!

Do you have any food plots planted?

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I have to get permission to walk that field if I want to get to that corner using it. From that corner to the east is the thickest stuff on the whole property so I stay out of it. Now have I ever been on that field, yes.
It his a small hill going down to that corner. The woods to the west only get hunted during gun season and a very nice highway from them to that corner. From that corner it comes out where you drew the line to my stand near the fence and goes on the south property heads east and onto the property where nobody hunts which is south of the farm by the corner of my new GERM stand lol Makes sense?

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Yep, cool!!:)

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I tried to put in red some runways my mouse is acting up and time to clean it.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Funny peak that iswere I thought the run ways were, LOL

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

No food plots but one of the guys that also hunts it wants to so we might. Thats the other thing to take in consideration, 5 guys hunting but only 1 likes to roam to much. We kind of set him straight and since then havent seen him much. :DI tried to help him out him only being 19 but they know it all at that age.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

I speak for myself but this could be the "topic" that makes us all better hunters!

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

uh ohyou are way to close to me ;)Between you, greg, and dukemichaels I better becareful

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

K that time of year to take care of the wife before next season BBL.;)

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Here is what I do on plots

1. I do not hunt them!! At all in Oct -Nov
2. I put them whereI want deer to be in the morning so I can sneak in behind them
3. Plots IMO are for keeping/holding the deer(Doe) on your property.
4. I make the small, little corn, then clove, then beans, etc, etc

I could careless if I have 0 bucks come Oct where I hunt. What I want to have is the Doe's!!! Then once Nov comes around guess who is going to come looking for doe's:)

Why I do not use a game camera, because you may have 10 bucks on your land Sept-Oct, but come Nov they may all be gone. Just what I do, not saying I am right.

If I make itto Dec without a buck I have a standssetup for my plots. I have not had to use them yet, and they are setup back 20-25 yds into the woods.

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Peak my wife is here i have to go to a party at my bosses house. keep the info coming guys!!!

RE: Off Season Scouting
 

Great post guys, this thread is more like it!! :)