How many of you have been scouting the deer that you hunt?

I've been out at least once a week since Dec 1st. I've been studying trails, bedding areas and food sources. I'll probably taper off at the end of the month then start again after the 4th of July.

I went out once and found two awsome spots. One has trails going everywhere with a pond 50 yards from it. I'm hoping this is going to be a hot spot for next year.

I have been out about that much also. Pretty much scouting the things you mentioned. One thing I think I found is a staging area. John Eberhart talks about them in his books and video but I had never seen one around here (pretty much all public land I hunt). Well, I found one in this neck of woods that comes up between to fields.They can get to it from a draw that goes to a creek bottom that goes to the road that they cross from their bedding areas. That is probably the most significant thing I have found and very exciting for me. The other stuff, trails, food, etc. is just confirmation of what I thought but in some new hunting areas farther out.

ive scouted once since the season ended, found a couple really neat spots.
gonna start shed hunting here in the next week, after all the bucks have dropped and all the snow melts.

I have been checking out mostly a few public area's but that will change on my off day tomorrow. (Have not heard from Dukemichaels) Heading over to a couple private spots and see what has been going
on and put out a couple game cam's. Might even bring the 223 with and see if I can cap some yotes.

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Been out 5 times I believe since mid January---found some subtle spots that contained a ton of sign that we only 200 or so yards from many of my spots this year. Also scouted an area I had high hopes for.....almost nil buck sign and I scouted for nearly 4 hours. The trees hadn't dropped many acorns like the rest of the places I hunt. Was kind of discouraging but I guess a place can turn around if the trees start producing. I found several great funnels out in the middle of the big woods, all with a tremendous amount of sign, and I know most people will not walk 3/4 mile out and set up in those tight saddles...I am pumped. I probably will get out 2-3 more times in the next month or so, then head back in during July to trim/relook over spots. Greg, I don't know if I have ever told you this, but you have some excellent advice and I pay special mind to it when you go into the details of what you do in the woods...thank you.

shadow

What I like is finding the most prefered trails going in and out of bedding areas. At this time of year, with the deep snow, they are very evident. Also, it is easier to spot bedding areas. The thickest, nastiest stuff is obvious. Imagine how thick it will be in the summer!

You have some good points here Greg!!

I am out on my new prop at least one day every weekend. Also have 2 trail cams out there. I have found lots of beds in the snow in many different areas. Many trails leading to a turnip patch on the neighbors prop.(There will be one on my prop next fall.) They have torn that patch up. No tops left at all and they are digging up the turnips. Found a few nice trails on the sides of hills too, and a ton of great ambush points.

Heck there were even a few fresh scrapes around the edge of one field last weekend.

How big an area (parcel) you talking about?