What to look for when scouting
 

Our bowseason here in WV opens on Oct. 18th. Tomorrow, I'm going to go scout for a new place to hunt. About a month ago, I found a place on a flat where a creek runs through, and it appears to be a very good trail coming down the ridge to where I believe they have been watering at. Here's the problem, I sat my trail cam up on that trail and got pictures of two idiots on fourwheelers parked there. Should I follow the possible deer trail to see where it takes me and possibly set my stand up on that trail a little farther up the ridge? Should I look for a new flat or funnel to try? I had everything all planned out and had been feeding apples, corn, and deer cane in this spot and I know deer have been coming, but I don't want to set up over this spot if I know idiots on fourwheelers might pass right under me. What should I do now? (It is public land, and its the only land I have access to, so I cannot post it)

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

Honestly I say stay where you are... The idiots on 4 wheelers are a ussual attraction.. n if the deer are showin up they are used to it anyways.

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

If itsnot private land, and not "posted", you will have every four wheelin buddy and picnicer from miles away enjoying your hunting spot. If you have been given permission to hunt it, ask for permission to post it. I can only give it a short time before your cam comes up missing, especially if you decide to hang a stand at or near where someone else may wonder.

Just a thought for you...its happened to me 2 times on my own posted, leased land.

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

If the place looks like the 4 wheelers are there often..I'd leave.I hate noise ...my hunting places are far away from other people.

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

Should I follow the deer trail up the ridge and see where it takes me? Or should I try not to follow it in order to keep my scent off of it this late in the year?

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

baiting is wrong man! scout long and hard, find there feeding areas and their bedding areas, then look for crossing patterns. i hunt state land ONLY and still kill 120 plus bucks!!!!!!!!!!

if you can take the time to hunt, then you can take the time to scout

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

Post an Aerial view of the property. Some of these guys are really good at picking out potential spots.

Good Luck.

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

Let him be, he can hunt the way he wants to hunts. If its legal, who are you to tell him its wrong?

and I agree with DROCK, post up an aerial if you can. Google Maps, Mapquest, MSN Live Search, and the Mossyoak boards all have mapping stuff that will work for most of our purposes

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

Try going deeper where normal people won't go. Stay away from the heaviest trails this time of year, the big ones aren't on them. Does and little bucks will be wearing those out. I say the deeper the better on public land. The big ones like seclusion so you must go where they are secluded.

RE: What to look for when scouting
 

I hate ATV guys just as much as the next guy and most of my hunting spots are as far away from people as possible. But i have found that the deer can really careless about the ATV's in "some" areas. I had a big doe and with 2 of her fawns in front of my stand last year while a dirtbike rolled past and not one of the deer moved. Now i don't know if they were just really used to it or what, but it kind of startled me because i was expecting them to go running through the woods like a freight train!

Good luck with your spot and i would probably get your camera out of there before someone else does.