? about Scouting
 

This was my first year bowhunting and also elk hunting. I have a couple ?'s about scouting.

When your out looking for elk and deer. What are you guys looking for? And where is the best place to put trail cams?

When is the best time to start looking? I really want to get one this next year. So any tips would be great.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

I look for good summer forage and water, preferably both in the same area. Deer can only digest the first 3 or so inches of a sapling, because the fiber lower down makes it harder for them to digest.Look for small saplings and bushes that look like they had a few twigs bitten off. In late winter these areas will mostly have died off, so the best time to scout these are during early to mid spring.

Also, you can forget about these areas once the acorns start dropping.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

RJDUMAS, START SCOUTTING NOW. I HAVE BEEN HUNTING FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND I HAVE FOUND THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP SCOUTTING. GO TO YOUR LOCAL USDA OFFICEOR AG EXT. AGENT AND GET A PHOTO OF YOUR HUNTING PROPERTY ALONG WITH A TOPO MAP. MAKE SEVERAL COPIES OF THESE MAPS FOR A NUMBER OF REASON. TAKE ONE PHOTO MAP MARK NORTH ON IT, NOW WITH A MARKER PUT A R WHERE THERE ARE RUBBS, AN S IN AREAS OF SCRAPS AND A B FOR BEDS. MARK TRAILS WITH LINES. FOOD SOURCES AND WATER OR DITCH CAN BE MARKED ALSO. I LIKE TO USE BLUE MARKERS FOR WATER, GREEN MARKERS FOR FOOD SOURCES, BLACK MARKERS ARE FOR TRAILS WHILE BLUE IS USED TO MARK TREE STAND LOCATIONS. BY THE END OF HUNTING SEASON YOU WILL SEE SOMEWHAT OF A PATTERN TO FORM. IN FEBURARY AFTER THE SEASON SCOUT EVERY INCH OF YOUR PROPERTY AND MARK THE SIGN YOU SEE. ALSO IF YOU HAVE FEEDER PUT A CAMERA ON IT TO SEE WHAT BUCKS MADE IT THROUGH THE SEASON. AFTER YOU HAVE SCOUTTING THE WHOLE AREA YOU WILL SEE WHAT AREAS OF YOUR PROPERTY HOLD THE MOST DEER SIGN AND WILL MOST LIKELY DO THE SAME NEXT YEAR.
COME JULY AND AUGUST I PUT CAMERAS ON TRAILS TO FOOD SOURCES OR ON FEEDERS TO SEE WHAT BUCKS I HAVE. I GLASS CROP FIELDS FROM AFAR AND MARK ON MY MAP WHERE MOST OF THE DEER ENTER AND EXIT THE FIELDS. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU OUT, IF EVERTHING GOES RIGHT ME AND SOME OTHER GUYS I HUNT WITH ARE GOING TO MAKE A VIDEO ON HOW TO SCOUT FOR DEER EFFECTIVLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS JUST SEND ME A LINE TO [email protected], GOOD HUNTING.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

One could write a book on scouting tecniques. There are quitea few things you're looking for. Some obvious, some not so obvious. First thing, locate food and locate the bedding areas. Feeding areas can be anything from crop fields, clearcuts, overgrown pastures, oak stands, cut overs, etc. Bedding areas can be a pickle to find, especially in big woods areas where deer are more prone to just flop down where ever they feel like it.

I actually like to start my scouting during the winter months, especially during late season. Trails and droppings are more evident in snow and I feel that the deer are closer to fall patterns right after seasons are finished and we get our first good snows in December. You also don't run the risk of blowing up your areas at this time of year. You can be as intrusive as you want since season is almost a year away. Look for bedding areas that a lot of deer are using. Areas where the snow is matted down from deer laying. There are usually droppings and urine there are well. If you have feeding areas such as fields close by, follow trails to them from the bedding areas. Look for the most heavily used trails and make notes on them. If its a buck you're after, remember that bucks, especially the older ones usually don't use these "runways" like the does do until the rut. Then, all bets are off. :)

During the late summer months, start glassing fields from a distance in the evenings. Watch for where deer enter fields and make notes on it. You might even stick up a few cameras to see what is using those trails at night. Usually, bucks are relaxed and enter fields in broad daylight in the late evenings to feed so its a good time to take stock of what's in the neighborhood.

Once season starts in early fall, try hunting is spots that offers you a good vantage point of several known trails. This will help you make your next move to get in closer for a shot while not putting much pressure on the deer.

Best thing to do is put in the leg work and start walking, and observing. You'll be amazed at how much you'll learn in few outings, especially at this time of year.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

I do the majority of my scouting in Jan and Feb while I am out shed hunting. My idea about this is, during Jan and Feb the deer are going to be on similar to patterns as they are when I am in a tree hunting them in Nov. Also, I fill I am able to go into bedding areas and other others that I would normally never dream about going into during the season or just before the season is to start for fear of bumping a mature buck and changing his "core" area. In fact, I try to cover every single inch of ground I have permission to hunt in Jan, Feb, and even into March. I am normally done scouting by April, with the exception of watching fields from the distance.

When scouting I am looking for core doe bedding areas to hunt during the rut and always hoping to find a core bedding area of a good buck (I don't always find this on my property as his bedding area may not be on my property) in an attempt to hunt him in the early season before the rut starts. I am also looking for what will be their prime feeding areas once the season starts (this changes around me year-to-year) due to crop rotation and I try to find good pinch point between their bedding area and their prime feeding area. I am also looking for areas that deer use as staging areas also.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

Usually yellow"Posted" signs indicate areas with high deer populations. Find these areas and hunt there.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

Hey guys thanks a lot. They land I hunt on is pub. and the thing I'm really after is elk. I didn't see anything this year lots of tracks and crap but no elk to be seen. So this up coming season I'm thinking about going way in there to find the big bulls. Or cows I'd just like to see something and be able to pull back on it.

Thanks again and I'll remember the thing about the big yellow sign that says elk or deer, or a pic of them.

I'll just stand under that sign and hope they come.

RE: ? about Scouting
 

I usually look for places where other guys won't be. Maybe a Big hill or a long walk into the stand will keep the road huggers near the roads. I will sometimes sit the stand in the summer to see what kind of dear are passing through. I look for fresh rubs, but most importantly run down trails. The trails will clearly tell you which way the deer are moveing and sometimes the time of day.

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