how to scout
08-05-2006, 12:20 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 16
how to scout
Hi, this is going to be my 2nd year deer hunting and I found a new spot on some public land. Ive seen plenty of tracks but not near each other. How do you find a deer trail(sorry if this is a stupid quest.). I usually just see tracks here and there but never a solid trail.
08-05-2006, 12:41 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 250
RE: how to scout
you may be looking too hard. deer generally do not wear out the ground and make deep trails the way cattle do. they will follow a pattern and will travel to food and water on trails but they do not always migrate back and forth the exact same way.
Check fences for areas where the deer cross and check establishes roads for tracks. Deer will sometime use extablished trails.
You should probably get out there at the times when you will be hunting and sit and watch how the game move. Watch the direction they are coming from, the direction they are moving, the sex of the deer, age etc.
Younger bucks may be moving with does but the older ones wont be unless they are rutting.
There is no substitute for time spent in the woods, no amount of reading magazines or watching shows on tv can replace the time you log in where you are hunting. Good luck.
Check fences for areas where the deer cross and check establishes roads for tracks. Deer will sometime use extablished trails.
You should probably get out there at the times when you will be hunting and sit and watch how the game move. Watch the direction they are coming from, the direction they are moving, the sex of the deer, age etc.
Younger bucks may be moving with does but the older ones wont be unless they are rutting.
There is no substitute for time spent in the woods, no amount of reading magazines or watching shows on tv can replace the time you log in where you are hunting. Good luck.
08-05-2006, 03:27 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 5,076
RE: how to scout
Well let me tell you how I scout around the woods for whitetails.
I like to go out right after it rains or the mornig after, reason for this is the ground, twigs and leaves are wet and soft .
Once I'm in there I start off slow always being careful of where I place my feet, trying to be qiuet as possible.
Taking a few steps then stoping to look around if I see something like deer sign I'll look for more.
I know this sounds time consuming and it is but I'm out there for thewhole day anyway so I take my time.
I look for deer scat and tracks they leave behind and when your looking at what looks like a trail it very well could be.
I'll walk along a trail for a few yards and lookfor more sign like rubs and scrapes or even bedding areas like swamps, marsh land and thickets.
I enjoy walking in the woods, lookingfor food sourcheslike oak trees and water like ponds, creeks and streams.
You might be able to see some deer sign along a stream or find out where there crossing it.
I like to go out right after it rains or the mornig after, reason for this is the ground, twigs and leaves are wet and soft .
Once I'm in there I start off slow always being careful of where I place my feet, trying to be qiuet as possible.
Taking a few steps then stoping to look around if I see something like deer sign I'll look for more.
I know this sounds time consuming and it is but I'm out there for thewhole day anyway so I take my time.
I look for deer scat and tracks they leave behind and when your looking at what looks like a trail it very well could be.
I'll walk along a trail for a few yards and lookfor more sign like rubs and scrapes or even bedding areas like swamps, marsh land and thickets.
I enjoy walking in the woods, lookingfor food sourcheslike oak trees and water like ponds, creeks and streams.
You might be able to see some deer sign along a stream or find out where there crossing it.
08-07-2006, 10:08 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 180
RE: how to scout
There are lots of things to look for when scouting and it can be over whelming especially for new hunters that don't understand what to look for. First thing to look for is a food source. Crop fields or food plots are good place to start but since you hunting public land I assume your not going to have those for a starting point. Acorns are the next thing to look for. If you know of oak trees in your hunting area you need to check them out. If you can't figure out what the deer are eating the next thing to look for are edges. Hunt the edges and you should see deer eventually. Good luck
08-08-2006, 08:54 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,621
RE: how to scout
I also look for food sources. Look for apple trees, oak trees, and edges of corn fields, crab apple thickets. Places like that. I'd consentrate more on food sources first, then look for trails leading to and from.
White oak acorns are one of deer's favorite foods. White oaks have leaves with rounded lobes and red oaks have leaves with pointed lobes. Deer like white oaks more than red oaks.White oaks are sweeter than the more bitter red oaks.
White oaks only produce acorns every 2nd or 3rd year, red oaks almost every year. White oak acorns are elongated and a yellowish/green color when they first start falling. Red oak acorns are short fat and stubby looking.
Deer will eat red oaks. But I've noticed that they really hit red oaks hard,later on in the season after everthing else is gone and snow is falling. Remember where you saw the red oaks earlier in the season. This is a place to check out later when there is snow.
One more thing. If you find a White oak tree dropping acorns, try to hunt it the entire day. Pack a lunch and wait it out. Hunting food sources is better in the late afternoon as opposed to the morning but deer will sometimes be in and out and all around a white oak that is dropping, throughout the day.
Deer usually travel the path of least resistance. If you are walking in the woods you will do the same thing. You will notice, that if the woods are thick, more than likely you will be walking on a deer path.
White oak acorns are one of deer's favorite foods. White oaks have leaves with rounded lobes and red oaks have leaves with pointed lobes. Deer like white oaks more than red oaks.White oaks are sweeter than the more bitter red oaks.
White oaks only produce acorns every 2nd or 3rd year, red oaks almost every year. White oak acorns are elongated and a yellowish/green color when they first start falling. Red oak acorns are short fat and stubby looking.
Deer will eat red oaks. But I've noticed that they really hit red oaks hard,later on in the season after everthing else is gone and snow is falling. Remember where you saw the red oaks earlier in the season. This is a place to check out later when there is snow.
One more thing. If you find a White oak tree dropping acorns, try to hunt it the entire day. Pack a lunch and wait it out. Hunting food sources is better in the late afternoon as opposed to the morning but deer will sometimes be in and out and all around a white oak that is dropping, throughout the day.
Deer usually travel the path of least resistance. If you are walking in the woods you will do the same thing. You will notice, that if the woods are thick, more than likely you will be walking on a deer path.
