So. Ohio Outfitters

Hunting in late september, early october can present us hunters with some challenges, however, theres advantages as well. While killing buckeye bruisers during this period in the season isn't as common, as say during the rut, it can still be done. However, preparation is the key factor. As I have said before, Myles Keller, along with other famous hunters, say 90% scouting, 10% hunting...and that's something I live and die by. There's many ways of scouting for early season, but here are two are my favorite. The first, trail cameras. The second, scouting from afar. Now, neither one of these are hard to do, and really, there's no science behind it. Just time. You have to take the time and willingness to do both. However, when scouting before season make sure not to bump your buck, or deer for that matter. A buck that has made it through 5 seasons isn't going to let you make a mistake and get by with it. The art of suprise comes into play. When placing your cameras, make sure your in the food sources and not their bedding areas. This is a no-no.Handle your cameras with gloves. You still need to be concerned about scent. As with scouting from afar, do just that. Scout from a distance. Make sure you have a good pair of optics. You don't want to get to close, and spook them.


After you've done your scouting from afar, this is where it gets interesting and the work starts. Scouting up close and personal. This is the time when you need to be the most cautious, and take the most care. First, go in during the middle of the day, even if that means 90 degree plus weather. Like I said, the work starts.When you go in during the middle of the day, the deer are bedded. So it only makes since to do it then. You don't need to go around there bedding area. Stay focused on food sources, or an area where you can intercept them in between. By the time your looking to place your stand, some of our bucks are throwing down rubs. Unlike during parts of the rut, these rubs, you can go by. Hunt it, hunt it smart.


Well used trails are what most say to look for, and this is good if this is where your rubs lay, or if that is where your seeing your bachelor group is coming out into the fields. Often times when you find an area where two or more trails intersect it is a great place to set up a stand. Make sure you have a dominant wind direction, or at least try. In our area, that is often times hard. Do your best, however. I concentrate on the edges of fields where the deer are feeding. This is a good time of the year to take a doe. Not only does the hot weather take a toll on us, but the deer as well. One of the next best things you can look for a a well used water hole, or better yet a secluded water hole. It doesn't have to be big either. One of the biggest bucks I ever had the privilege of laying my eyes on, and the not so great privilege of missing later in the season, was seen at a very tiny water hole. Not only was he using it, but about a dozen other deer where as well. The watering hole was a natural spring, and it only measured about 2 feet by 2 feet. However, there was always water there. It was secluded, and he felt safe coming there.


The best time to hunt is early morning, late evening. Even if you only have an hour before dark, go...go...go....I have a friend that nails a good buck almost every year, and most of them are taken in that hour before dark when he gets home from work. It's cooler during these times, and of course the deer are beating the heat as well.Try not to let the deer pattern you or your stand and let a stand rest for a few days in between hunting. Deer tend to pick up very quickly on what routes you are using and exactly where you are.


Early season is one time when the deer are easy to pin down, and this gives you an edge, use it. Keep a good and positive attitude. That goes a long ways. When your clothes are so soaked with sweat, and you can take your shirt off and wring it out, and the bugs are swarming your face, remember why your out there, you love it

younggun308

Nice post, nice buck.

AR Bowhunter

I like to be there for that first taste of cool air,an do not even plan my vacations until I see the weather. I will not miss the first day if at all possible an like you said a water hole is normally involved. I know where a natural spring is atan have known for about 3 years, have never hunted it, thats going to change this year.

BigBuck28

hi i kind of have a problem.. i dont have any fields but i have alot of thick scrub brush and theres an oak tree an puddles every 20 ft. WHAT SHOULD I DO???????? Theres food and water everywhere the deer dont have to move very far.....thanks

AR Bowhunter

Sounds like you have homework to do, better start scouting before it is to late. Look for ridges, trails, rubs, old scrapes, an creek crossing to follow. They will go many mileslooking for does. Most of the time redoaks fall first, an the deer hear the acrons trees dropping acrons just like you do but better.

BigBuck28

Im not the best bow hunter but im not the worst i shoot one every year but this year im trying to connect on a nice buck. The proble is the deer dont move far bc they have everything they need within a few YARDS of where they bed. ALL i do is scout- Im a 21yr old who cant get enough-i know where a few bucks bed rooms are but they dont move till after night fall. i get them all over my scouting cams but there at night [:@]

Andrew14

So. Ohio Outfitters where are you located i live in jackson county just wondering be kinda cool to have someone that close to home on here.

IL-Cornfed

So. Ohio Outfitters,

How about you show us the kind of early seasons "monsters" we could expect to tag IF we booked a hunt with you?

I'm still waiting to make my first hunting trip to OH.

tlutterba

good post, and very respectibile buck

So. Ohio Outfitters

I personally live right around the Jackson area, however, my properties are not...their in Jackson County, Scioto county,and Lawerence county mostly...the properties I have are very secluded as I don't tolerate human activity very well..I have 6500 acres of property, some I own and some I lease...I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT USE state funded properties...

If you want to get a good idea of what kind of deer jackson county is known for, if at all possible, look at North American Whitetail, 1999 issues, I can't remember what month, but when I get home I'll let you guys know, and look for the Willis Buck....thisbuck was actually on one of my farms, and chased a doe about 1/2 mile onto another ad-joining farm where he shot the buck...it had 26 scorable points,netted 256 inches, was the largest buck taken in North America for that year with bow, and was going to be the new Ohio State record, until Mike Beatty killed his the following year before Willis's buck could be instituted....talk about someone being sick..man was I ever....however, bucks just like the one that I posted a pic of, was never taken last year, so this year, he'll be a booner, I'll post some pics on here of just a few bucks that made it through the season...our bucks are just now starting to grow some horn, so the trail cam pics aren't that impressive, but in about a month they will be..Are largest buck last year had 18 scorable points, and we had some 200" bucks that were seen during the rut, but they stayed just out of reach..I've been featured on several different Tv shows, and both A-way Outdoors and Outdoor Journal have said that my outfit has been one of the best that they have ever been to...including one very well known one in Illinois..Southern Ohio Outfitters is one of the largest outfits in the state, and I believe the best, hands down...I honestly care about my hunters and the quality of bucks that they see, and that they have an awesome experience when they come. Actually, that's one of the things that my hunters appreciate the most and thats the kindness that their shown and that there treated with respect from everyone. I love the hunt, and it shows through when you show up to hunt!