kyle_hoyt

hey guys I' ve been out scouting a lot and found a couple NICE bucks. If i can get permission to hunt the land what should i do now? Obviously i need to get in the woods and look around but i dont want to spook him either? what do you guys recommend? thanks

jmac33

TRY USING A SPOTTING SCOPE FROM A A DISTANCE! OR STAY ON THE EDGE OF THE WOODS AND GET A GOOD SET OF BINOCS!!! I WOULD STOP SCOUTING ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THESEASON OPENS TO LET THEM COME DOWN IF THEY DO SUSPECT YOU!! IT HAS WORKED FOR ME GOOD LUCK!!

FL/GA Hunter

Identify the different places where the bucks you' ve seen live. You should be able to find thick areas where they bed, areas where they would eat, and corridors they' d use to travel. Also, you' re bound to find a place where they cross a stream or fence. Use those to identify the movement pattern of those bucks, even before you hit the woods. Then, just spend enough time in their area to ascertain that they are using the areas you figured on. Make sure you find their old rubs and the specific trails they' d cross, and then find a good tree downwind of it.

skeeter 7MM

I would try and locate a pattern on how they enter and exit the transition areas, either cover that is bedding or cover that leads from bedding to food sources. I would then get in the bush and do some scouting, you may spoke them, but if you do it slowly and with the proper wind chances are you' ll be ok. Once located possible stands sites, then scout from a far. Keep in mind what they do today may not hold true come fall. I like to set up in transition areas that provide good cover and concealed travel routes for the bucks. Hunting fields is to risky to ensure good mature buck sightings and opportunities. Bucks tend to hang in the shadows and enter close to or under the safety of darkness. Look for funnels or bottlenecks that provide a natural run or route for deer to travel

I have been in the woods that is close to beds lately and jumped a few deer but they seem to go back to their routine fairly quickly. I have already made my intial plan for locations for certain wind direction come start of bow season in early sept. However this is just a starting point, I will branch out and adapt to there patterns as fall progresses. I think July is the time to walk and find your spot in virgin territory, once August comes scouting from a distance is much more critical, as season approaches. If possible try to minimize your presence for about a month before you plan to hunt, once hunting is on then scout further with proper wind situations. I have never sat the same spot throughout the entire season, I usually move back closer to beds as season progresses, especially new territory.

kevin1

I like to do preliminary scouting with TerraServer , this allows me to identify likely bedding areas and funnels from far away . I did this last year before hunting a new spot and found trails that the owner didn' t know were there . Then comes the ground work . A GPS can be handy for pinpointing high percentage spots once you find them so that you can easily get back to them once the season starts . You' ll leave some smell behind , so stay out for a couple of weeks before hunting the property .

timbercruiser

Of course the permission to hunt comes first, but remember that bucks have a large territory they roam so they may not even be on that particular piece of property when hunting season comes in.

Rack-attack

Good advise above, I have been in this situation a few times, when time is getting thin and I am unfamiliar with an area. You have to set up a solid plan. I would rather take the chance of busting them out but gaining some good info and stand placements then playing it safe and hunting half a$$ stand locations and really having no chance.

1) Take a day or two to scout the area well – look for the usual buck sign from last year etc. Pay special attention to finding bedding areas deeper in than they are bedding now and look for good trails around them – note any areas that look good – as many as you can.. Take special care to find easier access routes into these areas. I don’t know what’s in your woods but I look for jogging trails, horse trails, logging trails, fire lanes, electric lines and similar. Note your common fall wind direction and use that also to pick areas and routes.
2) Once you have this info mapped out – put together the best combo of good stand sights and good access routes. Again figure out as many as you can – 5 or 6 sights min., one or two may not cut it. Options are a bow-hunters best friend.
3) After the stands have been decided on, get a friend or two if you can and spend another few days setting them up. Cut lanes, cut routes in and out, mark the trails with blaze tacks for nigh time. Get this done as soon as possible then just leave it all alone. Scout some fields if you must but stay away from the area.
4) Don’t rely to much on what they are doing now – they will change come Sept.
5) Opening morning climb a stand and shoot a bruiser.

Tazman

Rack Attack speaks the truth, one thing to keep in mind is that what they are eating and doing now is not what they will be eating or doing when the season rolls around, one thing you will need to look for is mast trees, this is thier favorite food in the fall. As rack attack states you will need to find difeerent ways to and from your stands trying to avoid their bedding and travel routes, always keep the wind in mind.

san atnonio hunter

get one of those new aircam units (aircam.net) and you can watch the field from your home / office computer. they have about a dozen of them (cameras) networked on FantasyHunt.com - you can even control the cameras, pan, tilt, zoom - shoot still images - it' s all live video

DaveH

Just yesterday, I was able to get with-in 6 FEET of a bedded, very wide 12 point who just might be a B&C contender. Unfortunately, I was at the Hersheypark Zoo with my family and they don' t allow you to shoot the caged animals! [&:]

Seriously though . . . what you' ve read so far is good info. Make only the minimum number of trips, RIGHT NOW to set-up potential stand sights and do some long-range observation, then stay out of the area.

Deer will likely return to what they were doing before too long if the trips aren' t repeated over and over. I like to set-up everything two months or more before the season and then back off, returning a couple days before the season just to hang my stand and clip any twigs out of the way that may have grown into my shooting lanes.