how to scout deer w/out scaring them off
 

Aside from using deer cameras, are there any general procedures to follow while scouting deer locations so as to not alert them to human presence? (Other than Elmer Fudd's "be vewy vewy quiet")? There are a lot of places on my land where deer bed down, eat, etc but I don't want to tip them off that I've been there.

Not during the season. If you have heavy cover the best way to scout is after the season is over go in and get a good look and write down your finding so you remember them next year.

don't scout during the season unless you hang a stand and hunt to scout. After the season do your scouting.

I think you are overreacting unless the area has a lot of pressure. Even then, it does not matter. Why is that? Because other people affect their movement which would cause them not to leave, but to become human wise and nocturnal.

Deer don't leave an area permanently unless they are forced to. They just leave, and then come back. Let's face it, if they did not return, hunting would be far more challenging.

I walk through bedding areas scouting every year. As do other members in my camp. We see, and more often than not, kill deer every year.

Stop worrying, go scouting, and be successful.

find where there feeding get you a spotting scope or a good pair of binos sit ur truck half mile or so away and see what comes out in the morning or evening to feed. or easier and cheaper in the long run just get a 60 dollar trail cam from wally world stick out for a week at a time and see what is there.

In ways the deer is the superior creature
 

Not humans, though they have a mind they can use to think.

In scent and movement, humans are the inferior being.

I do the best I can to make my boots and pants legs scent free and scout during the middle of the day...I also stay out of bedding areas...You can't find the best dropping oak trees without getting into the woods and scouting...

During the season scouting is some of the most enjoyable time you can have, like putting together a jig saw puzzle...

I scout year round including scouting on no hunting sundays during the season.
During the season I just spend less time in each areach area.
If scouting pushes them out so. So would hunting itself,
Think hunting 1 day ruins your spot for the season?neither will scouting that spot

If you don't want to tip them off of your presence then get some cameras up. Let them do the work for you and you won't have to tromp through the woods leaving your scent. I used to do what you want to do but now I use camera with much more scouting success.

Let me ask you this, how do you check the cameras?

I'm betting you have to physically go to them. Doing that has the same effect as one scouting trip into those areas.