When to start scouting for this fall?
 

When do u usually go out and start deer scouting? Wanna get a jump start on it.

Thanks
Trapper_Hunter(Colby)

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I never stop scouting even during season I still size up potential areas. As soon as season is over I start physically scouting new stand placements. By doing it so close to seasons end you can see things in hunting conditions rather than with all the growth of summer and spring.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

The second the snow(atleast up here) starts melting. Looking for last years rubs, scrapes and trails. Trim shooting lanes. Looking for sheds. Scouting in the spring is invaluable. It's the best time in my opionon to scout. Not to mention, there aren't any bugs and it's not 100 degrees and humid. By the time July rolls around, you already have your stand locations picked and all you have to do is run in there setup stands and just let the woods settle down until you hit it for hunting. I don't enter any of my woods past August.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I agree directly following the close of the hunting season till late spring I will scout inside my area, looking for trials, sign, etc. During the summer I may take a walk I have noticed a change in patterns in deer movement while scouting from a far with bino's. However for the most part I use the summer to watch food/water sources and determine what I'll be hunting in the fall and which spots seem to provide the best chance. I do not use treestands but rather hunt from the ground, so I usually don't enter the woods anytime after august. When I did use treestands I would scout opening day of archery to determine stand placement, then set up my treestand and start hunting the following week. For me scouting continues while I hunt, often I will set up in the am and then stroll around slowly during the heat of the day using the wind in my favor. While any scouting is valuable, I feel the fall scouting is what really makes the difference in adapting to the pattern changes. My theory is I am going to be in the woods so my presence is required, as long as I don't put additional pressure and use my smarts(ie wind direction, etc) I will do no harm just further my chances at connecting. However I will say caution must be used in areas that have small staging areas, pressure here will force deer to change and that will only make you start the process over. For me most of my areas I hunt are pretty extensive wood lots which makes for lots of ground to cover, of the few smaller ones I simply go on my offseason scouting and what the summer glassing has told me to start with but will react to changes I see happening(being smaller this is much easier done after the fact with less inside cover knowledge). The main constant I use when scouting is determining bed, staging, food/water and natural attraction areas(funnels, draw, bottlenecks, etc), once this has been determined finding the spot becomes a lot easier.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

In NH, where I used to live, it was important to determine where the feed would be in the fall. The #1 fall deer food there is acorns. You can't always rely on a crop every year, so I would cruise the oak stands in late summer with a pair of binocs. Once I found the stands with the best crops, I relied on knowledge of past years to determine travel patterns and stand locations. The does will be in the oaks to feed, and the bucks will be checking in on the does, so I'd generally set up to intercept the bucks. I didn't try to set up to see a lot of does, but concentrated on rub-lines that the bucks would be using.

Here in Indiana, it's a whole different deal. The deer here are feeding heavily on Ag. crops, and they spend a lot of their time in cornfields rather than woods. But, it's the same concept.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I've seen so many deer, tracks, and droppings during my turkey hunting trips that I'm convinced that scouting should be a year-round activity. I've already nailed down some core feeding areas, so now I'm working on finding bedding sites. It doesn't matter what time of year it is; I learn something near about deer every time I go into the woods. The longer you scout, the more you'll know when deer season comes around.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

Good deal!

But your about 5 months behind:D

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I do my scouting as soon as the season ends. There is snow on the ground in northern Michigan at that time of year. It is easy to tell what trails are getting the most use.

Also, the deer are still using trails that they used during hunting season. I want to know where the deer are going to be when the woods are full of hunters. Not where they will be in August and September when they have not been pressured for 8 months.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

My scouting is pretty well done as soon a s I see where the winter Wheat is planted. The deer come from the deep river breaks up onto the winter wheat during deer season as that is the only green vegetation in November. Find the wheat fields closest to the draws and thats where the deer will be in the evenings and early mornings. Just find a spot to set and wait for your choice.:D Pretty easy hunting. Of course if your after a big buck, it still takes patience.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

The begining of last year's season.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I have never stopped. I always moniter my deer traffic, year round. Just because the season is over doesn't mean the deer quit moving:eek:

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

Same here ,
I scout every chance I get .

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

Yep season never really ends does it.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I scout as much during the year as I can. I do alot of scouting while I'm out turkey hunting in the spring. Dont get a whole lot done during the summer though. Then on Oct 1st I start bowhunting. I cant wait!!

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

Last December. I usually start to scout for the upcoming fall as soon as the current deer season closes. I spend about 30-40 days anually "scouting" on my feet or just by glassing. TGK

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

never stop but i do back off a bit the 2 weeks b4 hunting

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

Our hiking area in summer is our hunting area in winter. There is no end to scouting.....

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

All year is best, I have seen some nice velvet already. It is cool to watch then grow their antlers. This is the best time of year to decide where you want to be, Soon the crops will be up and we will know what is planted where.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I didnt know you were supposed to stop!

I was out today!:D

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

As many have already stated.....It is best IMHO to scout year round. When I do that I know what deer are within my 20 acres and get to know their habits. Sure that often changes during the rut....even bringing some other bucks in for competition but.....I usually know whats going on, or atleast try to do so. And the their patterns change with the seasons I tend to find...not much but they do. Just some thoughts..... :)

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I start scouting in jan when im looking for sheds and during spring turkey season then a couple times a month in the summer in september i start to narrow down the places i want to hunt

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I didn't know you were suppose to stop scouting. LOL Got to keep track of all these that made it through hunting and another winter...



Seriously, we do scout all year. We scout out new areas and the old areas when we shed hunt. The sheds tell us what bucks made it through winter and what areas to watch during the summer. We find out what crops are planted in the area that will give us insight to where the deer will be feeding through hunting season till they drop their sheds in the winter. Long range scouting ( binocs and driving the roads ) during late summer . Scout during hunting to keep up with the changes the deer go through with prerut, rut and post rut. Paying attention to their food sources in the fall and winter. Scouting never ends for us.

Tim

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I agree with Rack.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

;) Year round is my gig. It just seems to me that the more you observe the more knowledge you file away. It's fun to see the seasonal trends that they adapt to and it gets real exciting when you can figure out the patterns of a particular deer. Individual patterning might seem near impossible but I can assure you that if you are out in the whitetail playground enough you can find the elusive bully, pattern him and out fox the fox, so to speak. I did'nt say it was easy but what a rush when you take your scouting to that level.

RE: When to start scouting for this fall?
 

I start doing my heavy scouting right after the season closes in January. That is the best time to scout because you can see sign easily.