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When to start scouting for this fall?

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When to start scouting for this fall?

Old 05-07-2004, 08:26 AM
  #1  
Nontypical Buck
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Default 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)
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Old 05-07-2004, 09:24 AM
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Default 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.
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Old 05-07-2004, 09:51 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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Default 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.
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Old 05-07-2004, 10:49 AM
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Default 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.
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Old 05-07-2004, 11:01 AM
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Default 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.
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Old 05-07-2004, 11:37 AM
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Default 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.
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Old 05-07-2004, 12:53 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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Default RE: When to start scouting for this fall?

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

But your about 5 months behind
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Old 05-07-2004, 03:23 PM
  #8  
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Default 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.
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Old 05-09-2004, 04:30 PM
  #9  
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Default 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. Pretty easy hunting. Of course if your after a big buck, it still takes patience.
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Old 05-09-2004, 07:14 PM
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Default RE: When to start scouting for this fall?

The begining of last year's season.
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