timbercruiser

How familiar are you with your hunting area? You say you need to move some stands, so you must have pretty good knowledge of the area. Get some recent aerials and a topo map and go over them using previous knowledge. Mark good possibility areas and limit your time visiting those areas. Remember the dominant wind directions and place your stands accordingly.

avid_bowhunter2005

Keep in mind though, that when season starts up, bucks aren't following those heavily used trails. Bucks are heading out in search of their own turf to guard from other bucks and to have does come around. I used to think, the more heavy beaten paths I found, the more bucks I would see. Wrong. Just don't get close right now. That's a must, because most deer aren't too far from those bedding areas when you are in there scouting. This late in the game and he just MIGHT come back during rut, but if it is around november or more *here in the midwest*, if you scare him out then, he is most likely gone for good, either noctural, or out of the area period.

Phil J.

I do alot of post-season scouting in the winter to locate areas, but I also verify those areas in Aug. and then immediately before the season opens I'll go in on a rainy day and look for rubs.

We can't scout from a distance in the wooded areas, so that doesn't apply for alot of people. It would be nice if I could set up across the field and scout at dusk and dawn, but it's not feasible here, so I have do put down foot-work and verify everything. Just keep it as minimal as possible.

Tomster

I don't agree that you should wait untill January to do some scouting. Each month, deer, does and bucks travel different trails at different times. This depends on available foods and what do they like the best. Or, if the rut is on, you will see more bucks on doe trails.

I find I see more bucks between October and November, and they are gone come December and January.

For example, I have a large apple tree near my home. Normally I will only see an occausional doe now but as the season moves into October, I will see 6 or 7 does together, plus some bucks. As some of ther other guys said, bucks maybe traveling in bachlor groups. I saw a spike the other day with some does. The deer will come more regularly once their food sources decline.

This will change again when the rut sets in and the bucks loose their senses. After rut, they fall back into their regular routines.

Just try to leaveing as little scent as possible and try not to spook the deer. If you see some, look the other way and keep on walking. They will return to what they were doing if they are not threatend.

Good luck scouting....

Tom

WoodsBowhunter15

The best advice I can think of is simply spend time in the woods. Some say scout early, some say scout late. Scout all year. Get in the woods and just go for a walk and enjoy your surroundings. Obviously, deer patterns change throughout the course of a year. When scouting for whitetails immediately after the season look for rubs and scrapes in areas you haven't hit real hard in the past, this will help you in the upcoming rutting period. When scouting immediately before the upcoming season, try to identify travel routes for both bucks and does. The does won't change their patterns much, so hunt the does to find the bucks come November. Most importantly, have fun, learn, the woods is the best teacher. Get out there and breathe clean and rest easy. If you're like me, you rack your brain all week at work and the last thing you need is the stress of a wily old buck. Good scouting to you.

Happiness is a fresh gut pile.