Preparing for Deer Season; Scouting

I’m sure you have heard or read somewhere about how important it is to learn the patterns of the buck you want to hunt., but just how do you do this?  What are the tell-tell signs that he is in the area and what is his daily routine?

 Scouting truly is an art form, one that will pay huge dividends once you learn the best methods.

 First of all scouting should have begun as soon as hunting season was over last year, but it’s not too late this year yet. You absolutely have to understand the deer you hunt and their behavior. The what they do, when do they do it, and will the continue to do it?

 Now unless you’re a full time guide you probably don’t have time to spend hours walking the woods every day, so you’ll need to take full advantage of the time you do have. Always carry a notepad or GPS when you are scouting and record any special events that happen, the time of day it happened, and where they happen. Then plot out these events on a map back at home. Over time a pattern will emerge. So start this process by the latest, spring or early summer and keep it going until a few weeks before hunting season. Remember to always give your hunting land some time to rest before the season.

 When you’re scouting you should always use the same scent control, as if you were hunting. Remember to wear scent free clothing, rubber boots, along with a quality hunting scent eliminator. You want to leave as little of a mark on your hunting area as possible.

 This includes cutting shooting lanes and setting up your deer stand. The less you can disturb the area the better. Basically you want to get in, find out what you need and get out!

 Many hunters seem to think that scouting consist of spotting tracks, droppings and rubs or scraps. But do you really know what to look for in these signs? To me it’s more important to know what the deer are doing, rather than the fact that they are there.

 After all, unless a track is pristine with out any debris in it or the droppings are steaming fresh there is really no way to say how far a deer has traveled since leaving the markings.

For the most part a deer’s territory is from ½ to 1 and ½ square miles, although during the rut this could double.

 So, it’s more important to understand what was going on when they traveled through. If the tracks seem to travel short distances with frequent stops, most likely they were feeding. Or if they appear to be steady with abrupt changes in direction most likely they were either heading to or away from a bedding area. These are the questions you should ask yourself when scouting. Basically deer are the same as people in that they will fall into a pattern just like you do when you take the same route to and from work every day.

With this in mind, a map plotted with events, dates, and times will become the most useful tool that is seldom used. The use of topographical maps are best for this, they will also help you locate bottle necks or saddles on the property.

 And do not fall prey to the preconceived notion that the trophy bucks are only found in heavily wooded areas. As you begin to plot out your maps you’ll find this isn’t always true. Often just the illusion of cover will satisfy a deer.

 I hope this article help you and feel free to add your comments, or suggestions.

Doc’s Horny Stuff, the ultimate hunting scent eliminator.