As i travel the midwest to hunt, whether it be on private or public land, the process of scouting deer bedding areas, defining where a buck will bed within them, and then hunting cautiously while skipping around to find the right buck i want to go after within its own bedding area. When scouting i try to position a camera in a well traveled run between 2 food sources, that way i can get a good idea of what kind of deer i have on the property. Information passed down from elderly deer hunters has always proved a valuable asset. Highly efficient buck scouting tips whitetail habitat solutions. Perhaps the most useful thing we can learn from post season deer scouting is where the deer, and particularly the bucks, end up. Rubs when photoperiods start causing an increase in a bucks testosterone levels, velvet sheds, hormones are worked up, and scent glands start stinking. This especially true when we are just months or even weeks out from deer hunting season. Earlyseason scouting for deer has become so hightech that today we can learn 100 times the amount of information through using bait stations. We start at the perimeter of our property and mark all the major trails on the border. Heavily scouting bedding areas is best done during the off season when disturbance will be a nonissue. Something many hunters dont realize is that the late winter and early spring months offers some of the best deer scouting opportunities of the year. Aug 12, 2015 deer season will be here in a couple weeks now.
Scouting update for deer season 2015 part 3 youtube. Scouting for deer in the post season can be a game changer. My first public land deer came 3 decades ago, and i havent stopped hunting public land since. Pre season scouting for deer and tips on good stand placement duration. For pre season scouting, a map is perhaps the most important tool and yet, it is the most neglected. Scouting in the snow is a good way to locate bedding areas. Patterning deer is much more productive in winter than in early fall. I like to scout as close to the season as possible and 23 days after a fresh snow.
Jan 09, 2019 deer hunting is a yearround process and postseason scouting for deer is part of it. Mar 08, 2017 often times, the best deer scouting takes place right after season closes. Whitetail sign is still fresh, the previous season is still fresh in your mind, and deer have plenty of time to recover. I get almost as excited to begin the off season scouting trips as i was on opening day. Marking these on your aerial map will show you how deer move about the lands you hunt, too.
Often times, the best deer scouting takes place right after season closes. Aug 30, 2012 i got my first lesson in deer scouting from a gentleman named ray bimber while we were sitting in front of a potbellied wood stove in a hunting camp. Late winter deer scouting tips to improve the odds next. So if you want to build the hunters version of a michelangelo masterpiece and put a trophy buck on your wall, you need to put in the hard work starting with postseason scouting. Summer scouting for whitetail deer learn how to take.
Jan 20, 2017 scouting after deer season provides valuable recon for next year that you wont get during the summer. Guides guide to pre season whitetailed deer scouting scout smart this year to harvest a big buck, and be prepared to put boots on the ground photo by ron sinfelt a trio of whitetail guides and outfitters divulge some of their secrets to successful pre season deer scouting. If you have other tips or strategies that help you with your preseason scouting, please share them in the comments box below. If your deer season starts before bachelor groups break up, you can target them in the evening during the first few weeks. Post season scouting is extremely beneficial and well worth the time spent. The choice is yours as to sit it out or move to another spot. Late season deer hunting and scouting bone collector. With these post season scouting tips, you can get a jump start on next years deer season. Hunt the fringes of bedding areas as not to disturb the deer.
Jan 18, 2016 scouting during the late season reveals a lot of deer sign, its time you understood the real reasons behind them, and applied it correctly to deer hunting. Aug 22, 2015 when you are new to deer hunting, its very easy to get overwhelmed with everything there is to learn. When to start and when to stop scouting for deer season. Deer hunting is a yearround process and postseason scouting for deer is part of it. When used in combination with scouting before deer season, however, you can double your knowledge. Duckbuckgoose phj prostaff cincinnati, oh so the hunting season is over, now what. The use of modern mapping software saves time and helps to narrow down areas to scout on foot. Whitetailed deer are a challenging quarry that requires hunters to study their habits and develop a plan to intersect their movements. Before the cold temperatures of winter arrive, and after the intense rut action, a lot of deer hunters can catch themselves in this period known as the december lull. Jul 20, 2010 i start scouting the day after the season ends. During the latest of the late season, a little bit of deer knowledge and time spent poking around your preferred hunting spots can go a long way. Tips on scouting for deer in the post season muddy outdoors. By scouting this way, you are scouting smart and not giving the deer a lot of opportunities to pattern you.
Acorns during the fall, deer abandon other food sources to search for highly prized acorns, especially ones from white oaks. I got my first lesson in deer scouting from a gentleman named ray bimber while we were sitting in front of a potbellied wood stove in a hunting camp. After all, the next deer hunting season doesnt open until sept. Believe me, youll enjoy the season much more if you do. Whether firearm or bow hunting, walk around the woods once you have no more intention of hunting that particular season. Sometimes, when deer just dont seem to be moving, there may be a reason. First, remember that when you are scouting, you are really just looking for signs that deer are moving through the area. Tips on scouting for deer in the post season bone collector. Getting out in the field and walking properties you plan to hunt will reveal rub lines and isolated rubs. Postseason scouting for whitetails 11 reasons to start. Finding the survivors late season deer scouting and hunting. This gives me the best opportunity to map deer runs, deer highways, and bedding areas.
Over the years ive heard my fair share of adages and techniques, some of which proved to be just superstition though most turned out to be spot on. In season scouting is vastly overlooked by many hunters because it requires taking the active initiative, and in doing so, you risk spooking area deer you were unaware of. During the deer rut, bucks will seek out doe bedding areas so remember where such spots are in your hunting area. He dedicates so much time to the virtual mapping program partly because its his job, but also because he knows its the first critical step in finding and patterning mature bucks. Jan 09, 2019 postseason scouting for deer greg wagner january 9, 2019 leave a comment if youre a deer hunter in nebraska, chances are you have wrapped up or are getting ready to wrap up your season the late deer hunting season closes at 30 minutes after sunset on jan. When it comes to reducing pressure, the earlier you scout the better. He did last season, too, but for some reason he popped back on the cameras after thanksgiving. Sep 01, 2017 bow season is right around the corner, and theyre anxious to pattern deer for fast success once the opener arrives. The absolute best time is to go scouting deer after season closes. How to scout for deer in the northeast deer hunting. Guides guide to preseason whitetailed deer scouting.
And, naturally, that means breaking out your trail cams one more time. Mule deer bucks tend to use the same tree to scrape against over and over, so if you find more than one in your area, check it out closely, since there will be multiple bucks nearby. Video there is a wrong way and a right way to scout. Dec 29, 2016 similar to preseason scouting, you can learn a great deal about the woods and whitetails to help you during your next hunt even if youre scouting after the season ends. Mar 08, 2016 the most ideal situation is post season deer scouting, where you literally go out the day after your season closes or the last day you know youll be able to hunt.
There is less than one week of deer season remaining for our area of the state. If you are itching to get a head start on your hunting season, here are a few early season mule deer hunting and scouting tips you can use to increase your odds of having opportunities on quality bucks in the mountains. Leave the hard work behind, because here is a proven scouting tip to help you locate mature bucks in 2 days or less. If, all season long, you played catchup and not too well on local deer movement and habitat and cover transitions, taking a look right after the season can put you ahead of the game next season. Last season i killed a buck that used to disappear every year, says bland. And it begins immediately after the last season in the form of postseason scouting. Do you want to know the secret to getting on big bucks year after year. The best thing to do when starting to learn how to scout for deer is to take it slow. Dec 08, 2017 the weather and deer activity are in a weird place and deer hunters are caught in the middle of it all. May 03, 2016 video there is a wrong way and a right way to scout. So, why would a deer hunter scout immediately after a season ends through the winter. The most ideal situation is post season deer scouting, where you literally go out the day after your season closes or the last day you know youll be able to hunt. Milliken is a land specialist with whitetail properties a realestate company.
As far as scouting deer tips, there are a few kinds of scouting you can do that have different purposes. The key during this late summer period is minimal disturbance and scouting smart. As we briefly mentioned, download and install any deer hunting mapping software you want to use. Scouting deer bedding areas whitetail habitat solutions. They wait until the last minute, until just before the hunting season, and then they will go into the woods looking for rubs and scrapes. Post season scouting is a good tracking exercise in itself and an opportunity to observe the secret habits of deer in the woods. American hunter scouting secrets for earlyseason bucks.
Consequently, they ramp up their scouting activities in the field. That way, you can almost get a realtime snapshot of deer activity during the hunting season. Bow season is right around the corner, and theyre anxious to pattern deer for fast success once the opener arrives. Jan 19, 2017 scouting for deer in the post season can be a game changer. Postseason scouting for whitetails 11 reasons to start scouting for next season now. Regardless of the type of cameras you use, traditional or wireless, nows the time to amp up your scouting. Jul 20, 2017 successfully scouting for bucks on a new chunk of ground doesnt actually take as much time as you may think.
Youll often find their trail veers off to follow an interior forest edge you would have never even noticed, or they stop to browse on a certain type of treeshrub more often than others. Avoid scent control complacency while scouting for deer. Sep 17, 2015 the safer the deer feel on your land the better regardless of time of year. Postseason scouting for deer jax beach surf fishing. Late winter deer scouting tips to improve the odds next year. Preseason scouting for deer and tips on good stand placement. Some of the rut sign from last season is still visible, especially rubs. After doing so, use all of your newfound information to target next years deer.
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