Scared to Scout Now? Fear Not!

[ridgerunner88]

This is my first year really getting into pre-season scouting. Thus far it has been fun and I have learned a lot. However I started getting nervous recently because I think I could potentially be messing up some areas with my “intrusions”.

 

But then I had this thought I figured I would share.

 

Think Long Term!

 

Sure scouting the area could hinder this year’s potential, however just think if you were to scout 2-3 new areas a year without stressing the short term impact, in 5 years you now have intimate knowledge of 10-15 locations!

 

Its exponential growth too because multiple factors compound one another.

1. You develop your scouting abilities

2. You see more features/situations that aid you in future situations

3. You increase your hunting options which means you have multiple options during different situations (wind, time of year etc)

 

Just like retirement, the sooner you start investing in your hunting locations, the sooner and larger that compound interest becomes.. I think Einstein said its the 8th wonder of the world.

 

 

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[land 1]

not going to hurt a thing to scout now i would be a little more concerened come september 

[Doc]

I am not afraid of changing patterns of deer with a few walk-throughs now. I am just not sure how valid any info gathered now will be when the fall arrives and deer have changed patterns because of completely different food sources or the coming of rut or other changes in the conditions and environment that shape the ever-changing deer patterns.

[AuburnNYC]

You're not hurting fall deer movement patterns in the least scouting right now.

[GreeneHunter]

Curiosity kills lots of deer during the season , if you were in the woods using a chain saw after you left the woods the Deer would be right where you were checking things out !  This time of year - way before hunting season - walking around the woods disturbs nothing !

[Swamp_bucks]

Only time I think it bothers is if it’s repeatedly going into there bedding areas they use for summer and fall.   I have a spot they are using it now and sign shows all fall as well. So once august hits I’m out of it until I want to hunt.

[Nomad]

Not much of a scouter , ok zero . But yesterday I went to my range , put up targets ,then took a knee to load mags , a VERY wide buck came out from behind targets and feeded in the beans 40 yards away .

I just started shooting, with zero concerns . 
 

30 some years on the same ground , I know which stands pay off with enough seat time . 
 

Also the best “ scouting “ is what you learn during the season .

[wolc123]

7 hours ago, Nomad said:

Not much of a scouter , ok zero . But yesterday I went to my range , put up targets ,then took a knee to load mags , a VERY wide buck came out from behind targets and feeded in the beans 40 yards away .

I just started shooting, with zero concerns . 
 

30 some years on the same ground , I know which stands pay off with enough seat time . 
 

Also the best “ scouting “ is what you learn during the season .

A similar thing happened to me, but the buck’s rack wasn’t very big (looked like a 1-1/2 year old 6-point with an antler width of about 10”), and he was on the other end of the range.  
 

I was downrange, changing targets.  The buck walked out of the adjacent cover and had his nose up near the muzzle of my gun.  That was pointed in my direction, in a shooting vise, up on a bench.  

I was fairly certain that it was unloaded. Still, I was not too comfortable being downrange. I worried that if it wasn’t, and that buck nocked or off that vise, it might accidentally discharge in my direction.

Fortunately, no harm was done, but the picture of that little buck, with his nose up by my shotgun, will surely remain imprinted in my memory for the rest of my days.  

This is where it occurred.  The gun was on the far (100 yard) bench). 

Oddly enough, I nearly met my Maker in almost the same spot where that buck stood, about 35 years prior.  

The hedgerow on the left is our western property line.  A doe was standing about where that bench is, munching away in what was then a big clover field.  It was deer season, I had a doe permit, and she was well out of range of the stand I was in, several fields to the east. 
 

I climbed down and attempted to close the range.   She walked thru that hedgerow, onto the neighbor’s hay field. I saw her standing in the middle of that field, about 50 yards away.  I also saw blaze orange behind her, in the far corner.

I felt the pressure wave of the first shot, against the side of my face, a fraction of a second before I heard the boom.  I hit the dirt.  Dirt started hitting me, as the next (4) shots landed close by.  
 

I have not been comfortable, hunting from the ground on flat land, ever since that incident occurred.  Feeling a bullet next to your face, prior to hearing the shot, is one of those things that is very hard to forget.  
 

I was wearing a blaze orange vest and hat when it happened, but all that other guy saw was brown.  

[GreeneHunter]

3 hours ago, wolc123 said:

 

I have not been comfortable, hunting from the ground on flat land, ever since that incident occurred.  Feeling a bullet next to your face, prior to hearing the shot, is one of those things that is very hard to forget.  
 

God Bless Ladder Stands .... at 20 Ft. or above of course !

[Five Seasons]

you aren't hurting a dang thing in July other than potentially becoming dehydrated. What you could be doing though is identifying very common summer food and travel patterns that aren't worth a squat in the fall.

The best time to scout is right after the season. Most deer are still using their fall routes and it's nice and cool, easier to see tracks in the snow and a lot less foliage and thick shit to work through.

Just be careful with what looks like a great run now, as it might alter completely in November. 

[ridgerunner88]

you aren't hurting a dang thing in July other than potentially becoming dehydrated. What you could be doing though is identifying very common summer food and travel patterns that aren't worth a squat in the fall.
The best time to scout is right after the season. Most deer are still using their fall routes and it's nice and cool, easier to see tracks in the snow and a lot less foliage and thick shit to work through.
Just be careful with what looks like a great run now, as it might alter completely in November. 

That is correct and I got into this deer scouting thing a little late (May) and do plan on scouting extensively after this season to prepare for following years.

However I wouldnt discount summer scouting all together. For one the buck movement is late sept/early oct is different that late oct/early nov and different than late nov/dec. All three periods require a different “approach”.

I think summer scouting can help with the early season and also somewhat indirectly although not a much with the rut and late season because you can see what deer live in the area.


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[Five Seasons]

I'm not discounting it completely. Just that bang for your buck there are other things I'd be doing. For example, now is about the time most of the growth will stop and you can cut approach trails, hang a stand in a spot you found last season, trim shooting lanes and food plot work if that's in the cards. 

Heck with all of my life responsibilities I'm struggling to find the time to do even some of that. If you have corn and soy nearby those travel patterns will hold strong though. 

[ridgerunner88]

I'm not discounting it completely. Just that bang for your buck there are other things I'd be doing. For example, now is about the time most of the growth will stop and you can cut approach trails, hang a stand in a spot you found last season, trim shooting lanes and food plot work if that's in the cards. 
Heck with all of my life responsibilities I'm struggling to find the time to do even some of that. If you have corn and soy nearby those travel patterns will hold strong though. 

100% and being that I hunt public land, I am not able to take advantage of those other options.

True though about the other responsibilities, one cool thing is Ive gotten my family involved. They like to drive around and go spotting… its paid off too as we’ve found a couple nice bucks. Two birds/one stone.. family time away from electronics and some low key scouting!


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[Five Seasons]

5 minutes ago, ridgerunner88 said:

100% and being that I hunt public land, I am not able to take advantage of those other options.

True though about the other responsibilities, one cool thing is Ive gotten my family involved. They like to drive around and go spotting… its paid off too as we’ve found a couple nice bucks. Two birds/one stone.. family time away from electronics and some low key scouting!


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absolutely. I always try and drag my kids along. Wife can't complain that way haha. 

[Five Seasons]

13 hours ago, Nomad said:

Not much of a scouter , ok zero . But yesterday I went to my range , put up targets ,then took a knee to load mags , a VERY wide buck came out from behind targets and feeded in the beans 40 yards away .

I just started shooting, with zero concerns . 
 

30 some years on the same ground , I know which stands pay off with enough seat time . 
 

Also the best “ scouting “ is what you learn during the season .

some of the land i hunt is like that. Still good to walk the area now and then to see if big storms have downed trees and altered the travel patterns. Look for trespassers and other changes. We had a stand that always paid off for years and then went quiet one year. A big tree was blocking the ridge crossing so the deer were going way up or way down to cross instead.