Started scouting already

[DanielT]

Looking to find where trails head to...while snow is here.....

Found a nice track then his bed

..too cool

Keeping cams out to see who survived

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[vizslas]

of he top of my head i think there are 281 days to go. times running out better get yer shit straight that was a lil off this year. double check everything.

I am looking forward to getting in the woods I havent been in there since bow season. Time to do some track hunting and shed hunting and a little late night scouting.

Putting some BushyTails in the dutch oven is also on top of the list. There are also some reds that need to get evicted...

[turkeyfeathers]

19 bucks on 3 cams week before youth season.  Saw only a spike on cam during regular season we knew about. A lot can change between now and October 1 

[vizslas]

29 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

19 bucks on 3 cams week before youth season.  Saw only a spike on cam during regular season we knew about. A lot can change between now and October 1 

i think they hide in the ponds and  breath through the reeds . them sons a bitches are smart and crafty

[maytom]

That's something I want to do as well while there is snow on the ground. Really pin points the trails nicely....

[Doc]

So, let me ask you all a question. How confident are you that any sign of activity that you see right now will ever be useful next year? I know that scrapes and rubs can be repetitive from one year to the next for quite a few consecutive years, but tracks right after gun season may be from deer that aren't even from that area. Also, travel patterns may be different right now because of the rut beginning to trail off. Also, after antler-drop, the bucks start concentrating on energy replenishment, using different food sources than most of the season has produced and with rut playing less and less of a part in their movement motivations.

I think scouting now can be useful, but with the understanding that anything you see now has to be considered with the time of year in mind. I think it is a good idea of asking the question of "Why are you seeing what you are seeing" and perhaps writing that down along with your observations. I'm also thinking that if you are planning on using info from this time of year for your hunting in bow season next October ...... I wouldn't. What do you all think?

[genesee_mohican]

So, let me ask you all a question. How confident are you that any sign of activity that you see right now will ever be useful next year? I know that scrapes and rubs can be repetitive from one year to the next for quite a few consecutive years, but tracks right after gun season may be from deer that aren't even from that area. Also, travel patterns may be different right now because of the rut beginning to trail off. Also, after antler-drop, the bucks start concentrating on energy replenishment, using different food sources than most of the season has produced and with rut playing less and less of a part in their movement motivations.
I think scouting now can be useful, but with the understanding that anything you see now has to be considered with the time of year in mind. I think it is a good idea of asking the question of "Why are you seeing what you are seeing" and perhaps writing that down along with your observations. I'm also thinking that if you are planning on using info from this time of year for your hunting in bow season next October ...... I wouldn't. What do you all think?

I think it's a great time to scout, look at new areas and put trail cams out. And I find it to be a very enjoyable way to gain more information and time well spent. My post season cams tend to show the same bucks I saw all during bow and gun. Sure, they have different travel patterns and food sources change all year long, but the sign and info I gain in the next few months is very useful. Many members on here, myself included, hunt large areas of land where scouting and looking around this time of year can open up a bigger picture and new stand locations to consider. I really look forward to this time of year to get out on some lengthy hikes, poke around to see what's happening and running my trail cameras.


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[DanielT]

I would agree that your deer patterns aren't going to be the same as they will be early bow season next year but I do like to see what bucks survived ...
what new bedding areas I can find...
She'd antlers...maybe...
Gets me back in the woods
And can scout without fear of other hunters ...being mistaken for a deer would suck...not to mention I don't want to ruin the area scouting during open hunting...
It's therapy...

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[fasteddie]

What you will see now won't be the same next October . The deer tend to change their pattern depending on the food sources available to them . 

Scouting now will be of some help knowing where their bedding areas are ( if you don't already know that ) . As for sheds , that might be a couple months . Wooly would be the best person to know that as he is a dedicated shed hunter . 

[phade]

Scouting at this time of year is very valuable.

Movement patterns are now more apparent in snow including how they use terrain features. Winter beds can clue you in to late season and pressured times.

Bucks are shedding already. Pics of half racks and drops well under way.




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[Doc]

I see winter scouting to be valuable as an activity of healthy exercise. It does give you an idea as to how the tactics that deer used to elude you this past gun season. It also gives you some idea of how the herd fared even though some of the deer sign you are seeing may not be resident deer that you will find next fall. But anyway, I am really not sold on trying to extend these observations into other times of the hunting year when climate and food sources and rut and the effects of gun hunting pressure are completely different.

[Core]

I am pretty sore over how my season turned out. Went out way too many damn times for the only two shot opportunities I had. 

I've already started practicing with my bow again, putting 10-20 arrows daily into the target. I think this is exhibiting addictive, obsessive personality traits, but patronizing them in hunting is not the worst thing in the world; better than hitting the bottle or lines of coke, so I don't feel guilty over it. Also better than sinking hours into video games.

I might get out this week and put some cams down in the public land. My last afternoon out of muzzleloader I found where half of the deer population of new york ran off to. But by then it was too late. I also didn't realize how readily deer scale vertical cliffs. I found a hellaciously hilly part of public land with so many tracks it floored me. Just everywhere, weaving in and out in all directions. Literally could not walk anywhere without seeing them. 

Good luck everyone on the 2017 season

[vizslas]

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[phade]

People want to believe what they want. Our group of three believes in it and the value and we do have the performance to back it up.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

Scouting at this time of year is very valuable.

Movement patterns are now more apparent in snow including how they use terrain features. Winter beds can clue you in to late season and pressured times.

Bucks are shedding already. Pics of half racks and drops well under way.




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Absolutely! I just rabbit hunted a property and the trails, scrapes and rubs stick out like a sore thumb. Found a shed too


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[The_Real_TCIII]

^^ I didn't post those rub photos, I don't know why they ended up in there they aren't even mine?


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[Doc]

Actually, a lot of my real scouting comes from other activities. Hiking, small-game hunting, outdoor photography, etc. But I try not to get too excited about what I see going on right now. Yes deer sign in the dead of winter is interesting, but I don't base a whole lot of my hunting on what I see this time of year.

[stubborn1VT]

I find it helpful.  I think bucks act in similar ways.  For instance, if you shoot a nice buck in a certain spot, I believe another buck move in to that situation.  There was a reason the first buck was there: security, does, feed, escape routes etc.  

I know a few father/son groups that shot their deer within 100 yards of each other this year. Some on the same day!  A good spot is a good spot, and the sign will help you identify it.  

I have found some new spots late season that showed me where bucks went once the pressure was on.  No sign before Thanksgiving, but consistent sign after.  

I realize that this doesn't apply in the big woods, but in my experience, any info you gain will help you down the road.

[stubborn1VT]

By the way, DanT, that's a swell looking track!