OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

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Haus86
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Haus86 » Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:53 pm

This Spring/Summer has been tough for me also. I have been really busy with work and other commitments and it has kept me out of the woods. I was able to scout some new public land that I am really excited about. The rest of my time has been spent keeping in touch with landowners and asking permission. My wife and I spent 4 hours on Saturday talking to landowners. We actually ended up getting permission to hunt a farm that I feel is one of the best in the area. It is nice being able to make friends with farmers and establish those relationships. It took me 5 years to build up a relationship enough to be able to hunt this new farm.


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phade
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby phade » Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:27 am

I agree that scouting is nearly as much fun as actually hunting. I find it full of promise in most instances because as long as you have at least some ground, chances are you can find something positive to look forward to in the fall.

But, I also value the other benefits to it. It forces me outside in March/April, etc. in months I otherwise would be sedate. It's darn good exercise, it's a stress reliever in most cases as I can relax and just go at my own pace. I am able to take time to look at things, but if for five minutes I get sidetracked by seeing a turkey or some other sight, then so be it. Sure, I'm there to learn about the deer and how to hunt them, but it has to be kept fun.

I don't get to do as much glassing as I'd like because I simply don't have hunting ground that caters to glassing from afar. Even observation stands are a roll of the dice for me.
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headgear
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby headgear » Tue Jul 16, 2013 2:49 am

I love to scout and hit it hard in the spring! I just need to work on scouting more in-season.

I am also pretty bad at taking inventory. I hunt huge tracks of bigwoods and don't have enough cams to keep track of all that land. It is also very hard to glass anything so a lot of the time I rely on tracks to find my deer.
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:08 am

I get pretty crazy with my scouting. I try to do it when the foliage is off, but that isn't always possible. I love scouting as much as the actual hunt; I love to figure out the nuances of the animal and sit back trying to figure him out. It's just one of the many aspects I love about bowhunting.

Things in life happen and we can't always scout as much as we want. This year for instance, my truck had a leaking Lower intake manifold gasket...I took on the job myself and I lost several weeks of prime scouting while it was being fixed in my garage. It was worth it and I still got out there and figured a few things out in the woods.
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby cwoods » Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:16 pm

MOBIGBUCKS wrote:I get pretty crazy with my scouting. I try to do it when the foliage is off, but that isn't always possible. I love scouting as much as the actual hunt; I love to figure out the nuances of the animal and sit back trying to figure him out. It's just one of the many aspects I love about bowhunting.

Things in life happen and we can't always scout as much as we want. This year for instance, my truck had a leaking Lower intake manifold gasket...I took on the job myself and I lost several weeks of prime scouting while it was being fixed in my garage. It was worth it and I still got out there and figured a few things out in the woods.



That is so true. I think your in for a big season mobigbucks.
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Bigb » Tue Jul 16, 2013 1:00 pm

I am with you about not scouting enough. Living three hours from where I hunt it gets tough. I've made it down there twice since the season and will get down there two more times. Those trips though include hanging a couple stands and trimming shooting lanes.

I do "scout my spots to scout" . I will hit google maps and topos and find spots to check out. I've learned to scout smarter, not harder when I have limited time to scout. I really tried to located beds the last couple spring scouts but didn't have much luck. I did find some great funnels and saddles that I think will be some good spots. I'm going to be limited to November and a little december hunting this year so the rut will take up most of my hunting calendar.
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Troutking » Tue Jul 16, 2013 2:24 pm

I probably get out to scout around 20 days or more a year. Probably a fair amount by most standards. My weakness is I am bad and focusing strictly on beds, I tend to find a lot of pinch points in my scouting. I'll look for a deep cut on a bedding ridge, etc. but don't look for the exact beds, I need to improve on this.
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Mario » Tue Jul 16, 2013 2:30 pm

For me I always make a list with my hunting partner of the things we want to do during the off-season that we missed the year before... then undoubtedly life steps in the way :lol:

I try to make the best of the time I do get out and scout... even if it only is a few good scouts prior to the season... if you worry too much about it then it can grind on you and take the fun out of why you do it.

but as with any pursuit in life if you really want something you need to be willing to put the time and sacrifice into getting it or be happy with your results either way
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Jul 16, 2013 2:42 pm

These posts got me motivated to do a little scouting in Iowa this weekend, talk about a horror show, between the mosquitoes and gnats it was ALOT of fun! Found some likely looking rut spots.......time will tell.

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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby bowhunter15 » Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:02 pm

I haven't been scouting much either. For me it comes down to how much gas I'm willing to spend and how much free time I have. Between work and research right now I'm doing over 50 hr/week right now. And the closest land is about 45 minutes away. By the time I get through twin cities rush hour, I only have an hour or so before heading back home. I will most likely end up doing what I have been doing. In hill country it's fairly straight forward. I found about 13 new stand locations early this spring before Turkey season. Add that to the ones I had from last year. I'll let the wind decide my location on any given day, and bounce around, always being open minded to what fresh sign is telling me. Haven't any clue what kind of bucks are in the area, but that's the price I pay. Makes it a little more interesting too. Although I will say, I'm a little less nervous heading out there knowing now that I have to avoid wild parsnips. :D
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:31 pm

Scouting is one of those things you never feel like you did enough of. Unless I was doing it every single day there is always the feeling that I'm missing something or need to be checking out another area.

This past spring was tough because of the late snowmelt running right up to the turkey season. Didn't want to mess anybody up turkey hunting so I decided to stay off the public areas after late April. Before this I still did a ton of scouting but didn't get much of a chance to hit some of my best areas after snowmelt due to working too much.

I still feel plenty good with the set ups I have from past years but it's always nice to have a pile of new ones for the upcoming season. Come September I will be in my proven spots and make adjustments later based off some in season scouting. Over the years this has put me in position to see some great bucks.

My point is just because you didn't scout as much as you would have liked to doesn't mean your season will be a failure. Make the best of the time you have and pay attention to what current sign is telling you.

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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby wibowhntr » Wed Jul 17, 2013 1:28 am

Only got out to scout a couple times this winter/spring but was able to find a couple new spots. Hopefully once I get my cameras out they will help me know what is in that area. Also plan on doing more in season scouts with my stand on my back and then hunting the fresh sign.
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Black Squirrel
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Wed Jul 17, 2013 2:52 am

Sounds like alot of us are in the same boat as you, Lou. Including me. I always say I will do it when I get some free time. Problem is i never have any free time :lol: ! I guess I just got to schedule it in, so it gets the priority it deserves.
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby tim » Wed Jul 17, 2013 6:00 am

im not sure how everyone on here defines scouting BUT everytime im in the woods for whatever reason im scouting, im constantly surveying my surroundings, i dont want to make a trip to the woods a waste. even if im just checking my cameras on the field edges, im looking at tracks, seing if i see beds in the grown up pasture surrounding my woods, checking crops that have been getting eaten, are rubs starting on field edges or scrapes. where are they entering the fields now........ i go right into scout mode the second i near a hunting spot. scouting for me is also printing current maps or arials for hunting spots, studying topos ......i keep a binder of all the topos of farms i hunt. i make it a point to ask neighbors about deer activity they see in my area as i am also an absantee land owner. im not usually at my place for very long in off season so i try to make each trip count even if im just up for a couple hours to check cameras........
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Re: OK I admit it, I dont scout enough

Unread postby cwoods » Wed Jul 17, 2013 11:18 am

My point is just because you didn't scout as much as you would have liked to doesn't mean your season will be a failure. Make the best of the time you have and pay attention to what current sign is telling you.

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Good stuff and so very true.


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