A day in the life of a hunting beast

[SaddleMaster]

Maybe you haven't really ruined the spot by your scouting. Andrea is adamant about hunting the sign ASAP before the deer can figure out what's going on. Try to make the best of what you just found and give it a whirl. Maybe you can get a shot before they spook out of there. Or try to figure out if this sign gives you an idea of where these deer are bedding and set up more related to the bedding than the sign.

I think too your scouting will mostly be used to confirm what you expect based on the maps/terrain. You have an idea that a buck is bedding in a certain spot and you're trying to find some sign that confirms that's the case. You sneak up on that point like you're going to hunt it. If you find some rubs or good tracks coming in or out, set up and hunt it. If not, maybe you move on to another point.

[mike_mc]

Here's a thread I think covers what your looking for, "Andre's in season scouting tactics"
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11771

[DaveT1963]

Here's a thread I think covers what your looking for, "Andre's in season scouting tactics"
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11771

exactly what I was looking for - thanks. The internal link was also spot on. I am surprised more people have not done in depth scouting and tactics videos. There is so much edited out that is the small key points that make up success. I have seen enough kill shots - what I would love to see is a very in-depth year round scouting video. Yes I know a few have tried to do it - but most I have seen were just too short and not in depth enough. Heck I would love to see like a 10 DVD set on nothing but scouting, stand selection, approach...... like I said above I have seen enough kill shots and hunting scenes - I want to go deeper in to what got that hunter there on that day (and sorry I don't care to see this by the big TV celebs either) I would much rather see someone like Dan, or even some of the other beast members. Now there's an idea what if 10 of the most respected hunting beast members had a dvd volume on how they scouted and set up for a given year? I would gladly pay a good price for that picture knowledge :)

Good stuff on that post that I am sure I will re-visit many times.

[SaddleMaster]

Dan's and John Eberhart's videos do a really good job of detailing scouting, tactics, and set ups.

[Dewey]

Dan's and John Eberhart's videos do a really good job of detailing scouting, tactics, and set ups.

I agree. If you don't own Dan's Marsh Bucks and Hill Country dvd's get them. They completely explain everything you are looking for in great detail and good representation of what many of us practice. The system we call "Beast Hunting" just plain works if you apply those tactics described in the dvd's. The basics are there and you just need to fine tune to apply to your hunting area.

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[DaveT1963]

I've got all the aforementioned DVDs. :)

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[DaveT1963]

I've got all the aforementioned DVDs. :)

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[IkemanTx]

Excellent topic DaveT1963. I am extremely inexperienced when it comes to aggressive, mobile, hunting tactics. This is my first year hunting public land and also my first without SOME kind of bait (be it corn, salt, ag fields, etc...) Add to that I am only a year into a marriage and my wife (who didn't grow up around hunting, or anything outside the city for that matter) is already all over my but about the 4 days I have spent scouting/hunting this year....... 4 days...! I am finding this forum, and your posts very educational. I notice you are in North Texas as well, I'd love to pick your brain in person sometime after the season is over if our schedules could ever allow it.

[purebowhunting]

I'm not the hunter that some are, but every hunt I go on starts with maps. If I've scouted the area or not, I check wind direction then plan a destination and a scouting scenario to stand. If I find sign I feel needs to be hunted I relate that to the maps, if not I continue to the destination. I'll hunt the destination sign or not unless something says it's a waste of time, then I either back out or move on. I think having a plan and trusting your cyber scouting is needed to be confident in the final spot on the journey. Last Saturday was an example, I had a bed I found during winter, it was buried in snow and not used during the winter but sign told me it was a bed but wasn't confirmed. Plan was to walk the transition and if sign indicated hunt here I'd hunt short of the bed. About 400 yards before the bed I hit good sign, rubs, scrapes, tracks but all were headed towards the bed. I moved on and the next 200 yards had no sign that was recent. I got to my intended setup and rubs showed up but now leaning away from the bed. Set up and a 115-120 class 8 walks out and passes at 11 yards right from the bed. The shooter missed but a great hunt. I think the buck was making a circle and if you saw the lay of the fields to the north it made sense as he as probably making a big circle feeding nighly. Like is always said here, everything has to relate to bedding, but cyber scouting can tell you where to expect bedding. Hope this makes sense and helps.

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