Scouting Organization Tips

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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Bigburner
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Re: Scouting Organization Tips

Unread postby Bigburner » Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:57 am

I am fortunate to have an Arcview license for my work. So I can put stuff in a data base and get really fancy with maps. I always take a camera and a gps. I'll give the gps point a name for instance BB(buck bed)put a number and the abreviation for the area i'm in and accociate it with a picture just so I get a visual. I can plug my gps into my computer and pinpoint stuff. I realize its out of reach for most but If I have the access to toys like that I'm going to exploit them to the fullest. I just started this a year or 2 ago but I started accumulating so many spots I have to keep track otherwise I miss out on something I may have been able to take advantage of when the time is right. I think I only hunter the same spot twice this year out of the 150-200 hour I spent in a tree. This year I think I might break out the spots based on early season, rut and late season. Its a hobby but but hopefully its something I can pass down to a kid or grandchild when I'm older if they show an interest. Also, I get paid to walk around in the woods all day, so it opens up alot of options for me. You'd think I'd have a wall of Booners by now but not the case. Still have to work my tail off for the deer I kill.


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May-39
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Re: Scouting Organization Tips

Unread postby May-39 » Wed Feb 12, 2014 12:44 pm

I have a three ring binders for counties or regions (a couple large wmas). I have two plastic file totes they stay in with corresponding county plat book.

With regards to scouting, I usually have a backpack, nothing fancy my current one was a $1.50 at a garage sale and I've used it for two years now. I always have my gps and some printed maps in those clear sheet protectors that the papers slides in from the top,,If really in doubt, I have them in a gallon ziplock. If it's going to be real quick power hour scout, I just fold sheets and plastic and stuff them in my pocket and go. I always have one of those 3" notebooks in all my vehicles and packs. You never know when you might be coming back from somewhere and see a little public slough, ditch or something that looks interesting, or you hear some loudmouth blabbing about deer cam pics or the giant he saw crossing the road etc..I write those notes as quick as I can. I drive a lot for work too though

There is a basic, very easy to use program called snagg it that allows you to take screen shots of your monitor then type, draw, write lines, text etc..I'm sure you can get it for free or darn near. This is like photo shop for people that can barely access their email, it's that simple

Usually my sheet protector has two pages, back to back. A clean satellite pic page and another with various items of interest marked (using snagg it or handwriting) and the corresponding gps coordinates in text above or below with arrow pointing to whatever, hump, tree,, bench, saddle etc.

I stuff notepad in shirt pocket (to save from pulling pages in and out of sheet protector or you can pull out and write on back). In it, I record crops, or mast trees for the year/area. I also record kill trees (hardwood, cedar etc) draw a basic sketch with compass orientation, Thermal activity, notes about approach, distance to suspected beds and runs, how wet the area is etc. distance to other known stands of mine or competition
Wetness is real important for me, a lot of my spots will be underwater some years or after high rains, others aren't accessible unless there is enough water in the stream to get canoe along etc.

When I come back from an area this is what I have
1) didn't look good nothing found-write across map and put in rear of binder with date.-crops/mast noted in handwriting
2) found some "should be" areas but nothing this scout, rear of binder with date,notes handwritten on page
3) found 1-x spots, if so make clean pages with snagg it showing stand sites, crop rotation, mast etc, print a copy or two, put in front of binder
If it's late season, I know if I have good cover in a pine or conifer kill tree or will be a bug on a pole.

So when preparing to hunt, if I'm not on a buck or have multiple good spots, I grab the notebook for the county I going to, start search by wind direction predicted and narrow it down to a couple spots based on distance, gut feeling etc. I take book with me in case something changes my mind.

It took me longer to type this response than it does to take a screen shot on snagg it and make several notes..Probably just a little longer than it took you to read it.


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