Little by little...

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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HoosierG5
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Little by little...

Unread postby HoosierG5 » Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:51 am

I started actively reading/posting on this site 1.5 years ago per my brothers recommendation. I have scouted as much as possible in Jan-March the past two seasons, and I feel like Im finally starting to accumulate a few decent spots that I will truly expect to see mature bucks. I hunt very low density deer population, but the scouting is finally starting to come together...Id guess I have 50 hours of boot time into it, and I just now feel this way. If you are new to this dont give up...just keep putting spots together little by little. I use GPS trimble hunt free and caltopo, and cant imagine not logging the info. Keep at it...it gets better and better. After all that walking I have two different buck bed core bedding areas on different properties, and Im working on pm then am hunts for those when conditions are right. Other hunts will consist of food sources near bedding areas to get me thru the seasons. Good luck!

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby dan » Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:47 am

This is actually great advice... I was thinking about posting something similar to this. Scouting, and finding good buck bedding areas is not always easy at 1st... You have to keep finding spots and growing your list of great spots. It takes time to get enough great spots that you can produce every year... It ain't easy, and it ain't supposed to be. Its hard work that nets results.

I see a point where it just clicks with guys, and a lot of the time there a year into it. Don't give up, let failure drive you to try harder and it will pay off in the long run.
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Thermals
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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Thermals » Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:53 am

I will second that. The first year I found good beds I think and still maybe but there used enough to help the odds in your favor. The ones I been finding this year which has been taking a more in depth look seem to be way better beds. And know it's not as easy as It may seem when your first start doing it. It maybe on privet but public you need to look hard and put the time in.

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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:54 am

I think Spysar once posted something like "you don't start at the top of the mountain you climb to the top"

Time in the woods scouting and hunting is the way to improve.

Good post.

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby remmag » Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:15 am

I also agree. This being my first year of hunting/scouting "beast" style I've realized this strategy is like a large complicated puzzle that needs to be priced together and like a fine wine it continues to get better year after year, I learned that from observing my friends seasons who pointed me to this site. Having a successful "beast" scouting trip means laying down the boot leather and recording everything as you go...It also means explaining to friends,family, etc. Why your out spending hours in the woods looking for deer when season just ended HAHA....I know I'm not alone on this

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:29 pm

remmag wrote:I also agree. This being my first year of hunting/scouting "beast" style I've realized this strategy is like a large complicated puzzle that needs to be priced together and like a fine wine it continues to get better year after year, I learned that from observing my friends seasons who pointed me to this site. Having a successful "beast" scouting trip means laying down the boot leather and recording everything as you go...It also means explaining to friends,family, etc. Why your out spending hours in the woods looking for deer when season just ended HAHA....I know I'm not alone on this

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Exactly the same here.

Bob

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby slowpoke69 » Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:37 pm

I love the positive attitude here. I do have a question for you ....what do you log and how/where to you log it? This is my first year boots to ground. I have a gps marking spots....maybe not enough.
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:00 pm

slowpoke69 wrote:I love the positive attitude here. I do have a question for you ....what do you log and how/where to you log it? This is my first year boots to ground. I have a gps marking spots....maybe not enough.




I mark it on a gps then transfer to caltopo and/or google earth. This really shows where you have been and potential spots you may have missed.
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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby taylor0307 » Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:31 pm

Jackson Marsh wrote:
slowpoke69 wrote:I love the positive attitude here. I do have a question for you ....what do you log and how/where to you log it? This is my first year boots to ground. I have a gps marking spots....maybe not enough.




I mark it on a gps then transfer to caltopo and/or google earth. This really shows where you have been and potential spots you may have missed.


x2. This is also my first year putting boots on the ground and scouting with a GPS in hand after watching both the Hill Country & Marsh Bucks DVDs. I'm addicted to it. Once I transfer everything to Google Earth (rubs, scrapes, beds, other hunter sign/stands, trail crossings, food sources, etc.) and play with the image overlays from CalTopo, I begin to put two and two together and see what everyone is talking about when they mention how elevation changes and transition lines correlate to deer movement/activity. I've been fortunate enough to build up a decent log in the past month or two with probably close to 40 miles in the bag. Can never seem to get enough of it.
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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby HoosierG5 » Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:37 pm

I use my phone for everything. When using the gps trimble hunt app my battery drains quick so I use a cordless charger when needed. I log major trails, rubs, rub direction, beds, anything else needed. After scouting with Dan, I really started paying attention to old rubs...I find in lots of core areas new rubs are near old rubs...pattern. At home I log my phone data into caltopo. My brother and I share maps so we can discuss things over the phone ( VA and IN).

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:40 pm

slowpoke69 wrote:I love the positive attitude here. I do have a question for you ....what do you log and how/where to you log it? This is my first year boots to ground. I have a gps marking spots....maybe not enough.


I found these additional hunting specific waypoint symbols useful.
http://gpsmapsmontana.com/shop/custom-waypoint-symbols/

Bob

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Vegetarian: vejiˈte(ə)rēən/noun: old Indian word for lousy hunter. :o

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Groundpounder » Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:30 pm

I've been logging all the good sign I find, plus sightings thoughout the hunting season, which I think will help me find deer again once gun season starts and deer get pushed and become harder to find. All info is useful somehow, but for high pressure areas I expect these sightings logs to help more than prior season sign logs in mid to late season. I hope at least. Anyone else have luck finding deer in similar spots after heavy pressure year after year? I know it depends on a number of variables, but anybody see any common patters year to year?

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby hunter_mike » Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:32 pm

X2 on gps marking the rubs. I mark a lot of them, especially when i find them near bedding cover. I also note the size of them, small, medium or large.

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby semperfidelis » Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:11 pm

Organization is key to logging scouting/hunting. Unless u are careful u will find your maps overpopulated with data that can easily confuse vice help your efforts. I'm still trying to find the most efficient way.

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Re: Little by little...

Unread postby Southern Man » Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:57 pm

slowpoke69 wrote:I love the positive attitude here. I do have a question for you ....what do you log and how/where to you log it? This is my first year boots to ground. I have a gps marking spots....maybe not enough.


Buy you a little notebook. Something you can carry in a pouch or pocket. I note all the little details I see. Some are worth it, some are not, but those details are easy to forget if you don't write them down. At least it is for me. Then I organize it later on the PC or a notebook I have for that area. I also always carry a map that I can draw or write on.
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