Is the area worth scouting?

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Cuzzinfish
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Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby Cuzzinfish » Wed Apr 05, 2017 10:08 am

I'll start with a more general question. What are the factors any of you would consider in crossing off a public hunting property? I'm really limited by time constraints and how far I can drive to get to a property I want to hunt. The ones within an hour drive of me are really just rings of timber/thicket and occasional agriculture around of a Core of Engineers lake. Not complaining. There are deer, but the pressure is high and the bucks bed in stuff that you just can't walk into without sounding like a tank.

That brings me to the new piece I was thinking of scouting. The section that caught my eye is relatively small (164 acres according to HuntStand app). It has private farms to the East and South and the property rolls down hill toward the lake to the West. As you'll see on the topo, there are some ditches and rolling points I think could be good bedding.

The problems: 1) I don't think there is great access. I suppose there might be a way to get over a bed from below on a South or SE wind really early in the morning. Like 3 am early. 2) Not sure how any thermals from the lake or terrain would hurt my chances 3) There are 3 parking areas and a campground across the road. I don't see much other public in the area. So, I'm guessing pressure wouldn't be light.

, I might be spitting in the wind for even thinking about this area. Anyway, here's a couple maps. Let me know what you think.

Image

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KLEMZ
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby KLEMZ » Wed Apr 05, 2017 12:21 pm

Cuzzinfish wrote:Post by Cuzzinfish » Tue Apr 04, 2017 4:08 pm
I'll start with a more general question. What are the factors any of you would consider in crossing off a public hunting property? I'm really limited by time constraints and how far I can drive to get to a property I want to hunt. The ones within an hour drive of me are really just rings of timber/thicket and occasional agriculture around of a Core of Engineers lake. Not complaining.There are deer, but the pressure is high and the bucks bed in stuff that you just can't walk into without sounding like a tank.


My first instinct is that if you have spots within an hours drive that are so thick you are concerned about getting close without busting them....that would be the first place I would look. They are gonna be bedding in places where they rarely smell human intrusion. If it's hard for you then it's hard for everyone else too! Look for areas within, or on the edge, of the thick that has an elevation point/hump. look for slightly open areas of vegetation deep within the thick stuff. they will bed in or on the edge of that interior openish area.
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby Cuzzinfish » Wed Apr 05, 2017 12:52 pm

KLEMZ wrote:
Cuzzinfish wrote:Post by Cuzzinfish » Tue Apr 04, 2017 4:08 pm
I'll start with a more general question. What are the factors any of you would consider in crossing off a public hunting property? I'm really limited by time constraints and how far I can drive to get to a property I want to hunt. The ones within an hour drive of me are really just rings of timber/thicket and occasional agriculture around of a Core of Engineers lake. Not complaining.There are deer, but the pressure is high and the bucks bed in stuff that you just can't walk into without sounding like a tank.


My first instinct is that if you have spots within an hour that are so thick you are concerned about getting close without busting them....that would be the first place I would look. They are gonna be bedding in places where they rarely smell human intrusion.


I've looked at ways to get in and I just can't figure it out. And I have 4 cameras in different places around multiple thickets that catch bucks all the time. I can show you pics for days of bucks on their feet in daylight, a couple of true monsters too, but that basically ends the week bow season starts even if I haven't hunted it. I've had 4 encounters with mature bucks in the same spot the last 3 years, all around Halloween. I haven't been lucky enough to get a shot because of where I have to sit and the canopy is too low and thick to put up a stand. It's also the only spot where I've had encounters. I have good access and I rarely see other hunters there.

Mr Infalt talks a lot about bucks staging where they feel comfortable. It's super tricky because I've watched multiple bucks (watching floating antlers through the thicket) stand and mill around for over an hour until after shooting light. I've often wondered if I should get one of those cardboard doe decoys to try and make them feel more comfortable or pull them out.
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tgreeno
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Apr 05, 2017 3:15 pm

Cuzzinfish wrote:I've looked at ways to get in and I just can't figure it out. And I have 4 cameras in different places around multiple thickets that catch bucks all the time. I can show you pics for days of bucks on their feet in daylight, a couple of true monsters too, but that basically ends the week bow season starts even if I haven't hunted it. I've had 4 encounters with mature bucks in the same spot the last 3 years, all around Halloween. I haven't been lucky enough to get a shot because of where I have to sit and the canopy is too low and thick to put up a stand. It's also the only spot where I've had encounters. I have good access and I rarely see other hunters there.


Sounds like a place you need to hunt from the ground!

Also...There is no such thing as, "too thick to hunt"! If you look hard enough you'll find a way to hunt it. 4 mature bucks in 3 year...I'd find a way to hunt it!
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby Cuzzinfish » Wed Apr 05, 2017 4:23 pm

tgreeno wrote:
Cuzzinfish wrote:I've looked at ways to get in and I just can't figure it out. And I have 4 cameras in different places around multiple thickets that catch bucks all the time. I can show you pics for days of bucks on their feet in daylight, a couple of true monsters too, but that basically ends the week bow season starts even if I haven't hunted it. I've had 4 encounters with mature bucks in the same spot the last 3 years, all around Halloween. I haven't been lucky enough to get a shot because of where I have to sit and the canopy is too low and thick to put up a stand. It's also the only spot where I've had encounters. I have good access and I rarely see other hunters there.


Sounds like a place you need to hunt from the ground!

Also...There is no such thing as, "too thick to hunt"! If you look hard enough you'll find a way to hunt it. 4 mature bucks in 3 year...I'd find a way to hunt it!


I've only hunted it from the ground. Because of the way it sets up, I've probably hunted that one spot 20 times and never seems to affect the deer movement. It's a 30 yard shot and I've tagged does for the freezer a few times. I just can't hunt IN the thicket. I tried getting into to it again in early December this past season after all the rut hunters locked down the deer. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you this particular area is 10 acres of 5-8 ft tall thorns with a few deer trails meandering through. It's the thickest stuff I've ever been in. Even if I get in there quietly enough to not spook anything, I'm looking at no chance of a broadside or quartering shot cause the trails are so tight. I know that multiple doe groups and bucks bed there every year, I'm guessing cause it's so big and they can't see each other. I'm going to look harder for a tree that I can maybe shoot down into it, but you're not allowed to cut anything on public here. So, I'm not holding my breath. I'm definitely not going to stop hunting there though.



Any thoughts on the first question or new area pictured?
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby beartruth2 » Thu Apr 06, 2017 1:39 am

I'd find a way to hunt that. Looks really good
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tgreeno
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Apr 06, 2017 2:04 am

I think you need to tackle it like any hill country area. Leeward ridges & points at that 1/3rd elevation level. It looks to have some decent terrain feature that should hold bedding.
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Cuzzinfish
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby Cuzzinfish » Thu Apr 06, 2017 2:19 am

tgreeno wrote:I think you need to tackle it like any hill country area. Leeward ridges & points at that 1/3rd elevation level. It looks to have some decent terrain feature that should hold bedding.


That's what I was thinking as far as tactics. My main concern is the combination of the size of the area and the potential hunting pressure. I can imagine it getting blown out really quickly.

I've heard different guys talk about avoiding some public areas altogether based on pressure and was wondering if that decision can or even should be made without physically seeing a property first.
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tgreeno
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Apr 06, 2017 3:04 am

Cuzzinfish wrote:
tgreeno wrote:I think you need to tackle it like any hill country area. Leeward ridges & points at that 1/3rd elevation level. It looks to have some decent terrain feature that should hold bedding.


That's what I was thinking as far as tactics. My main concern is the combination of the size of the area and the potential hunting pressure. I can imagine it getting blown out really quickly.

I've heard different guys talk about avoiding some public areas altogether based on pressure and was wondering if that decision can or even should be made without physically seeing a property first.


I wouldn't write-off any area until your walk it and see what the sign tells you. There may be some overlooked spots that are dynamite? If the mature buck sign isn't there, then you can check it off the list!
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby Cuzzinfish » Thu Apr 06, 2017 3:48 am

tgreeno wrote:
Cuzzinfish wrote:
tgreeno wrote:I think you need to tackle it like any hill country area. Leeward ridges & points at that 1/3rd elevation level. It looks to have some decent terrain feature that should hold bedding.


That's what I was thinking as far as tactics. My main concern is the combination of the size of the area and the potential hunting pressure. I can imagine it getting blown out really quickly.

I've heard different guys talk about avoiding some public areas altogether based on pressure and was wondering if that decision can or even should be made without physically seeing a property first.


I wouldn't write-off any area until your walk it and see what the sign tells you. There may be some overlooked spots that are dynamite? If the mature buck sign isn't there, then you can check it off the list!


Yeah. I agree with you in a broader sense. It's the same thing I'm sure a lot of hunters go through. The older I get, the less opportunity I have to even scout. So, sometimes it feels like I have to prioritize even looking at areas based on maps and pictures rather than just beating brush. I guess I'm just trying to figure out how to be more efficient.
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby <DK> » Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:30 am

Everything is worth scouting! 8-)
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headgear
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby headgear » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:29 am

Exactly, everything is worth a scout because if you don't look you have no idea what is there. You can't base it off of anything but scouting because nothing else compares to boots on the ground. I have spots that I was super pumped to scout being total busts and places you would never expect or places I even I said there are probably no deer out there end up having the goods. Aerials are a great tool but you have to confirm if a buck can survive in the area and has a place to hide.
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tgreeno
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:30 am

I feel ya Cuz...I'm old too!

If there is one reoccurring theme I've learned on this forum it's: Scout, Scout and then Scout some more! Putting in your work ahead of time, is very important to success during the season.
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justdirtyfun
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:39 am

So we all know that the flip side is not an option. Being a guy that mindlessly hunts the same place year after year and could be missing a gold mine nearby. :doh:
You don't have to be the best, just do your best.
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Re: Is the area worth scouting?

Unread postby hunter_mike » Thu Apr 06, 2017 9:26 am

Any place is worth taking a walk through in my eyes. A quick walk through some of the easier parts looking for amount of tracks and size of rubs is a quick easy start. If it looks good then you can always return for a more detailed bed scouting trip!
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”


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