2018 Scouting Reports

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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RidgeGhost
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby RidgeGhost » Sun Sep 09, 2018 3:10 pm

Jackson Marsh wrote:
Hatchet Jack wrote:Getting up early tomorrow to hike 5 gallons of water 2.5 miles up a mountain to make a cache 8-) . Theres no water up there and its too steep to climb down to water everyday. From that cache location, with the prevailing winds, i should be able to hit a different, fresh, bed set everyday for a week without coming down from the summit. Pumped up for our October 6th opener!



That's hardcore. Good luck with your season, I hope the hard work pays off.


Yes it is! That's awesome!


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Hatchet Jack
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Hatchet Jack » Mon Sep 10, 2018 5:17 am

Hardcores the only way :lol: I like getting away from the crowds and even though its got low deer density i like the quality of the hunt...
4 hrs later ive reached the summit and hid the jug. The hike was brutal with that weight, think ill be going ground and pound at this spot. The suspected beds are still a mile down the ridge and i really dont feel like hauling 50 plus additional pounds up lol. Welp time to head back to the truck. Next time back at this spot ill be camping for a week 8-)
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Thu Sep 13, 2018 10:58 am

Pulled some cards and got a few bucks on them. Nothing earth shattering, but it's fun to get them on camera.

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This one frustrates me.....using my overactive imagination I think I see a nice buck, but the picture stinks. I wouldn't mind someone stealing this camera :lol:


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boldlygo
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby boldlygo » Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:22 pm

Jackson Marsh wrote:

This one frustrates me.....using my overactive imagination I think I see a nice buck, but the picture stinks. I wouldn't mind someone stealing this camera :lol:


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It really is in the perfect position to have horns haha, compared to your first pic tho I'm leaning the other way
“A grindstone that had not grit in it, how long would it take to sharpen an ax? And affairs that had not grit in them, how long would they take to make a man?”
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Ghost Pointer » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:52 pm

Productive Beast scout:
With a favorable wind and impending Hurricane Florence rain beginning after dark, I went in to a suspected buck bedding area and found what I hope is a mature buck bed. I went in blind off of a map with only a little knowledge of the ridge. The spot is about 1.5 miles in on big mountain woods

I was climbing the ridge and noticed a decent rub about waist height. When I got to the rub(maybe a day or 2 old), along with about 8-10 here and there other rubs, I was around the 1/3 elevation from the top. Followed the elevation contour a bit, there was a dark shady area clustered with saplings, hard to see into, but easy to see out. Above that was a lot of oaks. Low and behold right in the middle was a solitary bed w/ hair in it. Standing there, I am looking around thinking, how in the world can I hunt this thing? It’s a bed for multiple winds (W/NW/N/NE) maybe even a WSW wind as the ridgeline bends around the area. The bed measured roughly 45” across. Tons of old rubs in the area.

On the way down, I may have found what I needed and that was where he likely heads when he gets up. Found the biggest scrape I have ever seen (prob. 15’x15’) deer tracks all over it. Saw several fresh rubs heading off the ridge before and after the scrape.

Now the question...with the correct wind, do I setup just out of sight of the bed on about equal elevation, expecting him to feed around before heading down? With the scrape being below, sit out and wait for thermals to flip and set up before he would get to the scrape?

3 great takeaways...1. found what I believe to be a mature buck bed from a map 2. My son was with me and couldnt believe what he was seeing. 3. The skies opened up as we made it back to the vehicle and poured all night.
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boldlygo
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby boldlygo » Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:47 am

Ghost Pointer wrote:Productive Beast scout:
With a favorable wind and impending Hurricane Florence rain beginning after dark, I went in to a suspected buck bedding area and found what I hope is a mature buck bed. I went in blind off of a map with only a little knowledge of the ridge. The spot is about 1.5 miles in on big mountain woods

I was climbing the ridge and noticed a decent rub about waist height. When I got to the rub(maybe a day or 2 old), along with about 8-10 here and there other rubs, I was around the 1/3 elevation from the top. Followed the elevation contour a bit, there was a dark shady area clustered with saplings, hard to see into, but easy to see out. Above that was a lot of oaks. Low and behold right in the middle was a solitary bed w/ hair in it. Standing there, I am looking around thinking, how in the world can I hunt this thing? It’s a bed for multiple winds (W/NW/N/NE) maybe even a WSW wind as the ridgeline bends around the area. The bed measured roughly 45” across. Tons of old rubs in the area.

On the way down, I may have found what I needed and that was where he likely heads when he gets up. Found the biggest scrape I have ever seen (prob. 15’x15’) deer tracks all over it. Saw several fresh rubs heading off the ridge before and after the scrape.

Now the question...with the correct wind, do I setup just out of sight of the bed on about equal elevation, expecting him to feed around before heading down? With the scrape being below, sit out and wait for thermals to flip and set up before he would get to the scrape?

3 great takeaways...1. found what I believe to be a mature buck bed from a map 2. My son was with me and couldnt believe what he was seeing. 3. The skies opened up as we made it back to the vehicle and poured all night.


Nice find, glad your son was there!
“A grindstone that had not grit in it, how long would it take to sharpen an ax? And affairs that had not grit in them, how long would they take to make a man?”
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Wannabelikedan
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Wannabelikedan » Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:59 pm

Rained 8”+ the last 48 hours so I made a trip to the river to check out the damage. Could only access one of the four places I checked on. Roads had over 3ft of running water so I couldn’t even get remotely close to where I wanted to launch the kayak. The one access I did make I hung a cam to soak in an overlooked spot. May not produce much with high water levels this season but it was thick with sign the year before when it was dry. High water will have the deer pushed out of a lot of bedding come opener in a week. Should be an interesting game of hide and seek with tough access.
Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible.... Learning is making it possible for yourself.
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E72
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby E72 » Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:52 pm

Scouted a public spot today . Checked a secluded oak point behind a thick clearcut . Found a matched set of sheds , dropped simultaneous. Here’s how they were. Wish I found them during turkey season ... damn tree rats worked them over this summer but now Im excited to hunt this area. We also found a nice shed from a two year old buck not 200 yards from this spot on a turkey hunt .
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Brandonkinchen
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Brandonkinchen » Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:56 pm

The oaks are dropping like crazy here in South Louisiana
"The archer is the true weapon; the bow is just a long piece of wood." -Sebastien de Castell
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Brandonkinchen » Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:56 pm

E72 wrote:Scouted a public spot today . Checked a secluded oak point behind a thick clearcut . Found a matched set of sheds , dropped simultaneous. Here’s how they were. Wish I found them during turkey season ... damn tree rats worked them over this summer but now Im excited to hunt this area. We also found a nice shed from a two year old buck not 200 yards from this spot on a turkey hunt .
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Nice
"The archer is the true weapon; the bow is just a long piece of wood." -Sebastien de Castell
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Brandonkinchen
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Brandonkinchen » Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:58 pm

E72 wrote:A Couple loaded oaks on a farm by the house .
Image
Bumped a doe group off them going in for a scout / tree prep.

That's awesome
"The archer is the true weapon; the bow is just a long piece of wood." -Sebastien de Castell
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WMAn
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby WMAn » Fri Oct 19, 2018 12:18 am

Got out to scout on Tuesday, October 16. Checked a high point on some public land. The point overlooks a parking lot. Years ago I found some beds on the end of the point overlooking the parking lot. Found a few new rubs, lots of old rubs, and scattered beds. I stayed at least 100 yards back from the end of the point at all times. Also, found this gem which is now sitting on my son's dresser.

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Noreast10pt
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby Noreast10pt » Sat Oct 20, 2018 4:51 am

Went and checked out an area that I scouted back in January, it looks like it's still got some activity.


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john1984
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Re: 2018 Scouting Reports

Unread postby john1984 » Mon Nov 26, 2018 11:15 am

Did a little scouting on a new property (hill country). Some good buck sign around.

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