2 Year Old Intel

[<DK>]

Most successful hunters on here will probably say that their success in the fall directly relates to their success in the winter or spring. I agree but im feeling down this year bc of lack of time out. I have the drive but caged up at the moment... have tons of scouting intel about spots which havent been back to or hunted yet. Also, this fall ill have lots of time to pre season scout for buck and hunt. Seems like things will work out but I may be relying on old spots more than id like to.

Curious if anyone has some tips or success stories hunting spot you scouted few seasons ago? Or maybe spots you overlooked bc of lesser sign turned out to be shooter buck later?

[tbunao]

I’m kind of in the same spot as you. Last year by this time I had well over a hundred hours of scouting in. Well between this long winter with snow and new job right now I’m at about 12 hours

I’ll still get out and get a few new spots nailed down. One I quickly walked a few weeks ago but man

One thing I’m glad I started to put into my of tactics is letting cams soak. I have 3 areas I’ve never hunted but thanks to letting cams soak there I know where I’ll be come the end October and November. I have as much confidence with these spots as any I’ve re tweaked over the past couple of season. Other spots that almost panned out I know what I need to do. Those areas always seem to have someone living there it’s just a matter will they follow suit with movement

I think you’ve done enough homework to put yourself in areas that will workout it’s just a matter of which ones but I mean we kind of do that anyways don’t we?

[Rich M]

I think the best knowledge comes from repeat exposure - if you scout & hunt the same place every year for 5 years running, you'll probably find that most of the sign is in the same places every year, with the exception of a change in food source (poor year for oaks, farmer planted taters instead of beans, etc.).

IMO, the main thing you are missing is finding new spots to hunt, if you do the pre-hunt, check to see if there is buck sign prep, then you'll be fine - go in and see if there is bucks sign, if yes, then hunt, if no, go to spot 2.

[<DK>]

One thing I’m glad I started to put into my of tactics is letting cams soak.

Good point, I have gradually increased amount of cams and how long cams sit. In fact bc I have left them there is a particular buck I have history w on private land and I have a good idea of how his fall patterns go. Here soon it will be time to put cams out. Surprisingly alot of bucks in my area have held antlers decent amount of time this year. Something weird about me is I dont care whether I use cams or not, yet they are game changers. Sometimes they are just a pain and for some reason I am lazy about them but I go hard in every other aspect of my hunting... havent figured it out yet

IMO, the main thing you are missing is finding new spots to hunt, if you do the pre-hunt, check to see if there is buck sign prep, then you'll be fine - go in and see if there is bucks sign, if yes, then hunt, if no, go to spot 2.

That is some great points Rich but finding new spots to hunt I think is my biggest issue. Thats an addiction I havent been able to feed. I guess the main thing im missing this year is more confirmation and more confidence.My confidence has gradually rises every season since adopting Beast tactics so having a down spring is rough. I try to spring scout 1/2 the amount of days I plan to hunt, then some summer/pre season scouts for a early season buck. Spot checking was part of the plan this year or in season scouting. One really cool thing I found this year though is my Sept buck spot last year has new buck sign.Would be the first time I hunt same spot back to back seasons since joining

Thanks guys, youve given me some things to think about. Things have been so crazy this year I feel un-organized

[Dewey]

Gaining intel over many years is so valuable. It's all about the details. I once waited 5 years for a tree to grow big enough to get a stand in. First sit I killed my biggest buck. Second sit exactly one year later I killed my next biggest buck. Since then I have consistently seen some of my largest bucks from that tree year after year. I only hunt it 1-2 times a year and only in a south wind. Observing and putting together intel over many years helped me put this all together. I keep tabs on it and when I see the faint trail getting much more activity I know cruising has started and I need to hunt it NOW. If you look at this spot you would never think anything about it because outside the first two weeks of November mature bucks rarely travel there. It turns into a major cruising area downwind of doe bedding during peak rut. Bucks from all over seem to funnel in here for a very short period.

Without years of subtle intel this would have never been possible. Finding and hunting new spots is extremely fun but you still have to rely on past spots you have a lot of history with. Nothing builds confidence more than having spots like this you can almost guarantee a mature buck sighting within a few day span every single year. The hardest part is having enough self control to not over hunt them. This is where most guys fail miserable time after time. Using intel gained over many years to pinpoint perfect timing is the key so many are always missing. I think sometimes we hurt ourselves by jumping around to new unproven spots every single hunt. At some point you have to gain enough intel to hone in on the absolute best ones and have the confidence to hunt them when the time is right.

[RidgeGhost]

I'm sure it's an uneasy feeling not digging into new spots for this fall but I wouldn't worry about it that much. I'm not going back and re-scouting my spots from last year but I still have good confidence in them. After a few years you almost have to rely on past years info, there's no way you can revisit all those spots

[bh bowhunter]

I'm still adding pieces to the puzzle after a couple years of chasing a buck in a big woods area. I have his summer range figured out, because I can glass a private meadow where he spends the summer months. I left 3 cams last season on different ridges where I suspect he would transition to starting in September. I got pics of him in October and then he disappeared again. I will use this intel in conjunction with Beast Tactics, to try to kill him in that area this season.

Been scouting that ridge several weekends in a row and may have found some rut beds. I found a couple scrapes and plan on leaving a few more cams up there this season. One of the other cams I let soak all season, I setup along a trail that ran along the ridge top and cut thru a couple benches where does bed. Real excited about this spot. Many different bucks cruising during November and into December, two of which are mature. For me, I definitely rely on intel from past seasons, but I think it may take another season or two to figure this buck or spot out good enough to kill a mature buck.

[JoeRE]

The very best sign I find is that from multiple years. Perennial rubs scarred up from several years in a row, sometimes licking branches can show the same type of use. usually those depict travel routes that get used by bucks every single fall....you could come back 10 years from now and have a fair chance to find that travel route still used. Yes stuff changes - I have seen logging disrupt deer, somebody turn areas into 4 wheeler parks or ride horses thru the area all the time and of course hunting pressure. All those can change annual patterns. But if there is sign of bucks doing something multiple years in a row the odd are high of it continuing unless they get disturbed.

A couple years ago I was after a really big buck. I saw him/and got trail camera pictures of him in two different areas and I couldn't figure out how he was getting between them. I should have killed that buck if I was paying attention scouting the spring before. Instead, the following spring (I think someone else killed him in gun season) I found a perennial rub on a faint trail headed down over a steep sidehill. I followed it and found another perennial rub every 50-100 yards and some beds along the way too it was pretty cool to see something that distinct. That darn buck was traveling (and bedding) between those two areas on what was basically a narrow ledge just a few feet wide half way down a steep hillside that you almost had to get on all fours to crawl up and down. I could have shot him off that ledge I am certain of it if I had just noticed the sign 1 year earlier. Since then there hasn't been a big buck in the area, its got very high hunting pressure rare to see a 4 year old buck there, but 2 and 3 year old bucks use that ledge every rut - I leave a camera there watching it, waiting for one to get old enough that I want to go after.

I have learned to be skeptical of sign left from ONLY one season. Its very hit or miss if it will get repeated next year. I really want to see multiple years sign.

[<DK>]

The very best sign I find is that from multiple years. Perennial rubs scarred up from several years in a row, sometimes licking branches can show the same type of use. usually those depict travel routes that get used by bucks every single fall....you could come back 10 years from now and have a fair chance to find that travel route still used.

I have learned to be skeptical of sign left from ONLY one season. Its very hit or miss if it will get repeated next year. I really want to see multiple years sign.

Thanks Joe. Good post. All sounds like common sense. There are a few really good spots I have in mind just never been able to make it back since scouting it years ago or the conditions never lined up correctly. Ill review some footage and see if I can find some hidden goodies.

Gaining intel over many years is so valuable. It's all about the details. I once waited 5 years for a tree to grow big enough to get a stand in. First sit I killed my biggest buck. Second sit exactly one year later I killed my next biggest buck. Since then I have consistently seen some of my largest bucks from that tree year after year.

Great story Dewey! Way to be a beast man! That is really amazing