In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

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funderburk
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In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby funderburk » Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:12 pm

I’m struggling to get my head around low impact in-season scouting. I think I understand that you’re looking for fresh rubs, opened scrapes, and big fresh tracks. But how do you not bump bedded bucks, and/or ruin a spot with human odor, while locating hot sign?


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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby JAK » Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:14 pm

Most of the time when im in season scouting im going in there with the intent to kill something so i sort of still hunt my way in. Im sure your some deer get bumped. But just try not to cross any trail you think a buck is useing or kill him before he gets to where u crossed.



Then theres times i need intel on something. Might be a spot i never scouted but saw some good bucks shineing. I might scout it and not some back till the folowing year. So not concerned on bumping bjcks to much then.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:34 pm

You will bump bucks if you’re scouting right. And you won’t ruin an area with human odor. But when you bump a good one and leave scent make sure to take note of everything and be prepared to kill next time. If you bump him a second time in the same spot then you are in trouble.

When I scout buck bedding, especially in season, I like to wait for a day with wind/ thermals in my favor and still hunt my way in. That way if you bump a good buck he does not get your wind and you stand a better shot to get a good look at him- or a good shot.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:05 pm

You can scout the edges of bedding about where you would hunt and then hunt the same day before the buck comes thru and smells you were there. Or you can look at food source, destinations , funnels. Etc for big buck sign and then try and figure out based on maps where they are bedding and then resort back to the 1st system I listed. Or you can just scout everything and kick all the deer up and then learn the whole terrain and then go in for the kills more educated. I have been successful with each but prefer the 1st 2
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:12 pm

IME it is a technique that works well in some environments and not so great in others. I have some honey holes that you are NOT sneaking into during daylight hours and if you have not prepped a tree, planned an entry and wait for the right winds - well you will never come to know to as the honey hole it is. So for that spot an observation stand with a pre-prepped tree is my in season scouting. In Ohio, we walk around the field edges until we find the sign we want, then we move into travel routes from know bedding. other times, I walk perimeters (lake, rivers, clear cuts, hiking trails) until I find the sign and then move in based upon prescouted bedding areas.

when i go into an area blind, i will put the wind in my face, still hunt along game trails, until i find sign then set up accordingly.

Bottom line - in all these different scenarios you will BUMP deer and yes even the buck you are looking for. Learn from it, then next time adjust. To me, and I am sure a few beast members will agree, i consider a busted hunt (where I jump a buck) far more productive than to sit a stand where I was not aggressive enough and settle for a spot with little sign and not seeing anything. At least when i bust deer i have an opportunity to learn something about why i bumped them and how i can do something different next time.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby funderburk » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:00 am

dan wrote:You can scout the edges of bedding about where you would hunt and then hunt the same day before the buck comes thru and smells you were there. Or you can look at food source, destinations , funnels. Etc for big buck sign and then try and figure out based on maps where they are bedding and then resort back to the 1st system I listed. Or you can just scout everything and kick all the deer up and then learn the whole terrain and then go in for the kills more educated. I have been successful with each but prefer the 1st 2


So you're entering that area to scout for fresh sign just like you'd be going in to hunt it knowing for sure there was sign there...correct? And then (if I'm understanding you well) if you don't see a rub line opened up or tracks where you expect them to be, you sneak out and go to another spot that same day..?
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby funderburk » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:02 am

DaveT1963 wrote:IME it is a technique that works well in some environments and not so great in others. I have some honey holes that you are NOT sneaking into during daylight hours and if you have not prepped a tree, planned an entry and wait for the right winds - well you will never come to know to as the honey hole it is. So for that spot an observation stand with a pre-prepped tree is my in season scouting. In Ohio, we walk around the field edges until we find the sign we want, then we move into travel routes from know bedding. other times, I walk perimeters (lake, rivers, clear cuts, hiking trails) until I find the sign and then move in based upon prescouted bedding areas.

when i go into an area blind, i will put the wind in my face, still hunt along game trails, until i find sign then set up accordingly.

Bottom line - in all these different scenarios you will BUMP deer and yes even the buck you are looking for. Learn from it, then next time adjust. To me, and I am sure a few beast members will agree, i consider a busted hunt (where I jump a buck) far more productive than to sit a stand where I was not aggressive enough and settle for a spot with little sign and not seeing anything. At least when i bust deer i have an opportunity to learn something about why i bumped them and how i can do something different next time.


Ah! Never thought about an observation stand being my in-season scouting. Lightbulb moment :idea: Thanks!
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:15 am

I am going to try to simplify this as much as I can. If you have all the intel you need to execute a hunt - don't scout/hunt just go in and set up. If you are lacking that info, for that specific area, scout hunt. To me I ALWAYS have better luck when I can get the intel prior to a hunt without going in there. That can be from past knowledge, long distance observation, trail cameras at strategic spots or just plain playing the odds. Scout hunting works best IMHO, when you have some previous knowledge of the area (post season scouting, previous hunting experience, etc.)

Having said all that, if I find myself without previous knowledge, in a new area and on a good buck, I have no problem going in blind, wind in my face, still hunting until I see a fresh rub line, fresh scrape in cover, large tracks, congregation of poop, etc...… If I bust him on the way in, I take a GPS reading where he was bedding, figure out the wind and why he was there (obviously he choose well) and then make a plan to try a different approach/set up when conditions are similar. I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area.

Nothing beats having prior knowledge/intel so that when you see fresh sign on the edge you already have some plan on where best to set up IME/IMO.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby Trout » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:37 am

Last year I just scouted in-season like it was spring and disregarded spooking deer with the intent of using the intel I gathered for this year. I usually had a specific stand area in mind, but when I came across really hot sign, I hunted it. Spring scouting is great, but what I learned from increasing my in-season scouting was way better, certain areas had more sign at different parts of the season that would be tough or impossible to see when you saw it in the spring. This year I have a better idea exactly where I'm going but still plan to make adjustments as needed.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:53 am

DaveT1963 wrote:I am going to try to simplify this as much as I can. If you have all the intel you need to execute a hunt - don't scout/hunt just go in and set up. If you are lacking that info, for that specific area, scout hunt. To me I ALWAYS have better luck when I can get the intel prior to a hunt without going in there. That can be from past knowledge, long distance observation, trail cameras at strategic spots or just plain playing the odds. Scout hunting works best IMHO, when you have some previous knowledge of the area (post season scouting, previous hunting experience, etc.)

Having said all that, if I find myself without previous knowledge, in a new area and on a good buck, I have no problem going in blind, wind in my face, still hunting until I see a fresh rub line, fresh scrape in cover, large tracks, congregation of poop, etc...… If I bust him on the way in, I take a GPS reading where he was bedding, figure out the wind and why he was there (obviously he choose well) and then make a plan to try a different approach/set up when conditions are similar. I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area.

Nothing beats having prior knowledge/intel so that when you see fresh sign on the edge you already have some plan on where best to set up IME/IMO.


I agree with this 100%, especially the "I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area." part. I will add that after even one screw up it can be much harder to hunt that deer, but, in general, it takes several big screw up to really relocate a buck. It's their core area for a reason. It has security, cover, food, water. They've been there and feel comfortable there. It takes a lot to change that in my opinion which is why I'm not afraid to push it with the in season scouting. As others have stated, if you don't get him that day, you'll know better for next hunt, or next year.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby dan » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:40 am

funderburk wrote:
dan wrote:You can scout the edges of bedding about where you would hunt and then hunt the same day before the buck comes thru and smells you were there. Or you can look at food source, destinations , funnels. Etc for big buck sign and then try and figure out based on maps where they are bedding and then resort back to the 1st system I listed. Or you can just scout everything and kick all the deer up and then learn the whole terrain and then go in for the kills more educated. I have been successful with each but prefer the 1st 2


So you're entering that area to scout for fresh sign just like you'd be going in to hunt it knowing for sure there was sign there...correct? And then (if I'm understanding you well) if you don't see a rub line opened up or tracks where you expect them to be, you sneak out and go to another spot that same day..?

If it was not scouted previously and there was very little sign, or the sign was old, I would move on to the next spot. If I had previously scouted it I may or may not choose to hunt based on having Intel on the spot.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Jun 27, 2019 5:14 pm

seazofcheeze wrote:
DaveT1963 wrote:I am going to try to simplify this as much as I can. If you have all the intel you need to execute a hunt - don't scout/hunt just go in and set up. If you are lacking that info, for that specific area, scout hunt. To me I ALWAYS have better luck when I can get the intel prior to a hunt without going in there. That can be from past knowledge, long distance observation, trail cameras at strategic spots or just plain playing the odds. Scout hunting works best IMHO, when you have some previous knowledge of the area (post season scouting, previous hunting experience, etc.)

Having said all that, if I find myself without previous knowledge, in a new area and on a good buck, I have no problem going in blind, wind in my face, still hunting until I see a fresh rub line, fresh scrape in cover, large tracks, congregation of poop, etc...… If I bust him on the way in, I take a GPS reading where he was bedding, figure out the wind and why he was there (obviously he choose well) and then make a plan to try a different approach/set up when conditions are similar. I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area.

Nothing beats having prior knowledge/intel so that when you see fresh sign on the edge you already have some plan on where best to set up IME/IMO.


I agree with this 100%, especially the "I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area." part. I will add that after even one screw up it can be much harder to hunt that deer, but, in general, it takes several big screw up to really relocate a buck. It's their core area for a reason. It has security, cover, food, water. They've been there and feel comfortable there. It takes a lot to change that in my opinion which is why I'm not afraid to push it with the in season scouting. As others have stated, if you don't get him that day, you'll know better for next hunt, or next year.


Not disagreeing with this at all, but I think pressure plays a huge part. Seaz, in your former and current situations, I think your pressured MI buck holds much tighter and gets a lot tougher to kill. Pressure is crazy high and he doesn't feel safe in very many places. In your MT situation, I think in most cases he relocates and eventually comes back. But how soon? 3 days? A week? 2 weeks? I think if pressure is super low he might be back the next day. It all depends on how scared he is. If he was left alone all summer and you amble through his bedding while scouting and bump him when you're loudly walking 150 yards away, I don't see that as a huge threat. I could see him coming back the next day. If you go in for the kill and he gets a big whiff of you set up 75 yards from his bed, DIFFERENT STORY. That's just my take.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby Ack » Thu Jun 27, 2019 6:10 pm

Best thing to do is not scout so close to the bedding that you bump him....stay down wind as much as you can and scout the sign coming from the bedding area, not right in the bedding.

On public, you also need to take into account other people possibly wandering through and bumping the buck.

Most times you're not the only one hunting the area....a lot of guys wander/scout and small game hunt, meaning that buck could be getting bumped even when you are not there.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:46 am

Lockdown wrote:
seazofcheeze wrote:
DaveT1963 wrote:I am going to try to simplify this as much as I can. If you have all the intel you need to execute a hunt - don't scout/hunt just go in and set up. If you are lacking that info, for that specific area, scout hunt. To me I ALWAYS have better luck when I can get the intel prior to a hunt without going in there. That can be from past knowledge, long distance observation, trail cameras at strategic spots or just plain playing the odds. Scout hunting works best IMHO, when you have some previous knowledge of the area (post season scouting, previous hunting experience, etc.)

Having said all that, if I find myself without previous knowledge, in a new area and on a good buck, I have no problem going in blind, wind in my face, still hunting until I see a fresh rub line, fresh scrape in cover, large tracks, congregation of poop, etc...… If I bust him on the way in, I take a GPS reading where he was bedding, figure out the wind and why he was there (obviously he choose well) and then make a plan to try a different approach/set up when conditions are similar. I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area.

Nothing beats having prior knowledge/intel so that when you see fresh sign on the edge you already have some plan on where best to set up IME/IMO.


I agree with this 100%, especially the "I personally think it takes a major ton of screwing up to move a mature buck out of his core area." part. I will add that after even one screw up it can be much harder to hunt that deer, but, in general, it takes several big screw up to really relocate a buck. It's their core area for a reason. It has security, cover, food, water. They've been there and feel comfortable there. It takes a lot to change that in my opinion which is why I'm not afraid to push it with the in season scouting. As others have stated, if you don't get him that day, you'll know better for next hunt, or next year.


Not disagreeing with this at all, but I think pressure plays a huge part. Seaz, in your former and current situations, I think your pressured MI buck holds much tighter and gets a lot tougher to kill. Pressure is crazy high and he doesn't feel safe in very many places. In your MT situation, I think in most cases he relocates and eventually comes back. But how soon? 3 days? A week? 2 weeks? I think if pressure is super low he might be back the next day. It all depends on how scared he is. If he was left alone all summer and you amble through his bedding while scouting and bump him when you're loudly walking 150 yards away, I don't see that as a huge threat. I could see him coming back the next day. If you go in for the kill and he gets a big whiff of you set up 75 yards from his bed, DIFFERENT STORY. That's just my take.


Valid points for sure.
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Re: In-Season Scouting Without Bumping Bucks

Unread postby <DK> » Tue Jul 02, 2019 8:17 am

I like bumping them. If you could see one w/o doing that obviously that would be better. Its best to hunt the spot immediatley after jumping them. They can and will come back the same day. If they dont, come back the next day and the day after.

How badly you scare them can obviously determine if they return or for how long. BUT they can still return for a temp time and then move on for the season. Many factors come into play.


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