Firs time scouting public land

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WIbowJunkie
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Firs time scouting public land

Unread postby WIbowJunkie » Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:41 am

Thanks for the add! This weekend will be my first foray into scouting beast mode style. The ground is mostly marsh and I’ve watched Dan’s marsh video about 4 times now. I’ve done some digital scouting on OnX to get an idea of what I’m looking for. My question is how many times will you guys go into an area? Should I put up cameras now or wait until it gets warmer? Thanks for all the help. :D


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Singing Bridge
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Re: Firs time scouting public land

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Feb 17, 2020 3:19 am

WIbowJunkie wrote:Thanks for the add! This weekend will be my first foray into scouting beast mode style. The ground is mostly marsh and I’ve watched Dan’s marsh video about 4 times now. I’ve done some digital scouting on OnX to get an idea of what I’m looking for. My question is how many times will you guys go into an area? Should I put up cameras now or wait until it gets warmer? Thanks for all the help. :D


How many times in depends on how much time I have to gain a thorough understanding of buck and doe bedding, entry and exit routes, my best access and what wind(s), pick stand sites as close to bedding as I can (my orange hat trick), etc. Really no set number.

Cameras depend on what you are trying to accomplish.

I'm sure you are excited to check out the public land, most importantly enjoy yourself!

Bridge
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Firs time scouting public land

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Mon Feb 17, 2020 3:34 am

It takes as many trips as it takes. I often scout an area once in the winter/spring, then hunt it the next fall. Sometimes you see deer/buck activity like you expected, but often you don't. Seeing buck activity for me is a big one, because you now know where they are at and can make an adjustment for future hunts.

Any area I've seen good bucks while hunting will definitely get re-scouted in the off season to try and piece together what is going on and hopefully improve my odds for future hunts.

Good luck with your scouting.
Swedishbowhunter
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Re: Firs time scouting public land

Unread postby Swedishbowhunter » Mon Feb 17, 2020 4:46 am

I have been looking at a hunk near my house for a while now. I have identified areas that I think will be worth checking. When I had some free time I took the family for a ride to "look for deer", what I was doing was checking different access points and making sure there were not some access points that I did not know about, & the family is happy cause we are doing things together. Now that I have this info I will go and start putting boots on the ground to verify what I suspected as likely spots based on what I found while looking at maps. I think its a bit early to hang cameras, I usually wait till the bitter cold nights are gone. I will toss one up now if I think I will be back in a week or so and I really want to see whats using a trail. Too many shed hunters romping around right now, & it is hard to hide cameras when your leaving footprints in the snow.
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gsquared23
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Re: Firs time scouting public land

Unread postby gsquared23 » Tue Feb 18, 2020 1:57 pm

I’d keep cameras out of the equation until it thickens up, and then hang a few that are hidden but easy to get to before the season so you can see what is around. As I continue scouting public land, the wisdom shared on this forum continues to echo in my head over and over: “The toughest part about killing a big buck is finding one to hunt.” That’s been my experience 100%. The overall DEER density on the public land I hunt is pretty good, probably above average. But the number of shooter bucks is really, really limited. If you haven’t found one, the odds of stumbling on one randomly are akin to buying a lottery ticket, and I never was a fan of gambling.
Bowhunting is not for the faint of heart. But fortune favors the bowed.


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