Public Land Buck scouting tactic.

[Swampthing]

I read a while back about a guy who would rake away all the grass, leaves, whatever on the ground .All the way to bare black soil and kinda fluff up the loose soil on a suspected buck exit or entrance trail .And it would hold and make some very clear and readible tracks . Example: if you lived close by you could rake up the ground every day and find a pattern in the freshly turned soil of a suspected Big Buck track.

[magicman54494]

I read a while back about a guy who would rake away all the grass, leaves, whatever on the ground .All the way to bare black soil and kinda fluff up the loose soil on a suspected buck exit or entrance trail .And it would hold and make some very clear and readible tracks . Example: if you lived close by you could rake up the ground every day and find a pattern in the freshly turned soil of a suspected Big Buck track.

I would think if you went there every day and leave scent the buck would go nocturnal or relocate or start using different trails.

[Swampthing]

I read a while back about a guy who would rake away all the grass, leaves, whatever on the ground .All the way to bare black soil and kinda fluff up the loose soil on a suspected buck exit or entrance trail .And it would hold and make some very clear and readible tracks . Example: if you lived close by you could rake up the ground every day and find a pattern in the freshly turned soil of a suspected Big Buck track.

I would think if you went there every day and leave scent the buck would go nocturnal or relocate or start using different trails.

Like Dan has stated b4. Only at the trails end ,where the swamp or woods or whatever meets a field edge. Where the Buck expects to find Human scent or at least is not disturbed or alarmed by it.

[dan]

My opinion is simalar to Magics... I think that would be to much disturbance for a mature buck. And if its back far enough to not scare him, getting him to walk on it would be the next challenge. I would just check soft spots in the fields where the deer are used to human interaction.

[Buckfever]

"Every intrusion is known", is a point that was hammered into my head by John Coit and since I've respected that on public land my shot opportunities on mature bucks has gone through the roof. We all would like more intelligence on our quarry, but at some point we blow the hunt before we even start.

[headgear]

I have to agree with the others, you might be doing much more harm then good. It might be possible in a very low pressure area and if the deer get use to you doing that every day but overall I would be too nervous to try it on public land.

[dan]

"Every intrusion is known", is a point that was hammered into my head by John Coit and since I've respected that on public land my shot opportunities on mature bucks has gone through the roof. We all would like more intelligence on our quarry, but at some point we blow the hunt before we even start.

Thats a very good way of looking at it...

[headgear]

"Every intrusion is known", is a point that was hammered into my head by John Coit.

I really like this quote too, it really helps you understand you are not going to get away with anything and kind of drives me to be more methodical about my entrance/exit routes and your entire setup in general.