2020 Scouting Reports

[comeback_kid]

Looked decent to me. Hard to tell how big it was, but anytime I see some decent splay and the dew claw I pay attention.

That's a good looking track comeback_kid

[Tennhunter3]

Had a really crazy experience today.
It had been storming so I went to my local wma after the rain ended.

I have a buck that I've hunted for 2 years and almost killed him the first year. Last year big scrapes all the way down the logging roads and a shooter on cam. I hunted it I think 4 times and never saw him.

Last year I followed his trail across a road onto a tiny section of public that met private. And walked around the area found nothing but a few tiny old rubs. . Today I decided I would walk over their.

I walked down a very thick point that connects to the main road. It's very tiny about a hundred yards on topo. I climbed through the briars and thick mess and found a large patch of Bare ground surrounded by moss and a thin trail connected to it.

I followed the trail down the hill and I hit a transition where thick met slightly open wooded area. I was shocked by what I saw next. it had about 10 large oak trees and a saddle that was not on the topo.
And sure enough a creek full of water and 6 big rubs

I think for the last 2 years that big buck has been living in that 15 acre spot of public hidden away from the world. To think I scouted all the way around that spot once before but never found that little spot.

On the topo it looks like nothing
Oaks, water ,cover ,saddle, transition no pressure all in just a few acres.

Just because we scout somewhere once like in this case we can miss vital information very easily.

[greenhorndave]

Had a really crazy experience today.
It had been storming so I went to my local wma after the rain ended.

I have a buck that I've hunted for 2 years and almost killed him the first year. Last year big scrapes all the way down the logging roads and a shooter on cam. I hunted it I think 4 times and never saw him.

Last year I followed his trail across a road onto a tiny section of public that met private. And walked around the area found nothing but a few tiny old rubs. . Today I decided I would walk over their.

I walked down a very thick point that connects to the main road. It's very tiny about a hundred yards on topo. I climbed through the briars and thick mess and found a large patch of Bare ground surrounded by moss and a thin trail connected to it.

I followed the trail down the hill and I hit a transition where thick met slightly open wooded area. I was shocked by what I saw next. it had about 10 large oak trees and a saddle that was not on the topo.
And sure enough a creek full of water and 6 big rubs

I think for the last 2 years that big buck has been living in that 15 acre spot of public hidden away from the world. To think I scouted all the way around that spot once before but never found that little spot.

On the topo it looks like nothing
Oaks, water ,cover ,saddle, transition no pressure all in just a few acres.

Just because we scout somewhere once like in this case we can miss vital information very easily.

That sounds awesome. Hope you get on him.

[Marshbuster89]

Starting to see some good bachelor groups and a few nice looking bucks for being the end of June.

Glassing and shining season is in full swing for me!

[stash59]

Starting to see some good bachelor groups and a few nice looking bucks for being the end of June.

Glassing and shining season is in full swing for me!

Glad to see someone else thinks like me. I've been thinking now isn't too to soon get started with these phases of scouting too. If we have alot of different areas to cover. We may not have time to get to them all. If we wait for the antlers to be more developed from mid July through August. Takes a little guess work with the bucks seen this early. But I think it can give us a clue as to age class at least. IMHO! Your thought's marshbuster, or anyone else? What do you look for in any bucks seen? This early in their antler developement.


Bought an inexpensive spotting scope for my birthday. Used it the first time for deer the other night. Saw a bachelor group on some private. Across the road from the public I was on. The best antlered buck was almost to his ears. So he'll most likely end up at or a little wider than his ears for final width. So I'm guessing he's a 3 YO.

[Jonny]

E985EAE8-3998-46DC-897F-2262E4B647B7.jpeg

Might need to invent sand pile camo

Deer never cease to amaze me with where they wander.

[Hawthorne]

Did my first shining mission last night. Things look horrible I might have to rethink my public land hunting. 3 years of 2 months of gun season has did it in the cwd zone

[Marshbuster89]

Starting to see some good bachelor groups and a few nice looking bucks for being the end of June.

Glassing and shining season is in full swing for me!

Glad to see someone else thinks like me. I've been thinking now isn't too to soon get started with these phases of scouting too. If we have alot of different areas to cover. We may not have time to get to them all. If we wait for the antlers to be more developed from mid July through August. Takes a little guess work with the bucks seen this early. But I think it can give us a clue as to age class at least. IMHO! Your thought's marshbuster, or anyone else? What do you look for in any bucks seen? This early in their antler developement.


Bought an inexpensive spotting scope for my birthday. Used it the first time for deer the other night. Saw a bachelor group on some private. Across the road from the public I was on. The best antlered buck was almost to his ears. So he'll most likely end up at or a little wider than his ears for final width. So I'm guessing he's a 3 YO.

It’s never too early to start, that’s for sure! I key-in on body size and shape/structure, facial features, and antlers. Mass is very decieving this time of year, but if you keep all that in mind while looking at bucks, you can certainly pick out the more mature bucks

[Tennhunter3]

Today I put out 2 cams.
Found a 4 point shed in a bedding area.

And saw what will be a nice buck in a clearcut while I was on the way to scout behind it. His antlers are just growing good but were visible at about 120 yards away hope I get him on camera.

Weather was great some rain kept the temp down to 82 degrees felt cool compared to the heat we have been having.

[Tennhunter3]

Did my first shining mission last night. Things look horrible I might have to rethink my public land hunting. 3 years of 2 months of gun season has did it in the cwd zone

Sounds like my home wma.
Hopefully you will find a really good new wma.

[Thesouthpaw]

Drove to Maryland to scout a new piece today. Found a really worn buck bed tucked into a locust patch on the edge of a hay field. It had a dozen or so old rubs in it, and the bed was worn to the dirt. The bed itself overlooks the access trail, and there is no way to hunt it unless you come in from another access about 3/4 of a mile away. It's in a spot that is going to be really tough to hunt as far as the wind goes, but it was awesome to find it, and a perfect example of how a buck positions himself on a small piece of public.
Honestly, I think I could at least see the buck if I come in from the other access, and sneak in close with a ground hunt. But if someone comes in from the closest access, the buck will be out of there in a hurry. Not sure that I want to waste my time on a gamble like that, but like I mentioned earlier, it is cool to learn about it.

[Tennhunter3]

My dad was driving home tonight and said he saw the biggest buck he has ever seen. I drove over there every bit of 150 now beams bigger then a coke can. He will be growing until august.


Way way outside the ears and very tall.
For sure booner it would not surprise me 200 inches by season.
Biggest buck I've ever heard of being in Hardemen county.

I've seen several booners in the next county over Haywood. Crazy to see a giant like that.

[austin1990]

Rain made the water come up in the bottoms, but it dont phase the deer and their need to browse. I love these natural browse fields. No big ones yet, butgood crop of up and comers

20200627_152543.jpg

20200627_152529.jpg

[Wannabelikedan]

Pulled a cam that’s been sitting over a community scrape since the last week of March. Goal was to see if any of the bigger bucks were working this area of the public throughout the year or just during the cool months. Had two worn down mature bucks cross paths the last days of March. They have been MIA since. Surprised they were in the shape they were during late winter with the acorn crop that dropped last season. Just shows how big the breeding pool is in that area and their job is never finished. Got my milkweed picked for the season as well.

BBA48A42-EA0F-416C-81CD-D56F8E365CD8.jpeg

[Hawthorne]

38D2A387-8361-4202-9BBB-E54076A727AC.jpeg

I like seeing active scrapes in June with big tracks in them