Where to start this Summer and Fall

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weston bowhunter
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Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby weston bowhunter » Tue Aug 04, 2020 8:25 am

Hunting Beast members,

I'm new to the forum and thought I would post an topic to ask some newbie questions. I'm guessing this isn't the first of these topics. Feel free to point me to old post.
I found the Beast forum through both Wired to Hunt and The Hunting Public Podcast. I've been bowhunting for 20 plus years but ready to try a different style on my public land areas.

I'm looking for tips about how approach this first year so I can maximize my learning.
Up to this point, I've been listening to the hunting beast podcast along with the hunting public podcast. I've been looking at Dan's you-tube videos. I checked out the all time best tactical threads. I've already been hunting public ground for several years so I'm familiar with several areas near me but just not from a precise bedding standpoint. In the last several years I have been utilizing a canoe to access local public ground via several rivers. I do this based off hunting topography features between general bedding areas rather than any precious bedding knowledge. Typically I I hunt river bottom and hill country terrain for public. I've been placing wavepoints on ON X of areas of likely buck bedding based on Dan's topo advice.

My questions...How much summer scouting can I do at this point to look for buck beds? Is it valuable at this time of year? Or should I just spend more of this early fall using a roving/exploring style after hunts in hopes of bumping a buck or finding a bed. If I did then I could hunt those spots it immediately while also noting the spot for future years as I build a list of buck bedding areas? I'm certainly cool with the idea this fall may be more trial and error but always open to advice to help speed up the learning curve.

Thanks,

Chris


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Boogieman1
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Aug 04, 2020 8:56 am

Welcome, but I just gotta ask.... What did u do for 20 years that made u decide year 21 I need to change? I’m sure u will get a lot of answers and a lot more educated than mine.

But personally I don’t put squat into summer scouting in my area. It’s post season directly following either the time u tag out or hunting season is over that counts. This is when u will find out what bucks do when the heat is on. Lazy dog days of velvet summer don’t teach me anything. Old pressure deer sign is long gone and not relatable. Guess if anything, if u can locate a velvet free buck in daylight u atleast know u are close to his early season honey comb hideout. Or if u have a velvet season u r in the chips.

Good luck and happy hunting regardless.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:51 am

Personally in most scenarios I would not bother looking for bedding areas right now. For several reasons.

I would wait and scout, hunt, repeat.

Sounds like you know what to look for in terms of where mature bucks are likely to hole up. Not hard to scout around and see if one lives in the area or not and make a plan from there.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby A5BLASTER » Tue Aug 04, 2020 10:03 am

Boogieman1 wrote:Welcome, but I just gotta ask.... What did u do for 20 years that made u decide year 21 I need to change? I’m sure u will get a lot of answers and a lot more educated than mine.

But personally I don’t put squat into summer scouting in my area. It’s post season directly following either the time u tag out or hunting season is over that counts. This is when u will find out what bucks do when the heat is on. Lazy dog days of velvet summer don’t teach me anything. Old pressure deer sign is long gone and not relatable. Guess if anything, if u can locate a velvet free buck in daylight u atleast know u are close to his early season honey comb hideout. Or if u have a velvet season u r in the chips.

Good luck and happy hunting regardless.


I would have to agree completely. Looking at my area summer bed scouting is worthless at best and very hazardous too my life at its worse with gators, poisonous snakes, spiders and the heat.

I do my scouting during season but the vast amount of my scouting is from late December too February. When it's cold and the bucks are still on their typical beds that they will use the next season. I take lots and lots of pics while I'm scouting in that time and keep a log of what I find, weather condtions, wind directions and marking set up trees and planning my entrance trails.

Good notes is good science is good scouting and equals productive time on stand.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby ODH » Tue Aug 04, 2020 12:08 pm

weston bowhunter wrote:Hunting Beast members,

I'm new to the forum and thought I would post an topic to ask some newbie questions. I'm guessing this isn't the first of these topics. Feel free to point me to old post.
I found the Beast forum through both Wired to Hunt and The Hunting Public Podcast. I've been bowhunting for 20 plus years but ready to try a different style on my public land areas.

I'm looking for tips about how approach this first year so I can maximize my learning.
Up to this point, I've been listening to the hunting beast podcast along with the hunting public podcast. I've been looking at Dan's you-tube videos. I checked out the all time best tactical threads. I've already been hunting public ground for several years so I'm familiar with several areas near me but just not from a precise bedding standpoint. In the last several years I have been utilizing a canoe to access local public ground via several rivers. I do this based off hunting topography features between general bedding areas rather than any precious bedding knowledge. Typically I I hunt river bottom and hill country terrain for public. I've been placing wavepoints on ON X of areas of likely buck bedding based on Dan's topo advice.

My questions...How much summer scouting can I do at this point to look for buck beds? Is it valuable at this time of year? Or should I just spend more of this early fall using a roving/exploring style after hunts in hopes of bumping a buck or finding a bed. If I did then I could hunt those spots it immediately while also noting the spot for future years as I build a list of buck bedding areas? I'm certainly cool with the idea this fall may be more trial and error but always open to advice to help speed up the learning curve.

Thanks,

Chris


I was in a similar position when Ii first started reading the Beast and soaking in the intel it was kind of late in the year. So reflecting back on all of it I would recommend you spend your days between now and the start of your season dissecting maps and aerials of all the places you know really well, and the new spots you want to hunt. Figure out where the bucks bed. If you have been seeing them then you already have a good idea. If you haven’t been seeing them then you know you’ve been in the wrong places - cross those off. Think long and hard about when the bucks will be in residence on the ground you are targeting. Then pick your early season, mid season, rut, and late season spots and hit them all. Assume that you know where they are bedding and hunt like they are there where you thought. Lastly, and this is key, when you are scouting your way in to a spot, go as far as you dare, then go a little further., then when you think you’ve gone in close enough to the bed go another 100 yards. That will take two years off the learning curve. Best of luck and be sure to post how your season is going.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Tue Aug 04, 2020 2:15 pm

Plan, plan, question, trial by fire, reevaluate.

Or something like that.
Where you have been hunting , certain spots have probably beat you without you knowing it. Turn those tables and outsmart a deer this year.
Did a certain wind direction combine with a land feature to provide a safe zone where a buck wants to be? Go test that theory first day of season with that wind.

I had lots of hunting experience also when coming to the Beast. It's a deep hole but if you love it, you will never want to go back.
Try to get after a buck early and don't try to scout much new ground. Scouting is what people do when their tags are gone. Finding hot sign and going after it !
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby druski » Tue Aug 04, 2020 11:16 pm

Good time to study maps and use onX at a minimum to learn owners info and knock on doors to gain new permission or worst case write a letter if your not comfortable knocking on doors given covid or otherwise
I came on after 20 yrs as well But soon as I found out about it
I think you’ll find it revigorating (sp?) especially if you grew up mostly teaching yourself like I did.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby druski » Tue Aug 04, 2020 11:16 pm

Good time to study maps and use onX at a minimum to learn owners info and knock on doors to gain new permission or worst case write a letter if your not comfortable knocking on doors given covid or otherwise
I came on after 20 yrs as well But soon as I found out about it
I think you’ll find it revigorating (sp?) especially if you grew up mostly teaching yourself like I did.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby Bravov2 » Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:35 am

I would tell you go out and go nuts get it out of your system. Follow the swamp trails back to the little islands and watch em stand up and bolt, get on the hills find the over look knobs and see the beds with hair and lasts years sign all around. Keep track of what you find on your favorite hunting app. I scout all year, just crossed two spots off this week. I learn something every single time. Sometimes its just knowing not to a hunt a spot and getting to cross it off the list. I'm getting to a point where I don't have to scout areas I hunt for the present year, but can scout new spots for the following year.

Best time is no doubt in season, and right after. However, I get manic and scouting all year is the medicine I need to keep me balanced.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby Wlog » Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:53 am

PK_ wrote:Personally in most scenarios I would not bother looking for bedding areas right now. For several reasons.

I would wait and scout, hunt, repeat.

Sounds like you know what to look for in terms of where mature bucks are likely to hole up. Not hard to scout around and see if one lives in the area or not and make a plan from there.


X2. The most productive scouting I do all year is the mid day scouting I do in season. Post season scouting is great but the September and October November sign is a lot more obvious in real time as opposed to months later.

Going in now to tromping through bedding areas isn’t necessarily a bad thing I just wouldn’t do it in places I plan on hunting in the next month or so.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:28 am

I joined last summer. It's all about the wind. Most important thing I learned last year. Task 1, get some milkweed.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby Bravov2 » Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:39 am

Yesterday is a prime example of summertime scouting paying off. Got a photo of a buck I was looking for but lost. He was entering a clear cut low in a drainage area. Learned that from one of Dans videos, anyway quick look at the map and I narrowed it down to 3 points. I shed hunted that buck all spring and never looked in this new area I assumed his bedding was on. Point 1 was ehhh ok. On the way to point two was an old logging road I didn't pick up on the map that would take me down the creek I would have to cross. Started walking it and up jumps a deer and crash, I recognize that crash that's no doe crash. Get down on all fours make my way in and it opens up just enough and there's a trail. Follow the trail and his antler is laying in his bed. So I was wrong about where he was bedding but being out with a little luck I got some great Intel and a souvenir. Found another shed on point 2, never made it to point 3 but I believe that point is the best of them
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:19 am

Huntress13 wrote:I joined last summer. It's all about the wind. Most important thing I learned last year. Task 1, get some milkweed.


I agree with everyone and especially this! Simply thinking about bedding and learning wind will get you onto some great deer. Practice your climbing ability, approaching your spot slowly / quietly and cyber scouting. This season and winter will open the door for a great off season of scouting.

You are not the only one to join and ask this question in pre-season, it happens every summer. PK is right for sure.

The only reason to summer scout hard is if you have a Sept opener and trying to connect the first few weeks of the season. Or just learn new ground. I would not scout to locate a buck(s) now and then try to kill him in Nov. Here soon acorns will start dropping so you could wait until then to get out and locate spots. By then you should even have fresh rubs to look at. So after velvet shed would be a good time to get out and prep but they will be hard horned and I would tread lightly.
Last edited by <DK> on Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Where to start this Summer and Fall

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:23 am

Figure out your goals, put a plan together to obtain them and do it! Regardless of what we all say - you need confidence and I personally do w.e. takes to obtain it.

If you go out and jump one, just take it easy and dont spook him too badly. I have gotten very close to bedded bucks during the rain and I would suggest having your binos ready to catch a glimpse. Walk with a cross wind or wind to your face.


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