In season Scouting ?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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Black Squirrel
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In season Scouting ?

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Fri Oct 22, 2010 7:39 am

I was off yesterday, and decided to scout some public land. This is the first time I have ever been on this property and didn't have any intentions of hunting it, so I wasn't worried about running any deer off. It was a marshy area. I found a few beds, including a couple of buck beds. I know we all talk about scouting in the spring, but man I learned alot out there. Plus, everything is fresh and you know what the deer are doing at this time of year. I did feel a little guilty, about possibly ruining the area for anyone who is currently hunting it, (found one tree that looked to be freshly trimmed out for a stand) but also the pheasant hunters were all over. some shots were pretty close. Anyway anyone else ever do this, scout in fall for the following year. Sometime I wonder if it is worth sacraficing a year, to get the vital information for next year? You certainly can tell what beds the deer are using during the season.


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Re: In season Scouting ?

Unread postby 3dog » Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:31 am

I do tons more in season scouting than I do spring and almost every time it's on a piece new to me. In ways, it can be more productive than spring cause, like you said, all the sign is fresh and patterns can change dramatically from this time of year to early spring. Sometimes I'll hunt a new hot spot right then and there, sometimes I'll wait a week or two. Just depends on if I think I already kicked the buck or if I didn't and can kill him that night. I always keep these spots in mind for next year, spot check em and hunt if the sign looks good.
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Re: In season Scouting ?

Unread postby muddy » Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:18 am

I've spent quite a bit of time scouting during season this year. Got new ground and new access to old ground an now getting acquainted with the land. Fortunately I found a couple bad spots that will be awesome come rut, pretty psyched.
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Hodag Hunter
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Re: In season Scouting ?

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Fri Oct 22, 2010 12:07 pm

That is my plan for this years bowhunting. Looks like I may get 8-9 days to bowhunt before our WI rifle season. I have yet to set foot in the "woods" this year, besides backyard hunts with my son.

This year will be 100% Dan's way of scouting with a stand on my back and hanging on fresh sign everyday. With working out of town this is my only option. I'm kind of excited, as originally used to be 40-60 on portables vs pre-set ladder stands.

With no option to fall back on for pre-set stands, I'm forced to search existing known areas and strike off to the new areas located from topo maps and google earth.
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Re: In season Scouting ?

Unread postby adrenalin » Fri Oct 22, 2010 11:28 pm

I'm on the same page with you and 3dog, I always scout in season. If you aren't on fresh sign and just hunt that spot that looked good in the spring you are wasting your time. Food sources can come and go at different times each year, more or less pressure than previous years, and major changes in the landscape can happen. I found this one out last night. Their was 2 beaver dams that flooded a big section of the swamp I hunt that really norrawed down the buck bedding to specific tiny spots, well as I'm going up the creek it sure seem shallow and the DNR removed the dams dropping the water level about 2 feet. Now their are hundreds of acres of dry ground to bed in. Now I will have to scout as I hunt for the rest of the season.
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Black Squirrel
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Re: In season Scouting ?

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Sun Oct 24, 2010 12:38 am

I scout lightly too during the season, but I have never went looking for beds in bedding areas during the season, which is what I did on this particular property. This was a marsh area, so I followed the trails in to the cattails, and found the actual beds some does and some bucks. Also I found several scrapes on a small island. I figured this would be a good learning experince, and it was, but I probably ruined it for hunting this year. Who knows, maybe I should hunt it, to see what kind of effect I had on the deer.
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Re: In season Scouting ?

Unread postby dreaming bucks » Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:02 am

Heck ya, try it out Squirrel... you got nothing to lose. The only thing is though, it could be anything for a buck, could be a slob, could be a little basket 6 pointer... you just never know.


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