Would like some advice from all of you

[futuredoc]

I didn't get out to the woods this spring/late winter; a lot of factors, mostly IF I got a day off, I was so stinking tired that I didn't feel like making the drive or facing the wrath of my wife for taking one of my few free days to pursue my love of hunting. Anyway, I attempted a scouting mission a few days ago to a small farm, about 175 acres. I quickly realized the futility of this for anything other than seeing the lay of the land; after about 2 hours of sweating, knocking ticks off my pants and feeling like I literally may pass out in the 95 degree weather, I swore off summer scouting once and for all.

SO, after all that here is my question. I do have another day next week I could get some scouting done, and I hate to go into this fall partially blind but I don't think I can gather great intel at the present.Would you all scout? Would you study aerials and go in with stand on your back in the fall? In the past I've had decent luck scouting on rainy/windy days, finding sign and immediately moving on it during the season.

This particular terrain is farm country, not lots of relief; I saw quite a bit of sign last fall, the first time I was able to hunt it, that would lead me to believe there is a mature deer in the area.

thanks all,

Kendall

[dan]

To me, its all about bedding unless you are just hunting the rut... And then bedding is still important. If you think your scouting can reveal those buck bedding areas, do it. Worst case you wasted a day looking.

[PLB]

I've done a lot of scouting in Summer in SW WI where I hunt. Leave at 5am, get down there at 9am, scout til 4pm, drive home. In July its hot and buggy and green and thick, but at the end of the day, we had stands hung and lanes cleared and felt like we accomplished something! Point is when you can go, GO!!

[Buckfever]

I'd go back out there and step on him.

[DropTyne]

I agree with PLB. Sometimes it isn't always a picture perfect scenario, but if you put forth the extra effort, if you brave the misquotes, tick, burrs, and get a little sweat in your eyes it will pay off. It might not be this year, next year, or even the year after that it WILL pay off. The more you learn the better off you will be.

[ Post made via iPad ]

[headgear]

Well said DropTyne, the more I learn the more I feel it's better to be aggressive with both your hunting and scouting. I would rather dive in there and know what is happening vs playing it safe and guessing. Like you said even if you totally mess up the area you have the knowledge for future hunts.

I am actually going to do some scouting this weekend on a new piece of public land I found. Sure I could wait until next spring and do it the right way but why not get in there and see what I can find, it might be but it might just pay off this fall.

[JRM6868]

Do what you can when you can. It may not be the RIGHT TIME but any time is better than no time at all. 175 acres isn't bad and can be done with the green on. You were there once and pick up where you left off and get it done. Go early and take advantage of the cooler morning air.

[kenn1320]

Determine a game plan before you get there and do your best to stick to it. You have already covered part of the land, and or hunted it once. Don't use valuable time looking at your old tracks, make new ones. There is a difference between walking the land and scouting it. Work smart, not hard. If your going to use the Beast tactics, find the bedding first, then figure out what wind the buck will use that bed for. Determine his entrance/exit routes. Figure out how you will get in/out during season without tipping that buck off. Scout that route and make sure your not walking by a doe bedding area. Make sure your path does not blow your scent to the buck your hunting, or to other bedded deer if possible. If this is your only place to hunt, locate some other areas on the property that give you the opportunity to hunt/observe. You might only get 1 shot at the buck you found the bed from on that land, but that does not mean you might not have the opportunity to score on one that is bedding just over the fence. Figure out the food source(s) and find the doe bedding areas. Print an aerial photo and do your best to mark things you find. A gps can be very helpful for this. Take some water and a snack or two. This will keep your mind from thinking about calling it a day and heading into town. Good luck and have fun.
I have not hunted Beast style, but you asked for advice from all. This is what I would do, but admittedly I have not been successful so take it for what its worth.
Ken

[RaisedByWolves]

i would scout the big doe bedding areas and look for isolated spots that might hold buck bedding.....if you have some big farm fields, there are a few new game cameras on the market with a "plot watcher" feature....it lets you set up a camera way off a field so your not spooking deer....and it will take a pic every 10 minutes or so throughout the entire day....when you look at the pics on your computer you can veiw them as a time lapse video and zoom in on the picture too. it might help you determine what wind deer are using to enter fields from, and relate it back to the bedding. also, shining could help if its legal by you

[Liberty-Hunt]

I thing you'll be happy to get success if you make the max effort! Knowing the land is the n°1 key for success.
To help you do not hesitated to put some trail cam around.

[Bucky]

In my opinion you should be able to walk 175 acres in realitively short period of time (half day). Especially if some of the acerage is fields (farm)... Last summer I drove to Missouri twice (once in June) for a weekend walk about Talk about nutz! Lots of ticks and it was 90 some degrees and humid... but you got to want it! Now is not as good as April, but you can still put stuff together. If you want to kill a big one, tackle it the same way you would an anatomy final or better yet pharmacology final = all out Like anything in life, you typically reap what you sow... if you want it, go after it!

[PLB]

In my opinion you should be able to walk 175 acres in realitively short period of time (half day). Especially if some of the acerage is fields (farm)... Last summer I drove to Missouri twice (once in June) for a weekend walk about Talk about nutz! Lots of ticks and it was 90 some degrees and humid... but you got to want it! Now is not as good as April, but you can still put stuff together. If you want to kill a big one, tackle it the same way you would an anatomy final or better yet pharmacology final = all out Like anything in life, you typically reap what you sow... if you want it, go after it!

That's right