Summer scouting...

[dan]

Its that time of year again. Can you believe hunting is only 3 months away? This late June early July time frame is when I have located some of the biggest bucks I have later shot... Glassing, shining, trail cams, observation stands? Who is taking advantage of this time to give you an advantage come September / October? Seeing anything decent?

[strutnrut716]

Glassing..... Had an awesome night last night.

Found probably my best bedding area in early April right before turkey season. Used my kayak to cross water that was deeper than wader deep, and the sign on the other side showed !
So, I picked the nearest ag field (private) last night and had 11 deer come out. (Were actually out when I got there about 45 minutes before sunset) . 6 bucks were in a group and 3 of these bucks already had velvet growth touching their ear tips. Will be fun to see "just how big" they grow yet. This was in a corn field where the corn shoots were knee high. And these deer were destroying the corn shoots !! Saw some with full plants in their jaws and just gorging !!

And this is just my first glassing trip. I have a ton of other fields to watch !!

[Lastcast#1]

48 degrees this morning. Rain tonight. Took advantage and took the drive to swap batteries in a cam I have in a deep drainage ditch crossing between ag fields and flood woods. Beavers have this ditch damed up about 10 yards above the tree I intend to hunt. What is normally a foot or 2 of water 10 ft across is now just a trickle. They cross just below the dam.

Deer highway with bedding on both sides, and food on one.Anyway took my time and looked for large tracks in the mud and muck about a mlle down the drainage.

I have been paying close attention to these types of areas. Large and deep ditches with heavy cover on both sides and a food destination. Better yet, bedding on both sides.. Cams have shown me that bucks are using these hidden corridors often in daylight. Havent hunted it yet but after a year running a cam and the intel gained, I will hunt it immediately on the opener if the conditions are right, and again during the rut.:

After a 2 mile walk in the muck I drove the dirt roads checking out what was planted where in relation to some the areas I hunt. Alot of deer out in the fields today
midday.

Chad

[Jeff G]

Got my eye on a slob.

[wolverinebuckman]

I found a very promising spot during the spring before green up, at which time I jumped a large (sounded) solitary deer from it's bed in the cattails. I formulated a plan in March on how I should try to kill this deer.
I decided I wanted a bit more Intel, and went back in this past Friday. So glad I did!
First, I had hoped to confirm he was bedding on the opposite end of the area based on the different wind from last time I was there. As I got within 20 yards of where I thought he might be based on Friday's wind, I bumped a large sounding deer from it's bed, EXACTLY where I had hoped! That was huge for my confidence.
Also, I quickly realized that my original kill plan would have to be scrubbed, as there was now an 8' wall of marsh grass right where I intended to ground sit! So I'm glad I found that out now instead of October 1st. I also found some key glassing locations to try to get some eyes on him this summer.

[Twenty Up]

As I’ve mentioned before this is my first summer scouting with 100% effort. In years past I was doing internships and was either too busy or not in state to even scout.

I’ve got 7 cameras up and planning to hang 3-4 more across 7 different areas so far. I managed to glass a slob of a buck which I posted in the scouting section. I also saw his running mate (second picture) 3 times so far. All within a 200 yard area with NW winds.



Fixing to be a good season! Keep up the good work guys and looking forward to seeing what y’all get into

[JAK]

Been out glassing last few nights got one I got my eye on now. wish I had a better pic. I'm he's got me in a freenzy I've got bedding scouted about 300 yards from where he's been comeing out only problem I haven't scouted where he's comeing out of. But I know it's heavily hunted so hoping he switches things up.

[tgreeno]

I've had 3 cameras out for 3 weeks, haven't checked any yet. This weekend I may use the rain to move positions and check cards. I've been out glassing 3 or 4 times but, haven't run across any good ones yet.

[jman22]

I've got 5 cameras out and hope to have the other 10 or so out in the next week. Felt pretty good about my spring scouting but really looking forward to seeing what bucks are around. I've seen a few out on my early mornings drives with my little girl, but nothing big. Looks like some of you guys have your eyes on some great bucks so far!

[NH Teufelhund]

My cams have nada. I have eyes on what I believe to be a buck or two almost everyday but they are too far to glass with my crappy Binos. I almost bought a cheap $50 Feyachi scope on amazon last night but figured it was probably a waste of money.

Anyone know of trustworthy cheap spotting scopes?

[ghoasthunter]

My cams have nada. I have eyes on what I believe to be a buck or two almost everyday but they are too far to glass with my crappy Binos. I almost bought a cheap $50 Feyachi scope on amazon last night but figured it was probably a waste of money.

Anyone know of trustworthy cheap spotting scopes?

vortex binos and spotter are good bang for buck. i really like the 8 x binos they work in just about any situation including low light. if you use them with there tripod adapter you should have good luck using them as a spotter.

[ghoasthunter]

everything is set i have about 80 real good buck beds to hunt and about twenty good morning setups. just sitting back glassing and checking and moving 12 cameras on various travel corridors and over some salt. been practicing climbing trees with my new saddle setup i finished welding a couple weeks ago. shooting my compound and longbow every week. game plan this year is to get my earn a buck at my buddies farm asap. then its straight into the front lines on river bottoms and swamps around farm country till the mountain zones open in October. then im going to split my rut between mountain swamp and river bottom. after that well ill just let that unfold for me.

[tgreeno]

Dan...I'm curious how much summer scouting you do? Is there alot of tag teaming your areas, with Dave & Mario? I'm assuming with many of your historically good spot, you don't need to scout them as hard? But maybe newer spots? How many cameras does your crew deploy in the summer? And, throughout the season?

[tbunao]

As I’ve mentioned before this is my first summer scouting with 100% effort. In years past I was doing internships and was either too busy or not in state to even scout.

I’ve got 7 cameras up and planning to hang 3-4 more across 7 different areas so far. I managed to glass a slob of a buck which I posted in the scouting section. I also saw his running mate (second picture) 3 times so far. All within a 200 yard area with NW winds.



Fixing to be a good season! Keep up the good work guys and looking forward to seeing what y’all get into

looking good!!!!!

[tbunao]

Been out glassing last few nights got one I got my eye on now. wish I had a better pic. I'm he's got me in a freenzy I've got bedding scouted about 300 yards from where he's been comeing out only problem I haven't scouted where he's comeing out of. But I know it's heavily hunted so hoping he switches things up.

Hopefully he makes the wrong move for him and the right one for you!