Scouting Frustration
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Scouting Frustration
Went out this morning with stand on my back. I am getting really frustrated with this. It seems like the same thing always happens. I end up in a tangled mess that I can't possibly walk through quietly. Try to get to the less thick area. Don't see any sign worth hunting. Everything is under water. I get soaked. Saw 2 tiny rubs. Walk around for 2 hours and don't even hang a stand. Come home with a wasted hunt considering getting out of the house ain't easy. I'm always hoping for that ah hah moment like I found where they're at. Don't see anything worth sitting.
Does this happen to anyone? Getting tired of it.
Does this happen to anyone? Getting tired of it.
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Scouting Frustration
It happens to all of us, those that succeed keep pushing on through the lack of sign/sightings.
Sign should be steadily increasing throughout the rest of the month, keep plugging away.
Many times I've been walking on deer trails through a thicket and all of a sudden the deer trail turns into a rabbit trail and I end up crawling through the thicket with stand and sticks on my back
Sign should be steadily increasing throughout the rest of the month, keep plugging away.
Many times I've been walking on deer trails through a thicket and all of a sudden the deer trail turns into a rabbit trail and I end up crawling through the thicket with stand and sticks on my back
- Dewey
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Re: Scouting Frustration
Sounds like a typical blind hunt to me but I just about always end up finding a spot to set up even if it's just an observation sit to narrow down a future hunt. If there is no decent tree available I just find a good spot to sit on the ground.
Do you already have these spots pre-scouted? This helps a ton especially to map out your entry/exit and will save a whole lot of frustration.
Do you already have these spots pre-scouted? This helps a ton especially to map out your entry/exit and will save a whole lot of frustration.
- Tim H
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Re: Scouting Frustration
I'm there with you. My suggestion is to slow down a bit. It's easy to get frustrated in a bunch of thick crap. Take a deep breath and slow down. Mind your surroundings.
As for deer sign I can relate. I have found very little sign to this point. I don't have much advice for that other than keep digging and pushing through. Whether you realize it or not, you are learning and growing as a hunter. Take something from every hunt and apply it for a future hunt. The suck is really part of it. Good luck and keep going!
As for deer sign I can relate. I have found very little sign to this point. I don't have much advice for that other than keep digging and pushing through. Whether you realize it or not, you are learning and growing as a hunter. Take something from every hunt and apply it for a future hunt. The suck is really part of it. Good luck and keep going!
- elk yinzer
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Re: Scouting Frustration
Going in totally blind I like to skirt the edges of the brutally thick crap. Theres no point in busting through it, you spook everything out anyway. Save the brush busting for post season scouting.
Scouting with stand on back in a new area is a uniquely different kind of scouting. Have to balance covering ground versus sounding like a drunk elephant.
Fresh sign doesn't need to be too crazy. You don't need to find rubs at all really. Think subtle...a big track here, a big turd there, a whiff of deer stink and you know you are in the wheelhouse.
Scouting with stand on back in a new area is a uniquely different kind of scouting. Have to balance covering ground versus sounding like a drunk elephant.
Fresh sign doesn't need to be too crazy. You don't need to find rubs at all really. Think subtle...a big track here, a big turd there, a whiff of deer stink and you know you are in the wheelhouse.
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Re: Scouting Frustration
Getting tangled in briars and vines with a stand on your back is a right of passage into Beast Hunting if you ask me.
As far as not finding good sign, that’s honestly pretty typical for blind hunts.
As far as not finding good sign, that’s honestly pretty typical for blind hunts.
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Re: Scouting Frustration
It happens to me at least once every season. Sort of the grass is greener on the other side effect. You set out with a vision or plan and when you get there you find out it’s not quite what you’re looking for. So you go check out what’s up over the next hill or around the next ridge only to find those areas are even worse. So now you are left to face the fact that you have your scent all over the place and you probably made too much noise. Any deer that were close by probably snuck out of there while you were roaming around in circles so to speak.
When this happens to me I take on a never say die attitude and remind myself to stay persistent and just keep at. Even though things aren’t working out that particular moment I know as long as I don’t throw in the towel there is nowhere to go but up.
Glad you posted this. Makes me feel better knowing I am not the only one who ends up in these situations from time to time.
When this happens to me I take on a never say die attitude and remind myself to stay persistent and just keep at. Even though things aren’t working out that particular moment I know as long as I don’t throw in the towel there is nowhere to go but up.
Glad you posted this. Makes me feel better knowing I am not the only one who ends up in these situations from time to time.
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- xpauliber
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Re: Scouting Frustration
I'm right with you and had a hunt similar to this just yesterday. Spent all day racking my brain on where to go since all of my go-to spots need red oaks to be producing and none of them are this year so I've been scrambling. Decided on a spot with apples. Raced out of work to it. Had a cam set on it. Checked cam, and nothing but a doe. Saplings all over and not a single rub. My confidence plummeted and I decided to walk back to the truck and hit another spot close by where I know one of my target bucks is hanging out. I get there, race down in, check another cam and nothing. It's too late to go anywhere else now so I keep heading down in the bottom. There's ZERO buck sign and so I just setup on a deer trail leading out of a laurel bed. I actually saw a forkhorn and 8 doe. Decided to put my cam on the trail they were using to try and see if my target buck was using it as well. I get home at 7:30 and at 8:00, my buddy texted me that my target buck was out in the field.
The lack of sign in my main areas has been tough but it's forcing me to check new areas and learn. I think the best you can do at this point is to make sure you check the wind and have a plan when you access new spots that you are scouting. It sucks this season but you're learning info for future seasons.
Good luck!
The lack of sign in my main areas has been tough but it's forcing me to check new areas and learn. I think the best you can do at this point is to make sure you check the wind and have a plan when you access new spots that you are scouting. It sucks this season but you're learning info for future seasons.
Good luck!
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Re: Scouting Frustration
Dewey wrote:Sounds like a typical blind hunt to me but I just about always end up finding a spot to set up even if it's just and observation sit to narrow down a future hunt. If there is no decent tree available I just find a good spot to sit on the ground.
Do you already have these spots pre-scouted? This helps a ton especially to map out your entry/exit and will save a whole lot of frustration.
No, this was a completely blind hunt. I wish I had set up somewhere, but the thought of sitting with legs soaked up to the thighs wasn't sounding like all that much fun. I almost set up 2 different times, but it's still a challenge for me to sit somewhere I have zero confidence in. Another obstacle I ran into was I had worked my way all the way around a finger of wet cattails and now I wasn't sure about how I should set up in regards to the wind since my original plan had been botched. Should've just set up, I know. Had I not been soaked I definitely would have.
- street28ss
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Re: Scouting Frustration
I have hunt scouted most of the season and I have not seen anything worth seriously hunting. I have been a little frustrated, but I have trained myself to enjoy the process. Try to enjoy the process of figuring out an area. Try to live in the moment of hunting and focus on ALL of the positives. Don't focus on the final product, even though that is what we search for.
Be proud of the tough miles you put in. Look at the amount of steps you took that day and be satisfied with the work you put in. Enjoy the process!
Be proud of the tough miles you put in. Look at the amount of steps you took that day and be satisfied with the work you put in. Enjoy the process!
- Kraftd
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Re: Scouting Frustration
I’d say half of my blind hunts end up with me contemplating whether just laying in the middle of the swamp and letting the coyotes get me is the best solution! All part of the game. Just about accumulating intel. Kind of fun to look back in some of the bad ones!
- backstraps
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Re: Scouting Frustration
I can relate and say it has to happen to all of us.
Total blind hunts is a toss of the dice...however I think once you start finding sign on blind hunts, use that intel, then cyber scouting for blind hunts gets easier
I do several death marches a season with a stand on back. One thing I began doing though, when I have decided im on a dead end and I dont have time to hit another area, I choose a spot and setup. Nothing else climb high and observe.
Ive found a shooter doing this. That particular day I wasnt in range, but did have aomething to go off of for a cyber scout that night and another sit the following day
Total blind hunts is a toss of the dice...however I think once you start finding sign on blind hunts, use that intel, then cyber scouting for blind hunts gets easier
I do several death marches a season with a stand on back. One thing I began doing though, when I have decided im on a dead end and I dont have time to hit another area, I choose a spot and setup. Nothing else climb high and observe.
Ive found a shooter doing this. That particular day I wasnt in range, but did have aomething to go off of for a cyber scout that night and another sit the following day
- Dewey
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Re: Scouting Frustration
If it makes you feel better some of my best spots were found during blind hunts. Some days you strike out and find nothing and the next day you hit a gold mine. Keep at it and don’t get discouraged. Won’t be long and buck sign will be popping up everywhere. Spots that didn’t look good before will suddenly overnight explode with new sign. Figuring out if that sign was made a night or during daylight is the key.
- justdirtyfun
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Re: Scouting Frustration
I'm sorry but it does happen to all of us. While in the moment it seems stupid and hopeless. Sweating and trapped by brush and thinking wtf.
SLOW DOWN enough for each individual branch to be a separate movement. Keep the wind advantage. Be aware of what knowledge you are looking for. I do mean knowledge and not deer. Soak in enough of the surroundings to be able to find the easiest way out next time or easiest way IN next time.
The outside world thinks what we do is crazy.
SLOW DOWN enough for each individual branch to be a separate movement. Keep the wind advantage. Be aware of what knowledge you are looking for. I do mean knowledge and not deer. Soak in enough of the surroundings to be able to find the easiest way out next time or easiest way IN next time.
The outside world thinks what we do is crazy.
You don't have to be the best, just do your best.
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Re: Scouting Frustration
Kraftd wrote:I’d say half of my blind hunts end up with me contemplating whether just laying in the middle of the swamp and letting the coyotes get me is the best solution! All part of the game. Just about accumulating intel. Kind of fun to look back in some of the bad ones!
This made me laugh out loud !
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