2021 scouting reports

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stash59
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2021 scouting reports

Unread postby stash59 » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:11 am

Time to get this thread for the new year going!


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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby Swedishbowhunter » Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:17 am

I logged in some major time this week internet scouting. I discovered a couple properties I have been almost driving right by that might just be hidden gems.
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Mon Jan 11, 2021 12:55 pm

Yesterday I scouted even though season is still going. Getting blanked will not hurt my feelings. Much.

So, on this less pressured part of public hill country. I knew the general area had 3 points drop into a drainage with bedding expected for southern winds.
And they have a small military crest/erosion drop.
Point one was a bust, point two had a bed with minor rubs.
Point three had the good good. The deer have a favorite. It is a very secure spot visually and probably for hearing danger as well. Lots of beds and poop.
Some rut sign but not sure of BIG buck activity.
The ground still had acorns they were feeding on so it can be hunted any part of the season I think.
Before dark I located 2 trees that could have good action. One is at the head of draw so dropping thermals can keep my scent just off. And the other would be plan B.
Found a good patch 2 days ago along a road.
Optimistic for next year and finding "buddy sets" for family and friends who don't go deep.
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby UncleBuck3268 » Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:46 am

In one of Dan’s recent videos he had pointed out some buck bedding out in the middle of some cattails and pointed out on the map areas which looked like many trails coming together. I started to focus in on this and found a spot in a local Marsh which looked very similar to what Dan had pointed out.

I marked it on the map and headed straight out for it. As I was entering I had a bit of a vantage point off of a dyke and could see some brush sticking out higher than the cattails, but was not dead giveaway sign. I thought, this must be what I see on the map. I got on to some pretty heavy deer trails and worked my way out to this spot. As I got closer trails started to really widen up. Sign looked good. As soon as I entered into this spot I noticed I was on a bit higher ground, which of course holds this brush so all makes sense. I stumbled into a bucks lair. There must have been 6 beds in this area, brush all rubbed in each one of the beds.

There are no trees to sit this, so it looks like I must purchase a machete and cut myself a shooting lane out in the cattails. Have never tried this before but I am excited to give it a shot for next year!
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby szwampdonkey » Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:07 am

There are no more hidden gems.

If you find it with Onx or something i’m finding so have 5 other guys, especially this year. All you can do is out hunt people at this point because if it’s public people are on it, even swamps now.
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby szwampdonkey » Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:10 am

UncleBuck3268 wrote:In one of Dan’s recent videos he had pointed out some buck bedding out in the middle of some cattails and pointed out on the map areas which looked like many trails coming together. I started to focus in on this and found a spot in a local Marsh which looked very similar to what Dan had pointed out.

I marked it on the map and headed straight out for it. As I was entering I had a bit of a vantage point off of a dyke and could see some brush sticking out higher than the cattails, but was not dead giveaway sign. I thought, this must be what I see on the map. I got on to some pretty heavy deer trails and worked my way out to this spot. As I got closer trails started to really widen up. Sign looked good. As soon as I entered into this spot I noticed I was on a bit higher ground, which of course holds this brush so all makes sense. I stumbled into a bucks lair. There must have been 6 beds in this area, brush all rubbed in each one of the beds.

There are no trees to sit this, so it looks like I must purchase a machete and cut myself a shooting lane out in the cattails.Have never tried this before but I am excited to give it a shot for next year!


I’ve done this and it works, sort of. I think you’ll see deer as i did but it’s very hard to draw on them and get a clear shot imo. Go in on windy days.

Good luck!
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby hunting_dad » Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:56 am

Got out for about an hour or so today on some public. Found some great beds but not so easy to get close to. One of the beds looked like he spent some time there, must have been 20 piles of poop all piled up. Good sized clumps too! My wife thinks I’m weird because I get so excited over poop... She just doesn’t understand :lol: :dance:
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby WV Bowhunter » Tue Jan 12, 2021 8:03 am

I went for a couple scouting trips this weekend. Actually jumped a pretty nice buck out of this bed. I spent quite a bit of time looking the area over and think I have a plan figured out for this fall for this buck.
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby brkissl82 » Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:52 am

szwampdonkey wrote:There are no more hidden gems.

If you find it with Onx or something i’m finding so have 5 other guys, especially this year. All you can do is out hunt people at this point because if it’s public people are on it, even swamps now.



This is absolutely true. Onyx and other are great tools but i almost wish they didnt exist
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby Jonny » Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:03 pm

Had to drive to my western sites today and took some backroads home. Same route I’ll be taking once the house is done and I can leave the concrete jungle.

Checked 3 new properties. 2 busts and one that is worth a couple sits and further scouting. Nice to have some options right on the drive home from work. Didn’t get too much time to dive into the better stuff but enough to know I need to come back.

Also saw about 2 dozen deer on the properties bordering the public.
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby Lockdown » Tue Jan 12, 2021 3:37 pm

Made it out to one of my new spots this weekend. Man it looks good back there. Especially when you get eyes on a shooter 8-) looked to me like a 3 yr old but was hard to tell. Will be a no brainer shooter this fall, no doubt.

There’s not a lot of deer back there, and bedding is really spread out. But the fact that the buck sign is more concentrated than what I normally see, and the fact that there’s deer in it right now... it’s seeming like a property that deserves to be hunted every year.

I prepped two trees and picked out two ground blinds. Still several other sets that need work, so will have to go back yet again.

It’s fun to be EXCITED to hunt a property...
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby szwampdonkey » Wed Jan 13, 2021 5:32 am

brkissl82 wrote:
szwampdonkey wrote:There are no more hidden gems.

If you find it with Onx or something i’m finding so have 5 other guys, especially this year. All you can do is out hunt people at this point because if it’s public people are on it, even swamps now.



This is absolutely true. Onyx and other are great tools but i almost wish they didnt exist


These tools have most definitely changed the game. What took guys years of experience to figure out is now at the fingertips of anyone with a smart phone.

The game has now changed to out hunt everyone else instead of just outsmarting everyone else on public. I have a love hate relationship with these apps for sure!
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby hunting_dad » Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:16 am

Got out yesterday again to check out another marsh/woods area, mostly to confirm what my thoughts were for that spot. Found some great sign and beds and also my first Mylar balloon! Spot doesn’t really have much for trees but it’s really thick and has some good ground hunting potential. Beautiful weather right now to be out
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Jan 15, 2021 6:48 am

Well I spent 4 hours yesterday and another 5 hours today beating the bushes on a new spot. Well it’s not actually new, I looked at several years ago and after 5 minutes decided to go find a softer target. This place is a nightmare for me and makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

It’s just miles of non stop rolling hills that looks like just one giant thicket. Drainages are coming off all these hills and running in every direction. Hardly any kind diversity or edge other than all the stinking drainages. I don’t have a clue what the food source is and the entire property looks like a bedding area to me. Most the buck sign I have found is down low and snakes between all the rolling hills. Wind also looks like it’s gonna be a challenge at least to get anything steady.

One good thing is there isn’t much hunter sign, suspect it’s due to not being able to see 10 yards. Believe I found a promising spot today, but it’s right in the heart of the property and I don’t think I could ever get in there with sounding like a herd of elephants. I followed trails all morning and I just can’t relate them to anything to give myself the upper hand. Starting to get a bit frustrated with it.

There is one side of it I haven’t checked out yet that backs up to the lake. Going back tomorrow and hoping I can find some easier Pickens back there. Give me some ag fields and drainage systems any day. This stuff here is for the birds! :lol:
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Re: 2021 scouting reports

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:05 am

Returned back this morning for my 3rd consecutive day of scouting this jungle. This is by far the hardest sucker to unravel that I have ever experienced. A few times I thought I was getting close and several trails were merging together but then I would pop out at the base of a ladder stand and evidence of baiting.

Another thing that has me a bit confused is I’ve been out there the past 3 days and pretty much have walked every inch of it. I have not seen nor kicked up a single deer. Something seems odd about that. I see plenty of deer sign around so I don’t believe it’s a ghost town.

Next week I plan on putting out a few cams to see if I can get any clues as to how deer are using the property.

Oh I did find this boar skull today.

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