Deerkins wrote:Being very efficient at scouting is key to hunting an area like that. I hunt very similar terrain and have learned that you’re much better off traveling light and committing to days of scouting, before settling on a place to hunt. Except that the vast majority of areas that look good on maps, for one reason or another, will not pan out and it will require miles of boot travel to find the good spots.
Rarely do I even bring a bow, or wear hunting clothes. I just want to cover miles quickly, looking for obvious sign, while not completely physically/psychologically beating myself up. Try to plan your scouting routes where you don’t have to back track to your vehicle, as you’ll be wasting time and energy on areas you’ve already traveled through..
I’d probably start with checking along the waterways, as it’s the easiest path to scout, that will show the most sign, like crossings, big tracks. From there, hopefully I could determine which areas the deer are frequenting, then get a clearer picture of what’s going on from there.
Great idea, depending on when I get home and can get up there that could be a good tactic. This area has strange days that you can hunt, I think thursday-monday. Also, most of the creek should be accessible by kayak which can make scouting and access alot easier. I would like to be checking these ridges and laurel thickets though. What kind of stuff in this terrain do you look for besides crossings? I am newer to beast style hunting in the mountains.