New Hunter Scouting

[chrislibby88]

We are glad you came around. There is a lot to learn right here and some mighty good teachers!

One advise I would pass on is don't get discouraged if you don't kill something right away. Don't get discouraged if you don't see much for a while. But stay in the woods all you can and try to figure out what you are looking at or hearing while you are out. Even if you don't kill anything. The kill is not the most important thing. It's the experience of it all.

Even once you are experienced you are gonna hit a new, unfamiliar habitat, and it’s gonna throw you for a loop, and you’re gonna go back to not seeing deer. Sometimes you are in a good spot, and they just aren’t moving, sometimes you are in a spot you think deer should be, and they just don’t use the area in daylight. Don’t get discouraged. There’s some WMAs that have taken me a few years hunting around small zones figuring out how and where to set up on them.

 

[LRS Scout]

Hey guys, awesome advice so far! I've been busy with a bunch of family in town but will be back scouting in full force next week. I did make another trip and find a bunch of older sign and my first scrape! See quote to Pig Predator below. I'm trying to attach some pics but am getting an error message.

Welcome to the forums. Berry has a good deer population. For this hunt, you basically get in early, be still, stay quiet and you'll see something. There are good places off scenic trail/lavender Mtn rd if you drive to the end on top of the mtn.

What are you hunting from? Ground, climber, blind?

I will listen to you and check out those areas. I have been scouting on the mountain mostly but still have a lot of ground to cover. I'm just worried about leaving my scent everywhere.

I WAS going to use a cheap camo net to try and hunt from the ground but have since decided to try out saddle hunting from a tree. Waiting on all my gear to get here now, I cried a little when I added up all the costs. If I don't get a deer this season I will cry more than a little haha.

Good deal. That is a rubbed tree/rub. A scrape is when a deer finds a lower licking branch and rakes the leaves out from underneath the branch and pees in it. Good luck on that buck. I would find a scape close to those rubs and wait him out. You went deep enough, now you just need to sit tight,quiet and still.

I found his scrape! There is a little white thing hanging above it so I'm guessing another hunter is already watching this area??

Plan on an all day hunt on WMAs. When the other hunters start leaving, they may run one by you.

This makes me hopeful. I am planning my hunt using both this and the wind.

 

[Pig Predator]

Hey guys, awesome advice so far! I've been busy with a bunch of family in town but will be back scouting in full force next week. I did make another trip and find a bunch of older sign and my first scrape! See quote to Pig Predator below. I'm trying to attach some pics but am getting an error message.




I will listen to you and check out those areas. I have been scouting on the mountain mostly but still have a lot of ground to cover. I'm just worried about leaving my scent everywhere.

I WAS going to use a cheap camo net to try and hunt from the ground but have since decided to try out saddle hunting from a tree. Waiting on all my gear to get here now, I cried a little when I added up all the costs. If I don't get a deer this season I will cry more than a little haha.



I found his scrape! There is a little white thing hanging above it so I'm guessing another hunter is already watching this area??

View attachment 1123717




This makes me hopeful. I am planning my hunt using both this and the wind.

Yes, someone's hunting there or was hunting there. You may have found a hunters mock scrape.

 

[Offroadtek]

Hey guys, awesome advice so far! I've been busy with a bunch of family in town but will be back scouting in full force next week. I did make another trip and find a bunch of older sign and my first scrape! See quote to Pig Predator below. I'm trying to attach some pics but am getting an error message.

Waiting on all my gear to get here now, I cried a little when I added up all the costs. If I don't get a deer this season I will cry more than a little haha.

I found his scrape! There is a little white thing hanging above it so I'm guessing another hunter is already watching this area??

That is a scent stick. Some hunters put it out with scent on it when they are hunting, and leave it afterward, because public land. You will find all kinds of flagging/reflectors and weird stuff if you look closely. It doesn't necessarily mean anyone else is hunting there. For this hunt I feel pretty sure no one else is watching that spot.

Here is one of my "What in the world" finds from Berry this year. It's literally in the middle of the woods. No markings going to or from it. Nothing special about the area. But if you find this tree your near a very good spot to sit.



Getting some elevation is nice, even if it's only 10-15 feet it'll increase your visibility a lot.

Hunting can be costly if you try to go in all at once. But as long as you don't get reeled into the latest and greatest gimmick it gets cheap fast. For the past few years now it hasn't cost me anything except bullets and hand warmers.

 

[LRS Scout]

Another welcome for you!!!

Boots on the ground, slow, easy, and paying attention. Sights, sounds, smells, and sign.

The woods are a wonderful place, and to learn it you have to live it. Being "out there" is the best teacher. Even after a lifetime outdoors in nature there is always something new to learn and nobody knows it all. That's why you see so many lifelong disciples of the woods.

There has been sound advice given, and I am sure there will be more.

The most important point I will make for you is to fully enjoy your time outside. If you can truly put killing something several lines down the list, and focus on the entire experience, you will probably happen up on success!

Good luck, we'll be here, keep us informed...

I am enjoying just being out there right now! I am finding it to be a form of meditation that is therapeutic. Not even backpacking comes close to how I feel just scouting.

One more thing I just remembered...Last year, my son wanted to do something "different" than the flatland swamps we hang out in.

He threw a dart at the map, and wound up on one of the Berry College hunts. Sight unseen, except for map scouting and being a pretty good woodsman, he got after it and killed a gnarly old 9 point. He had a great time there!

Wow this is making me scout even harder! I'll be happy with anything. I'm shooting the first deer/bear/pig I see! I'm scouting for several more days still so hopefully it pays off.

Don’t overlook the grown up clear cuts this time of the year !

If the trees in the clear cut are thick and about 4-7' tall considered grown up?

I know the regulations can be difficult for new hunters so I figured I would mention this. That January hunt on Berry is a specialty hunt, it's not open to everyone. Here are the criteria:

"A Specialty Hunt is only for Youth (16 years and younger), Ladies, Disability
License holders, Returning Georgia Veterans, Honorary License holders, and
hunters over the age of 65."

I meet the requirements. Good looking out!

Some advice I have.

-Keep it simple. You don’t need to spend tons of money on the best camo or the latest scent gimmick.
-keep clothes as scent free as possible. If you sweat in them, at some point wash them in no scent detergent.
-try to hunt downwind, ideally you want the wind blowing in your face. You can’t fool a deers nose, but this helps.
-get Huntstand or Onx app. I prefer Huntstand.
-Don’t get discouraged. Sounds like your after a buck. Your best time to see them by far is during the rut. Outside of the rut I rarely see them. I hunt in a high pressured area. This late in the year find a food plot or food source and cross your fingers!

I have Onx but have been hearing good things about Huntstand. I found a food plot just by following sign only to realize that the WMA map shows the food plot already haha. At least I found it on my own the hard way. Thanks for the tips.

Plan on an all day hunt on WMAs. When the other hunters start leaving, they may run one by you.

This is solid advice! I will make sure to do this.

 

[LRS Scout]

Here are some more pics. I'm assuming that's bear scat in the 2nd one. Are all of the other tree pics old rubs?

 

[LRS Scout]

Hey guys. Been busy scouting and found some spots that were definitely good earlier in the season but finally found something that looks fresh. Actually one other spot had hot sign but there was a tree with an obvious shooting lane that had a fresh looking ribbon on it. This was in the farthest corner on the WMA.

Anyways, see pics below, does this look like a tree that would be good to sit on? I think the deer are here because I found a couple piles of fresh droppings and you can tell the acorns are being eaten. Also, just up the hill about 100 yards I found my first bed that had deer hair in it. I think this is a chestnut oak.

Also, how recent do you think that last photo or a track is?

 

[antharper]

Not sure what the red thing is and the 4th picture looks like a great spot. Deer droppings in 5th picture is fresh , the track looks old . Not really sure about scat in last picture . Not deer though . I think you are well on your way , good luck ! Next year get out a little earlier , late season can be pretty tough , especially public land

 

[TonyP62]

Are you scouting in Union County? I know where that silo is I think.

 

[Offroadtek]

Looks like a good spot. With the storms we had last week that track is pretty fresh. Looks like the temps and the moon are going to be good for this wknd. You should see something.

There is sometimes bears that travel through there, but I'd bet that is yote scat rather than bear.

 

[Offroadtek]

I’d say there out. This was on main campus this morning. https://youtube.com/shorts/lVMc84458p4?feature=share

 

[antharper]

I’d say there out. This was on main campus this morning. https://youtube.com/shorts/lVMc84458p4?feature=share

Did you make video ? If so it sounded like you were bolting a bullet in the chamber for a second ?

 

[Offroadtek]

Did you make video ? If so it sounded like you were bolting a bullet in the chamber for a second ?

I didn’t make that video. A friend of mine that lives there sent it to me this morning.

 

[LRS Scout]

I had a buck in my sights!! Too much adrenaline was making my brain malfunction and I didn’t take a shot! I was still hunting in the rain and barely saw him through the fog with my binos. I put my scope on him and freaked out realizing I was as looking at an actual deer. I started fumbling getting into prone and clicked off my safety which made him stare at me. There was some grass in the way potentially so I kept trying to get a clearer shot and he finally walked out of view. As I was sneaking up he walked right in front of me at 50 yards and I screwed it up by trying to get a kneeling shot. He immediately ran once I kneeled. If I had taken the standing shot I would have easily got him. I had him dead to eights but was too amped up and concerned for getting a bad shot on him.

I have never been so disappointed yet ecstatic at the same time. I want to say thanks to everyone here. You all were a tremendous resource that helped me get this opportunity in such a short time. I wish I could go back but the hunt is over!

 

[antharper]

Awesome hunt , hopefully it will have you jacked up and ready for opening day !

 

[elfiii]

I had a buck in my sights!! Too much adrenaline was making my brain malfunction and I didn’t take a shot! I was still hunting in the rain and barely saw him through the fog with my binos. I put my scope on him and freaked out realizing I was as looking at an actual deer. I started fumbling getting into prone and clicked off my safety which made him stare at me. There was some grass in the way potentially so I kept trying to get a clearer shot and he finally walked out of view. As I was sneaking up he walked right in front of me at 50 yards and I screwed it up by trying to get a kneeling shot. He immediately ran once I kneeled. If I had taken the standing shot I would have easily got him. I had him dead to eights but was too amped up and concerned for getting a bad shot on him.

I have never been so disappointed yet ecstatic at the same time. I want to say thanks to everyone here. You all were a tremendous resource that helped me get this opportunity in such a short time. I wish I could go back but the hunt is over!

Yeah, you're addicted now. There is no recovery that I know of.

Next time be still and take the shot that's offered to you if you know you can make it. If not, keep sitting still until you get the shot you know you can make.

 

[GAoutdoor]

I wish I could go back but the hunt is over!

Since you are open to going places short notice - Alabama is open through Feb 10. The rut is just starting in the southern portion of the state, and there is a lot of open public land

 

[bfriendly]

Way to go scout! Man that’s what it’s all about. You’ll get one, you are on the right track! I have extended archery here in Cherokee and plan to start all over(kinda) and find some fresh ground. The fresh poop may be the best sign you found. It’s what I’m looking for and won’t sit til I find some. Congrats on an exciting day!

 

[common man]

great job scout know we were pulling for ya, that's success in my book