When to stop scouting

[atltrafficisterrible]

When I lived in Gwinnett County I hunted almost exclusively public land for many years. When scouting, what I looked for were places that other hunters would not be. What I have observed is most public land hunters do not stray far from roads, trails, creeks, etc. They also mark where they are going to be with flagging or reflective tacks. Find areas where other hunters won't go because it is thick, swampy, or hard to get too. That is where deer will be or go to when the shooting starts.
Also, hunt all day on public land. Most hunters leave for camp or their truck at 10 am and come back at 4 pm. All that movement will bump deer to isolated areas where you should be. Also, hunt until legal shooting time is over and learn to be able to walk out in the dark. I can't tell you how many deer I have killed at last legal shooting time. Most public land hunters walk out while it is still light so they don't get lost.

That's good info thanks. I only saw 1 flag on the edge of a clear cut in the past 4 times I have gone. Im assuming i will see more the closer it gets to rifle season. I will stay late as well thanks for that info. I got a headlamp and an inreach so I can find my way out.

My only annoyance is the millions of orb weavers I have to battle. If you guys see someone in the woods waving a stick in front of them that's me lol.

How far are you going past main roads and blocked roads? I went past blocked roads by about 250yds in. Most of what I can see from google and onx is at any point you are maximum 350yds from some road or trail. For reference I'm talking about Lake Russel WMA.

I’d much rather walk out of the woods on public land after dark with a light than before dark without one .

Yes, i agree. I'm hoping I don't have the same experience I had on my first WMA. Someone let off 6 shots about 100 yards from me. I stayed in my stand for a while after that.

 

[gma1320]

I may be a bit different than most people. I do all of my scouting right after deer season has ended through turkey season. After season has ended rut sign is still fairly fresh and in some places I hunt still fresh. Throughout turkey season I am looking for places I think might be good food sources for bow season. Particularly things that stand out late turkey season.

 

[bfriendly]

That's good info thanks. I only saw 1 flag on the edge of a clear cut in the past 4 times I have gone. Im assuming i will see more the closer it gets to rifle season. I will stay late as well thanks for that info. I got a headlamp and an inreach so I can find my way out.

My only annoyance is the millions of orb weavers I have to battle. If you guys see someone in the woods waving a stick in front of them that's me lol.

How far are you going past main roads and blocked roads? I went past blocked roads by about 250yds in. Most of what I can see from google and onx is at any point you are maximum 350yds from some road or trail. For reference I'm talking about Lake Russel WMA.



Yes, i agree. I'm hoping I don't have the same experience I had on my first WMA. Someone let off 6 shots about 100 yards from me. I stayed in my stand for a while after that.

This time of year, the first thing I do when I get in the woods is find a stick…….and wave it around just like you ! Them Joro spiders just give me the weebie jeebies!

 

[35 Whelen]

How far are you going past main roads and blocked roads? I went past blocked roads by about 250yds in. Most of what I can see from google and onx is at any point you are maximum 350yds from some road or trail. For reference I'm talking about Lake Russel WMA.

Where I did most of my public land hunting, according to the GPS, I was 1.6 miles from the truck. A leafy branch works better than a stick for those spider webs.

 

[atltrafficisterrible]

How far are you going past main roads and blocked roads? I went past blocked roads by about 250yds in. Most of what I can see from google and onx is at any point you are maximum 350yds from some road or trail. For reference I'm talking about Lake Russel WMA.

Where I did most of my public land hunting, according to the GPS, I was 1.6 miles from the truck. A leafy branch works better than a stick for those spider webs.

I went back to look at onx and i see a few spots just about 1 mile between roads i missed. I will check those out next time as well as finding a leafy stick for those spiders

 

[Full Draw McGraw]

I kept walking into those really nasty, sticky webs on Saturday. The kind you can't get off once it's on you. I hate those

 

[ssramage]

I never stop scouting. It's a continuous process.

And I wouldn't worry about messing up squirrel hunters.

 

[Waddams]

I like offseason scouting but also try to look at the sign and figure out why the deer were there. I try to figure out time day, time of year, reason they were there, was it more likely to be night/day time movement, etc. I've found lots of scrapes only get worked at night every few days for example when spying on them with cameras. and the bucks tend to cruise downwind 50-60 yards away to scent check and only go work them when the scent check tells them too. lots of times, they'll have a pattern and certain scrapes will be night activity.

it's fun to try to figure out the details like that, helps track back to bedding spots and narrow down where is a good place to sit and where isn't, as well as when to sit it.

 

[dang]

No reason to ever stop scouting

 

[basshappy]

Given that deer are products of their environment I am scouting as I am hunting. In essence anytime during firearms season I am in the woods I am scouting. Creatures of habit, but habits can change, so I may use what I have already learned as my baseline, but open to change if indicators warrant.

 

[elfiii]

Acorns. When they start dropping, everything changes. Scouting now isn't telling you much, unless you're looking for oak ridges that will be on fire for the next couple months.

This. ^ A good stand of white oaks will be magic late October, early November.

 

[Waddams]

Yeah, finding the seasonal food sources and bedding nearby is what fills the freezer. And being able to shift from one food source to the next as the deer do. Even during rut, the bucks chase the does, the does still stick around food sources.