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Saddle Sit Scouts

oldsouth

oldsouth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
301
Location
Apex, NC
Anyone SSS? Let me rephrase, does anyone do any off season scouting using there saddle with some observation sits (Saddle Sit Scouting). This Feb. I'm planing on hitting some local public land to boots on the ground scout that I've Caltopo scouted. I also plan to bring in the saddle to hang and observe. Does anyone this? Is it a waist of time for February? If anything it might be practice for the season, packing most of my gear in. I am still a newbie to saddle hunting, only had my Trophyline since Christmas.
 
I dont think it is a waste of time as you will be practicing for the real event. The patterns deer are in in Febuary will not help you a ton for hunting in November,but any info is better than none.
 
Those are my thoughts, Feb deer aren't doing what Nov deer are doing. Guess I'm just scouting what I found on Caltopo but want to practice my saddle set up while I'm out there. I'll be in there Feb looking for the Nov sign, so hanging and setting up for shots in that area should help. IMO
 
That sounds like a good idea, it’s more realistic approach to hunting. Except when I’m scouting I usually like to cover a lot of area so if I’m setting up, it could be a time killer. Just depends on what area you want to cover and if you find solid areas right off the bat.


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I’m a newbie too but have the same thoughts. I don’t even have a saddle yet, it’s on back order until mid/late February.

I’m planning on getting some observation sits in before everything greens up though. If I’m on a ridge top I should be able to glass down both sides plus the open bottom and the next ridge.

Late season hunting in January is my favorite hunting next to the rut so I think there’s still valuable information to gain. Plus, as I believe you mentioned, as newbies we will definitely benefit from the practice.


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But scouting after the season will tell you what they are doing when they get pressured which could help lead you to the big boy in the late season if you still have unfinished business!!! And anytime in the saddle helps!!
 
Brickz said:
That sounds like a good idea, it’s more realistic approach to hunting. Except when I’m scouting I usually like to cover a lot of area so if I’m setting up, it could be a time killer. Just depends on what area you want to cover and if you find solid areas right off the bat.


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That's a great point and didn't even consider that and I should have. I should first do my hardcore scouting, find the sign I want to hunt over. Second trip out I'll carry my gear and practice my set up. Thanks for clearing the momentary mental block.
 
Ive done that a few times but IMO the most beneficial part of doing that is practicing the shot when the deer is close. I used to get busted all the time because I would move to late, or position my knee on the tree at the wrong time, or not move my bridge early enough and they would see or hear me. I set up a couple times in western NC in May for a morning and a evening sit when the deer came by I rehearsed how to move around the tree and take the shot. I still got busted this year by what would have been my biggest FL buck but it did really help and gave me confidence. I also learned that in certain positions its not possible to draw a bow because it might hit your saddle bridge so that is something to practice when you shoot not so much on a scouting/sit trip. What I do like to do is sit for a morning in an area that I found on the map, then get down around 9 scout for most the day and then do an evening sit, this is assuming "headquarters" is cool with me staying in the woods all day when its not hunting season, I try not to burn that bridge too often.
 
I think it’s a very interesting idea. I did a lot of spring and summer scouting last year and was on deer all October and November. Then in December I lost them all. Spent half of December just relocating the deer. I’m thinking some February scouting would go along way for next years late season. I also like to hang a lot of cameras too. But nothing beats an observation sit for gathering data cuz cameras can miss a lot of they are not in the exact right location.
 
I think it would be good for practice. Now as to whether or not that intel in Feb will be good come early season the next year that is hard to tell. It could be or it could not be. Only good thing is if you do see a good buck now then he stands a pretty good chance of being around next year.
 
So the concesus is Feb scouting will not put me on the deer in Nov? I know that deer seen and scouted in summer are not always around in late Oct and Nov. That's why it's important to get in the woods that first week of season to catch them still in summer pattern. But I always figured Jan and Feb deer sign would mostly resemble where they are in Nov. I've hunted in a club for 20+ years with fixed permanent locations. This year I'm diving into public game lands in my area this up coming season. So I guess what I'm asking now is how much value should I put on the good sign I find in Feb? And just to put this out there Feb is not the only time I'll scout my intended area. I'll definitely go back out in summer to get that early season pattern.
 
Nothing wrong with practicing. If I had one day to scout this week I wouldn’t spend it sitting in my saddle for three hours. I would spend it boots on the ground. Maybe carry a saddle and climbing method in with me. If I find a spot of interest based on rut sign and want to climb a tree to see how it looks from above give it a go. Take notes and know that there may be a lot more leaves on the trees in November. Maybe even open up some shooting lanes.
 
bryancampbell423 said:
So the concesus is Feb scouting will not put me on the deer in Nov? I know that deer seen and scouted in summer are not always around in late Oct and Nov. That's why it's important to get in the woods that first week of season to catch them still in summer pattern. But I always figured Jan and Feb deer sign would mostly resemble where they are in Nov. I've hunted in a club for 20+ years with fixed permanent locations. This year I'm diving into public game lands in my area this up coming season. So I guess what I'm asking now is how much value should I put on the good sign I find in Feb? And just to put this out there Feb is not the only time I'll scout my intended area. I'll definitely go back out in summer to get that early season pattern.
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Like I posted before it may or may not be where they are in the summer. Any intel is good in my opinion. Personally at this time of the year in new ground if I am not hunting, I would prefer to spend time walking around trying to find out what potential food sources there are, where they are bedding, etc. To me this time of the year that would give me better intel vs an observation sit. If you are wanting to practice with the saddle though you could still do both. Do some walking with saddle on your back and then towards evening do an observation sit in your saddle.
 
Thanks for the advice. Very helpful and I'll be using these tactics this winter and summer.
 
Hope no one bashes me for continuing this thread or maybe repeating myself. I would like to reiterate that I'm new to saddle game. The reason I am getting into saddle hunting is to become a mobile hunter on public game lands. I'm trying to soak up all the information I possible can on saddle hunting and the Hunting Beast style of hunting. I feel like a sponge at max capacity. After doing some research on the hunting beast forum I think I stumbled onto better tactics for myself. Scout for buck beds in the spring and do some observation in the summer on those beds to confirm occupancy. If I'm buying into the hunting beast tactics correctly, the beds I find in spring will put me on a mature buck(s) in early season through the rut. The sign and in-tell I get in the winter will put me on bucks in the late season. Any thoughts?
 
bryancampbell423 said:
So the concesus is Feb scouting will not put me on the deer in Nov? I know that deer seen and scouted in summer are not always around in late Oct and Nov. That's why it's important to get in the woods that first week of season to catch them still in summer pattern. But I always figured Jan and Feb deer sign would mostly resemble where they are in Nov. I've hunted in a club for 20+ years with fixed permanent locations. This year I'm diving into public game lands in my area this up coming season. So I guess what I'm asking now is how much value should I put on the good sign I find in Feb? And just to put this out there Feb is not the only time I'll scout my intended area. I'll definitely go back out in summer to get that early season pattern.
Click to expand...

I will go against the grain. I learn valuable information scouting after season.


See you in a tree, Ricky
 
I have been doing quite a bit of scouting the last couple of weeks here in NY and i think the info i gathered will be very helpful next season. I found travel corridors,bedding areas and food sources and a bunch of rubs and some scrapes. I am very excites about the area i scouted yesterday.
I could have done without the 50 or so ticks my dog and I brought htome though. That was nuts,i never saw that many after one excursion. I guess it was warm enough and they were hungry.
So i say scout away,but dont just sit in the tree,put some boots on the ground as well.
 
I scout after season. Find areas I want to hunt. I have been know to go in to a spot climb a tree and sit for a bit. Prep the tree if there’s any limbs that need cut and I also cut shooting lane if needed. I think the earlier the better. I don’t like cutting lanes or limbs during season.


See you in a tree, Ricky
 
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