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Did you scout enough this pre-season?

philsanchez76 said:
2 years ago I scouted 22 days (some half days and some full days) across 2 different pieces of public land. Man I felt ready for that season! This last off season I only scouted 8 days on the same 2 pieces and 4 of those were me actually turkey hunting, so slightly distracted. I felt equally as ready... until I actually started hunting.
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This is interesting...how did that season go with 22 days of scouting? Did it pay off?
 
cville_bowhunter said:
This is interesting...how did that season go with 22 days of scouting? Did it pay off?
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Yes it did. My encounters went through the roof that year! I went from having some kind of close encounter with a deer about 40-50% of my sits to having a close encounter 92% of my sits that year. Did I capitalize on all those opportunities?! That's a story that's over in the "shame" thread sad to say. I got shot opportunities at 2 of the largest bucks I have ever encountered on the hoof. And I was able to kill 7 deer for the freezer. So scouting does give you more opportunities, but then practicing with your weapon is equally as important. :frowning:
 
Sadly I'm in the boat of the rest who for one reason or another couldn't spare a day out for scouting. Job, kids, trips to see grandparents...all the usual. The saving grace is that a couple of cameras I set in last season are still going strong (!!) and starting to pick up buck movement. A big boy rolled past this morning.
 
I went out yesterday and scouted for fresh feeding sign and found 5 spots I have confidence in. I also saw a good buck in a new area that I did not know about before yesterday. I would say that was just the right amount of scouting for me.
 
Looks like I'm in the same boat as several of you. Between the three kids 5 and below, and moving this summer it just flat out hasn't happened. I did get out for a few hours last Saturday to take the 10/22 for a squirrel walk and scout on a new piece of public close to the new house. Luckily, this small parcel seems to have little human sign and a bunch of white and red oak acorns dropping like crazy with some thick transitions of old clear cuts leading to the big open hardwood. Found some feeding sign under a couple of the big oaks, so plans are under way to be there as soon as I can manage a first sit.
 
I scout a ton in the spring
Find a couple good new spots each year
There’s always places I never end up going too that I wanted to Prescout in the spring. Can’t get to them all
Still a lot of work to put into it
On public land you really have to be flexible with your spots. Other hunters can come in so I bounce around a ton
My main hunting spot is 1 hour drive
Then most spots are a 30 minute walk in from where I park. 8-10 times of that during bow season and I’m a bit fried.
some years I’m more eager than others
Either way I just try to enjoy it
 
I fully intended on getting some post season done after last season and then plenty more off season and did non of that. Actually really kinda mad at myself now. Just moved from low flatish crop fields and hardwoods and rivers in southern md, and now live in West Virginia and hills and mountains and rocks and lots of hardwoods, completely different environment than I’ve ever been exposed to!!! I hunt pretty much solely public lands and I feel like deer don’t exist and I’m the worst hunter ever pretty much every time I go out now! Lol
Scouting is super helpful! And now I’m doing it every time I get done with a sit, just scout a little bit before heading back to the truck. I WILL get out there post season for some scouting trips for sure this year!
 
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