Need to work on my scouting

[caddis75]

Hey all,

I watched the hunting public -ONX scouting series, so I know some things, but otherwise, I am a new hunter. I hunted and scouted the area marked with an x. Tomorrow I wanted to do some scouting and maybe some hunting. Is there an area on the topo map that looks appealing? What time should scout? What should I be looking for, besides actual deer? Thank you. It's the yellow area labeled PA state game land 52.

https://imgur.com/a/jCa0nvL

 

[Jagger0502]

Welcome to hunting. So, it’s the rut right now and I hate to say it but bucks will travel and you will find them where you find them. Better yet, you will find them where you find the doe. I would recommend less walking and more sitting right now even if you don’t know the area and save the scouting for after the rut. But here are some tips to find them.

first, if you are walking around drag a scent line in with you. Go slow if you are scouting and look back often and you might get lucky if a buck hits your trail.

deer like any other animal will run ridges to cover distances. Find thick areas that are possible bedding areas and areas they might feed like oak groves or farm fields. Post up on ridges between them and use a grunt call every once in a while.

while you walk around look for trails but more importantly scraps on the ground and rubs on trees. They will paint a good picture of trails being used by bucks. I feel scrapes are primary areas because they are likely to return to refresh them and with the wind Blowing leaves around if you find an open scrape you are in the right area. Put some scent on it and post up.

watch your wind, you can’t beat a deers nose. If you set up on a trail make sure your scent is going away from it. While you walk try to walk into the wind or cross wind if you are sneaking over ridges. If you walk around try to walk like a deer. Take a few steps slowly and look around. It will be slow but when you bust the deer you will tell yourself if only I had gone slower and looked around I might have noticed them.

if you have binos take them. Walk over ridges slowly and bino the other hillsides and try to catch them before they see you. If you do you might get lucky and can get out ahead of them but the is a tricky game, fun... but tough.

good luck!

 

[caddis75]

Welcome to hunting. So, it’s the rut right now and I hate to say it but bucks will travel and you will find them where you find them. Better yet, you will find them where you find the doe. I would recommend less walking and more sitting right now even if you don’t know the area and save the scouting for after the rut. But here are some tips to find them.

first, if you are walking around drag a scent line in with you. Go slow if you are scouting and look back often and you might get lucky if a buck hits your trail.

deer like any other animal will run ridges to cover distances. Find thick areas that are possible bedding areas and areas they might feed like oak groves or farm fields. Post up on ridges between them and use a grunt call every once in a while.

while you walk around look for trails but more importantly scraps on the ground and rubs on trees. They will paint a good picture of trails being used by bucks. I feel scrapes are primary areas because they are likely to return to refresh them and with the wind Blowing leaves around if you find an open scrape you are in the right area. Put some scent on it and post up.

watch your wind, you can’t beat a deers nose. If you set up on a trail make sure your scent is going away from it. While you walk try to walk into the wind or cross wind if you are sneaking over ridges. If you walk around try to walk like a deer. Take a few steps slowly and look around. It will be slow but when you bust the deer you will tell yourself if only I had gone slower and looked around I might have noticed them.

if you have binos take them. Walk over ridges slowly and bino the other hillsides and try to catch them before they see you. If you do you might get lucky and can get out ahead of them but the is a tricky game, fun... but tough.

good luck!

Thanks! No luck today, but I have a few more days till the fall season closes. I don't have any doe scent though. I walked in on a logging road taking my sweet time. I posted up on a ridge between two oak groves and saw nada. Walked back along a valley, super slow like. The wind was over 20 mph for most of the day. I saw lots of deer sign, a bunch of scrapes, fresh droppings, and lots of trails, but no actual deer. Nice day in the woods though. Lots of geese heading south flew overhead and a hawk was living it up on the thermals.