What to look for when mobile hunting

[NoleShooter]

When you are moving through new or unscouted public land looking for an archery spot to setup on, what are the signs you look for?

Do you prefer to setup on an intersection of trails, near food, bedding, rubs, etc.? Are there preferred signs you like to hunt over others?


How do you decide on a time? Are there certain things from above that you look for in a morning vs evening sit?

Are there any articles or videos that highlight these strategies you like?

Thanks in advance.



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[KYHunter]

Great questions!!
Answers will be many and will likely vary as well. Where to hunt and what to look for will depend on the terrain you hunt and also what time of year it is. Will also depend on if you’re going for a buck or just a doe.

My strategy outline(for targeting bucks) for the year is this:
Early season: hunt near buck bedding in relation to food
Pre-Rut: buck bedding in relation to doe bedding areas
Rut: Travel funnels at or near doe bedding, or even hunt right in doe bedding
Late season: hunt food sources

when scouting I look for the thickest cover possible and I start by walking the transition line between thick cover and less thick cover. I try to hunt as close to bedding as I can, either bucks or doe bedding.

 

[BTaylor]

If you just want to kill a deer I would say key on finding the hotest primary food source at the time. Also keep in mind deer highly relate to edges. An edge could be a tree line, creek bank, lake bed or it could be a change in vegetation that is more subtle. Keeping the edges in mind a lot of times will clue you in on what winds will work best for certain spots and will also help you determine best access.

 

[Weldabeast]

I just assume maybe u in FLA based on ur screen name?

If so, are u hunting public that does or doesn't require a quota?

 

[NoleShooter]

Yes, I'm hunting North Florida. Both quotas and some open properties.

For reference, public land in Florida is heavily pressured, often ate up with hogs, and not always managed well (i.e. so thick you can't possibly walk through it).

There are some good places, and I'm finding that a saddle is opening things up for me in a big way, but it's a totally different way of hunting for me.

 

[Robert loper]

Great questions!!
Answers will be many and will likely vary as well. Where to hunt and what to look for will depend on the terrain you hunt and also what time of year it is. Will also depend on if you’re going for a buck or just a doe.

My strategy outline(for targeting bucks) for the year is this:
Early season: hunt near buck bedding in relation to food
Pre-Rut: buck bedding in relation to doe bedding areas
Rut: Travel funnels at or near doe bedding, or even hunt right in doe bedding
Late season: hunt food sources

when scouting I look for the thickest cover possible and I start by walking the transition line between thick cover and less thick cover. I try to hunt as close to bedding as I can, either bucks or doe bedding.

i dont think i could have answered that any better than that.
simple and to the point.
great advice.
when i tell people or answer the same question i usually state the same exact response snd add this
Don’t complicate ****. Simplify it.
follow the food follow the does the follow the food.

 

[Weldabeast]

Since u on a time limit with the quota hunts like the others say...walk the transition lines...I wouldn't bother looking for "food source" since food is pretty much everywhere.....walk transitions looking for heavily used trails...10-15 year old pine clear cuts are bedding. Look for where different ecosystems converge...like where cypress head meets pine/gallberry etc...if there are obvious funnels u can see from aerial photos they definitely worth checking but everyone else sees them too (other hunters)

I am still relatively new to hunting so I still learning too....but since I've started walking/scouting more and worry less.about being up in a tree I have lots more encounter and started to be more successful...

I like to look for low areas inside of thick woods that hold water in the wet season and dry up in winter...there is usually a small strip of land between where the low meets high that will be open easy quite walking.. just wet enough the high ground plants don't grow good and just dry enough to where the water plants don't grow good....look for areas of grey trees inside the green trees when looking at the aerial photo

Example

See the difference in the color? I know that low area will be super quiet and easy to walk thru...creates a transition line and since the ground moist pretty much all year u will find them heavily used trails easily

 

[BTaylor]

Weldabeast gave a perfect example of soft edges.