Favorite Scouting Month

[Blacktail_]

For my Mulie freaks out there, anyone have a favorite month/weekend they are always making a scouting trip for? Not necessarily talking to the guys that live 15 minutes from their spots and can go all the time. I usually have a decent drive to make and go sometime in July or August.

 

[RockAndSage]

June, for sure. They're in velvet, often bachelored up together, and a nice reddish color that makes them a lot easier to spot. The only thing that sucks is just how early you have to get up to be on site and in place at first light.

 

[Bridgerland]

Big fan of early July. Most years, the antler growth is far enough along to start judging their full potential, while their coats are peak orange and easy to spot. I usually end up seeing the most bucks this time of year as well, as I find them feeding in the open for longer periods. YMMV, but this has been true in my area.

August can be great as well, especially if it’s been a good moisture year and the forbs are healthy. On drier years, August is really tough for me to see as many, as I think they start to concentrate more over the limited food sources. Coats aren’t quite as orange in August either, but you can start to fully assess their score potential

 

[Bachto]

For my Mulie freaks out there

Don't call me a slur like this ever again

 

[Blacktail_]

Don't call me a slur like this ever again

It was a compliment you freak!!

 

[Blacktail_]

Big fan of early July. Most years, the antler growth is far enough along to start judging their full potential, while their coats are peak orange and easy to spot. I usually end up seeing the most bucks this time of year as well, as I find them feeding in the open for longer periods. YMMV, but this has been true in my area.

August can be great as well, especially if it’s been a good moisture year and the forbs are healthy. On drier years, August is really tough for me to see as many, as I think they start to concentrate more over the limited food sources. Coats aren’t quite as orange in August either, but you can start to fully assess their score potential

Good points

 

[Blacktail_]

Don't call me a slur like this ever again

Ah just realized the connection haha, I’m so far removed from the influencer space I forgot the connection there…

 

[Bachto]

Ah just realized the connection haha, I’m so far removed from the influencer space I forgot the connection there…

haha I couldn't help myself.

 

[Muleyczy]

I like mid to late July. In high mountain elevations they’re typically where there going to be come archery season on heavier snow years. (This years the exception unfortunately)

 

[AHayes111]

I think a lot depends on when you are planning on hunting. I always felt late July, early August was a great time to find bucks. If I was archery hunting in early September I could count on the bucks still being in the same spot. If I was hunting the MT opener in October, the bucks would at least be close by. If I went back in mid November the July scouting would be detrimental because I would be spending hunting time where the bucks were three weeks ago.

 

[Pistolpete28]

I like early to mid July, they got there red coats, there antlers are starting to take shape, and if I’m traveling I love to watch the weather and pick a time frame with a push of cooler weather. This recipe in my mind will produce the most buck sightings.

 

[Jaden Bales]

I've got 10 years in a row of scouting for bucks on my birthday - July 19th. I do a little before, and a bunch after, but that day is my marker from checking a few things out to nailing down a shooter buck.

 

[Coyote Commander]

I don’t get excited until August. Closer to season the better.

In my area there’s a chance they could shift areas yet from July to September. You could end up hunting for deer that don’t exist there anymore. Also, even if it’s still just as hot as July, there seems to be a little more activity in August that makes them more “findable”.

 

[270Hunter]

I don’t have a favorite month, but in the areas I hunt I really like July 15 to August 15.

However the biggest buck I have ever killed I found him in September a few weeks before rifle season started, even though I had been scouting all summer.

 

[Tylerr]

I went last weekend, just to get a lay of the land in some new areas and i didn't see squat. Lots down in the farm lands in the morning on the way up but only 1 doe mid day driving the forest. Gonna wait until late June to head back up and put some cameras up and do some glassing, then hit it maybe every other weekend looking for new stuff.

 

[JRay]

For me in Colorado it would be the first or second weekend in August

 

[street]

In my opinion the best is May through middle of August with July being the least productive

 

[Foldem]

August 100%