Whitetail scouting

[Tmo2295]

East coast: when scouting new areas of public land what’re the first few things you are looking for? Specifically prior to actual deer sign.

 

[mossyoak52]

food/water sources then bedding/ security cover

 

[Cedarsavage]

My favorite is once the snow leaves...Find last year's scrapes and rubs, little harder now with greenup but you can sometimes find them. I default to walking edges of new country.

 

[Tmo2295]

I know transition areas and natural funnels was looking to see if there’s any one off items some people like to look for

 

[Btaylor]

I know transition areas and natural funnels was looking to see if there’s any one off items some people like to look for

Non-oak food sources are the primary one-off's I look for food wise such as persimmon, honey locust, dewberry, honeysuckle, etc.

 

[long hunter]

Areas where the pumpkin gang does not go.

 

[Tmo2295]

Areas where the pumpkin gang does not go.

Have almost a full 3 months of hunting before they roll in

 

[camping1601]

Habitat.

 

[long hunter]

That is true but they will be there,get off the beaten path, when I hunted public ground I would go as far in as possible, the average shall we say deer hunter parks, walks in the woods 50 yards off the road and plops down, now is the time to find those secluded spots, then map out funnels,bedding and food source areas.

 

[timekiller13]

Topography. Saddles, benches, ridges.

After that I looks at aerial photos and look for vegetation changes. Those transition zones are gold.

I can look at a map and mark off areas without setting foot in them.

Just for reference this is for mountianous areas. When I hunt the low, swampy flat land areas of eastern NC, I am clueless. The lack of topographical changes throws me off. But, the deer population is so high down there it really doesn’t matter.

 

[OspreyZB]

Lack of hunter/human sign, habitat diversity, food, water, and cover.

 

[TheACGuy]

First thing I look for in an area is somewhere that others most likely won't go.. whether that means natural obstacles or just long distances through the timber. I prefer having to go through water or super thick growth as most guys are going to hit that point and say "screw that". Tends to pay off.

 

[Grunterr]

Food sources and terrain choice. Then boots on the ground looking for sign.

 

[Ancient_Archer]

You can sometimes find a natural funnel due to topography (using too maps of a potential area) and features such as water. I once had a spot in CT that was a thin strip of flat hardwoods, maybe 100 yds wide, between a beaver pond and the bottom of a steep hill. The deer would use that flat area to traverse the area and there was mast there as well. A subdivision ruined that.

 

[Yoder]

Last few years I've been watching Dan Infalt on Youtube. One thing I've learned from him that I've seen great results is looking on leeward side of hills and ridges for bedding. Here the primary winds are from the West and North. When scouting a new area I always look on South and East facing ridges on the top third for bedding. The areas also have to have good cover. I've found a lot of deer sign this way and it eliminates a lot of land quickly.

 

[jstein87]

East coast: when scouting new areas of public land what’re the first few things you are looking for? Specifically prior to actual deer sign.

I think the answer to your question will rely on the type of terrain you are hunting. Are you huntig mountains, hill country, ag fields, or river bottom?

 

[Somthingoriginal]

East coast: when scouting new areas of public land what’re the first few things you are looking for? Specifically prior to actual deer sign.

Mature bucks...

If you just want to kill any whitetail it's pretty easy to find the current food source or travel corridor during the rut. If you want to kill a mature buck you have to start on a property used by a mature buck.

You can spend all your free time e-scouting, logging every bed, rub and scrape on to OnX but the only way to KNOW you're hunting a mature buck is to lay eyes on them.

The best way to do that is by driving dirt roads, spot lighting, observation sits, and in the right situation trail cams.

Once you've located the caliber of buck you're after then I would start looking closely at maps and sign to develop a plan.

And then once the rut kicks in all of your hard work goes out the window...

 

[Btaylor]

Mature bucks...

If you just want to kill any whitetail it's pretty easy to find the current food source or travel corridor during the rut. If you want to kill a mature buck you have to start on a property used by a mature buck.

You can spend all your free time e-scouting, logging every bed, rub and scrape on to OnX but the only way to KNOW you're hunting a mature buck is to lay eyes on them.

The best way to do that is by driving dirt roads, spot lighting, observation sits, and in the right situation trail cams.

Once you've located the caliber of buck you're after then I would start looking closely at maps and sign to develop a plan.

And then once the rut kicks in all of your hard work goes out the window...

Spotlighting isnt legal everywhere so better check the regs before you strike out after dark.

 

[Rich M]

East coast: when scouting new areas of public land what’re the first few things you are looking for? Specifically prior to actual deer sign.

Last year's deer sign - they are creatures of habit.

 

[Dalton Lewis]

Tough access, bedding, multiple years worth of sign are all good starting points for me.