Scouting: Crops, Fishing, & Traplines

I’ve had dozens of inquires about scouting for mule deer as of late.  Makes sense—as once July 1 hits, it’s time to start looking for bucks and country.

This is my 25th season of scouting for mule deer, so I thought I’d offer some thoughts on the subject.  I’ve learned that scouting is often like Crops, Fishing, and Traplines.  Being an Idaho boy, I’ve had the God-given pleasure to experience all three.

Crops 

Many of us fail to realize that there is more than hunting pressure affecting buck populations.  Weather, fire, predators, drought, and habitat all determine how many bucks will be in a given area (and how old they’ll be).  Like crops, some years you get a good one, some years not.  If you’re seeing small and average bucks, then it could be that the area didn’t produce a big buck this year and you need to move on.  

Fishing

Ever fished the same hole twice with vastly different outcomes?  Scouting can be the same.  An old deer hunter once told me that bucks react to conditions that we can’t even perceive.  That could explain why sometimes you see the bucks, sometimes you don’t.  Give an area several visits before you rule it out.

Traplines

My Grandpa was a trapper (even made a living at it for a while).  I learned from him that the best trappers are successful because they check their traplines often.  As you scout over the years, you’re going to learn a half-dozen or more areas that have the potential to house a big buck.  Like a trapper, start checking those areas early and often.  Sooner or later you’ll turn up a great buck, I promise.

As I mentioned in the blog post It’s Here!, I always start looking first for the bucks that got away last year (that is why I like OTC units). Well, you can be the judge, but that strategy may have paid off already.  

A few days ago, I headed out to check the trail cameras I’d set 24 days earlier in hopes of finding the buck called Jalapeño.  It’s a 3+ mile hike in one-way.  I planned to arrive at first light so I could thoroughly glass the area.  There were a few deer around and more tracks than the last trip.  This confirmed my suspicion that the deer were just starting to show up in late June when I set the cameras.  I never saw Jalapeño.  Checking the cameras, I found them dead.  I switched batteries and SD cards then hiked out in the still-cool air of the morning.

Back at the truck, I found I had 2,000+ pictures to look at.  Not a patient one, I found a shade tree and began to scroll.  At pics 85 and 86, I found this:

Could it be Jalapeño?  At first glance, I didn’t think it was.  Jalapeño has very deep rear forks but this buck is short.  Then I was reminded by the date on the picture that there were still six weeks left in the growing season!  I quickly pulled up the video and pics from last years Live Hunt  

Notice in the trail cam pics cheaters are visible on his right G-2 and G-4, exactly like last year.  There seems to be a crown point starting above that G-2 cheater, just like in 2013.  Finally, his G-1s also seem to be similar.  

While I could be wrong, I’m pretty sure it’s Jalapeño.  Even if it’s not, like it is with crops, fishing, and traplines, I’ll keep scouting.  For now, I say praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!  

Post up your thoughts in the comments below.  Is it Jalapeño or another great buck?