Starting out scouting

[Wolfshead]

I am new to traditional bowhunting
In fact I am new to any type of hunting.
As a kid I was in the woods all of the time. It was where I felt the most comfortable. I was often being "grounded" because I was constantly late for dinner....
Anyway, sports, college, coaching got in the way so I put things on the backburner so to speak

I plan to begin hunting next season.
My intentions are to start scouting some local public land and getting familiar with the territory in preparation for next fall.

My question is (and it has a few parts)
when you scout a new area what are some of the first things you look for?
What are you looking for, how do you decide where to scout?
What tells you that this may be a good area to scout to begin with?
Then where does this take you and why?

Hope I am not asking too much.
Please answer all or any parts what ever you feel will help

Thanks in advance
Doug

[maineac]

Whoo, that will be a whole book worth of info, as a matter of fact there are books on the subject.  Some of the info will vary depending on where you are in teh country and how the type of cover and topography.  

My first piece is any place that I can get to easily (half hour or less if possible) and can have permission to hunt on.  Next I will move through the property looking for signs of deer (I assume that is what you are looking to hunt for).  Tracks droppings, trails, old rubs and scrapes. This will look different depending on your deer densities and cover type.  If the area is heavily agricultural, then the sign will be more concentrated as the deer have less area to utilize as cover (though during the summer a cornfield can provide cover).  Bigger woods the sign right now is scattered as the deer have been feeding on a wide variety of greens scattered through out the woods.  One of the best times to scout is late winter early spring right after the snow melt.  Old trails show up well,as do old rubs and scrapes from the previous fall.

The key in many parts of the country is finding trails that lead between food and bedding cover.  Bedding cover are generally thick areas that offer security cover to the deer.  In my area we really don't have bedding areas as everywhere is thick enough to bed down, and we have very limited agriculture, so food in the form of mast (acorns and apples) as well browse (greens in summer and branch tips in winter) is scattered all over.

That is a start.  There are many more knowledgeble folks on here than me.  I am sure they will chime in.

[JO_EZ]

First things I look for:
1) The compass, so you can get back to the car.
2) Critters. Whatever it is I am scouting for, I might see them while driving into an area or while stomping throught brush. They will probably be high tailing it out of there, but for scouting purposes that is OK. I know they are using the area and it gives me a reason to slow down and look closely.
3) Tracks in areas clear enough to show a print
4) Trails
5) Beds
6) Evidence of browsing.
 
How do I decide where to scout?
Get at a map of the area and look for funnels and pinch points like a thin strip of trees crossing a field, boggy or wet areas that they might travel around. If I have a creek, I scout it for crossing points. A chunk of pines in an oak or aspen forest forms an edge, which should be looked at and pines show up well on arial photos.
I often, mistakenly, think the deer are all huddled up in the smack dab middle of a section of land as far from the roads as they can get. So, I start walking into the middle of things taking note of what I see and usually end up following the runways where ever they go.

What tells you that this may be a good area to scout to begin with?
I only know that an area WAS good to have scouted. I don't know how to tell if it WILL be good go scout. Like trying to figure out if the  fish are biting: you don't know, if you don't go.

Then where does this take you and why?
Usually, I randomly tromp through an area until I find a nice runway. Then I follow it. If I am  lucky, it will become apparent where bedding occurs and where food sources occur. Often it is not nice and tidy like that and it all looks as good for eating and sleeping to me. But the deer will have preferences. Then, armed with that information, go back to the maps and look for ways to approach the feeding and bedding transitions. Pick a couple of approaches for various wind conditions. This is a good way to come up with plans A, B & C, which you should be ready to scrap for plan D when the actual hunting experience dictates.

Seeing actual animals is, for me, the biggest clue, especially if I see them (or hear them running away) in the same area more than once. I may not fully understand why they are there, but just knowing that they are there is enough to come up with a plan to hunt the area.

Good luck,
Doyle

[NEB]

Good information so far.  I will add:
Get familiar with property before going out of the house using maps and photographs.  USGS Topographic Quadrangle maps are really great tools if you know how to read topographic lines.  Compare these with Google Earth photographs to narrow your search in the field.  Then when you hit the ground think food, water, shelter - all the things wildlife need.  Food and water are a given, but shelter can be broken down into two important pieces: bedding areas and travel corridors.  Also, most all game animals are "edge" critters, so look along edges for well used trails.  Edges could be along fields, fences, or between habitat types.  Where I hunt I think finding deer in the early season is more about food and water, and as the season progresses it is more about shelter as I defined it above.  In areas with heavy hunting pressure you might notice that hunting shelter is more successful since most of the feeding occurs at night.  Good luck and welcome to this obsession.

[Wolfshead]

Thank you Gentlemen for your replies
I should have given you more info as I read through this
I am from the Northeast in Central NY and hunting that area
I am speaking in terms of hunting Whitetail

You all have given me some great information and I truly appreciate it
Thank you

I will be very happy to hear what anyone else has to offer as well!      

[KentuckyTJ]

Find the food source of the day.

I have noticed in the past week the deer have not been out in the ag fields like they have been all summer. My first thought was "Food source change". So I took a little walk. Found a lot of trees that had acorns on them. I cataloged them in my mind for checking later. I found a tree with some nuts on the ground but not much sign of use. I then found a set of trees that were dropping and from 50 yards away it looked like you had run a rototiller under them. I got to them and found lots of caps and crap. Bingo! hung a stand and will be in it Saturday if the hurricane doesn't blow to hard.

Welcome from Kentucky!

[Rustic]

I'll keep it short because most the info you need has already been posted.
- get a compass, learn how to use it and dont go into the woods without it.
- If your near a forest, look for White Oaks. The deer in my area prefer these acorns.
- If your near a cornfield, meadow or large clearing, walk around the perimeter. You're bound to find a deer trail.
- take an orange hat or bandanna with you because it may be small game season when you scout, so you need to be visible.

[rastaman]

And I would take a gps also if you are going very far off the road and if you will be going into your stand in the dark or coming out after dark.  Mark the waypoints on your gps for any hotspots you find so you can get back to them. Take your topo map with you also so you can get a feel for the land as you scout it.
Good luck to you and welcome to Tradgang!

[krink]

If you are serious about hunting then I suggest joining a club of some type.  My old man knew how to hunt and taught me.  My grandpa knew gun hunting but nothing on bow.  My dad joined Whitetails Unlimited and met friends that showed him the ropes.  I was around then and learned from all of them.  Find someone willing to teach and might have some land he/she can show you as well.

[Wolfshead]

Gentlemen I thank you again
I realize I have a long way to go and this site has helped me a lot already.
As the year goes along I am sure that I will get more info on the local places to learn and meet people who can help.
Until then I thank all who give their knowledge freely here!
Thank you