Scouting a "header" and dreaming of November

[Ryan Rothhaar]

The first thing the Old Man taught me about whitetail hunting was that the number of chances you'll get on mature whitetails is directly proportional to how fast you wear out a pair of boots.  There's a lot of truth to the old saying "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

I think too many guys think killing big deer is really hard, something "normal" people can't do. That falsehood is perpetuated by much of the hunting "industry", whether that is magazines, TV, or whatever. Of course you have to be hunting an area with some older deer around, but after that it ain't rocket science... lots of time, observation, learning.... what you might call "work" and it will come together.

I figure 3 years of serious hunting on a property and I start to get a handle on things, by year 5
I feel pretty good. That means probably a couple hundred hours on stand and that much or a bit more scouting, in each area or property.  I might luck into one before that, but I've never found big whitetails to come easy!

R

[jonsimoneau]

That's perfect Ryan. I wanna believe that to be true as well. I know I have certainly been guilty of not putting in the necessary time, but mostly that is due to scheduling and or distance it hunting areas. But the truth is that the scouting and learning part is the actual hunting and for me is a major part of the fun in it all. When you scout and come up with theory's months in advance, it makes the waiting for deer season so much more enjoyable. I mean hell, just the dreams alone are worth the price of the boot leather!

[ngk]

I just attended one of Barry's bootcamps a couple of weeks ago...i am lucky in that my farm is pretty close to where bootcamp occured...after we concluded Saturday afternoon i headed straight to my place.  I spent all day Sunday walking my timber and flagging new stand sights in similar locations/set ups that Barry showed examples of the previous couple of days...the sign was incredible and i looked at the area in a completely different way...seemed like i was able to connect the dots in a much more logical way instead of simply hanging a stand because it just looked good.  Slowing down my scouting helped in a big way and i already feel confident in the locations i will be hanging stands and itching for november.

[jonsimoneau]

NGK, I drove through northern MO on my way to Barry's. Really neat looking country and it looks to be good whitetail hunting. Good luck!

[Whitetail Addict]

Great post, really enjoyed it, thanks. I'm looking forward to doing the same, if the snow ever melts up here. The fields are clearing pretty good, but we've still got a bunch in the woods. I've hunted most of my spots for many years, but we have to always keep in mind that things change. They can change over the course of years, from year to year, and during the course of the season. The only way to know for sure what's going on, is to get out there and see. Thanks again.

Bob

[T Folts]

Great post. Thanks for putting this up here.

[Steve Chappell]

Agree...great post and info.

[northener]

Great read guys  I love whitetail hunting, game of kings.

I used to scout all the time when I was younger and had the energy but lacked the knowledge to put it to good use. Although my hunting grounds at the time would see a lot of hunting pressure it still habored a few true trophy bucks. thru all those years of hunting that area I only had fletting glimpses of my intended quarry. I always felt I was busted by them while going to or from my stand, and I am pretty sure I am right on that.
 Real frustrating not knowing who was there last or when.

Fast forward 30 years, I still lack the knowledge to put a puzzle together like Barry and coupled with the fact, hard work though the years has taken a toll of my knees and hips, severally limitling my ability to cover ground. My heart and mind still want to scout and I do so, but very lilimted, but my body is
unable. Oh to be young again.

[Yohon]

Here you go Jon. We dont have "headers" in the flat marshy country I hunt in but there are alot of guts coming off marshes. When you get a high tide and the water fills in those guts bucks will cross at the head's of em. Always a rub line going around em. Bets are off at low tide, dang bucks will cross where they want. I had a couple hours between jobs today and checked out an area that I hadnt got to yet this spring. Walking out some trails/rubs I walked up on a matched set of sheds in an area that had numerous rubs right on one of those little high spots. I haven't found a matched set in a long time so that was a treat. Starting to green up here just a bit, still got time so get out there    
 

[Dsturgisjr]

Very enjoyable thread!

One of the areas I hunt has pine/spruce plantings. I've been hunting there since they were seedlings. There is a small clearing in a spruce planting and the heaviest cover in the area is on 3 sides. I've seen bucks go through there 100s of times from a distance, but too thick for a quality ground set-up. A spruce on the prevailing down wind side is now big enough to hang a stand in. It is easy in and out and only 10 feet high, but that is enough to shoot down into the clearing that has waist/shoulder high brush growing. 6 north-south trails bottleneck on the west side of the stand 18 yards and closer. It took a long time, but I can't wait to slip in there on a frosty November morning:)

[Tall Paul]

These are the kind of threads I really enjoy. Glad you found some more property to hunt Jon!

[Paul Cousineau]

March and April are two of my favorite months to check whitetail grounds. The snow is either deep or gone and it just feels good to be out side. I have about 4-5 hours of scouting in since the beginning of April. I found a few really good sized rubs in a area close to where i hunted last year, already day dreaming of sitting in a tree there.

[Gun]

Good post Curt. I too wonder why this type of thread doesn't get more response. I spend way more time scouting than shooting, making arrows, etc. Don't need the latest, fastest, fanciest to kill stuff.

While our spring scout time is later than all you lower 48 guys, its fun to see what you may have missed in the fall because you were busy hunting another area.

Its a time to pick up sheds from the survivors too. You can't help but find some if you put on the miles. Finding them may tell you something about the Bucks habits too.

I've hunted and scouted the same spots for years when all of a sudden the light bulb goes off and you see a new set up.

But then I rode the short bus to school too.   :p

[Lady Frost]

I agree with Guru.  This post is very educational. I appreciate posts like these because I am the only one in my family interested in archery and bow hunting, so it looks like it is up to me to start the tradition to be passed down...no pressure.

[Keb]

Keep this in mind, I'm not sure if you are hunting public or private with exclusive permission.

But I've hunted public in steep hill county or big ridge country, if there are other people hunting the other ends from where you are

It will influence how the deer move in these what appear to be money spots, becaue of careless hunters at other spots.

I watched nice bucks slip thru these spots, but the big buck would avoid them and go billy goat to get thru them.

Just food for thought,

[Homey88]

Great thread hope it keeps going. I just bought the book " Come November" what a great book! Learning so much. Got me out doing some scouting! Hope this thread keeps going. I'll try to figure out how to post a video of a big rub I found later.

[jonsimoneau]

Good stuff guys. Denny, that spot sounds great. Talk about "planting the seed for success!" Good luck out there guys.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Good thread, lets keep it going......

Here is another situation I've been thinking about, this has been a 2 year learning process so far.  Check out the map below....top is north, finger of ag field (terraced ground years ago) with timber dropping off on 3 sides - typical Midwest situation.  The west side of the field is a shingle oak/cedar/grass thicket about 10 acres, that ends on a bluff over the creek that is lined by the old doze piles from the field terracing.

My original setup was stand A at the back of the finger to cover the old logging road and deer trails coming into the field, this is the obvious place, and where all the deer sign/sightings will be during the summer and early fall.  I can access along the east side of the field from the north and there is enough of a rise in the field that deer in the thicket on the west cannot see across.  Of course the thicket is a main bedding area.

Year 1 during the rut sitting stand A I saw 3 good bucks in 4 sits, and several smaller ones, cross from the thicket across the field on the dotted line....west to east (all with a S or SW wind).  I remembered it, and checked it out that spring, but there was no obvious reason for that travel pattern.  The place marked "S" on the east side of the field is an old ratchet strap 15 feet up a tree grown into the tree on the field edge (old treestand from previous landowner).

Year 2 (last fall) I saw 3 other good bucks, including a 150 class 4X5 come out the same place!  Now we have a pattern.  Next year I'll have a stand at stand "B".  It will be tricky...SW wind, planning on the deer being close enough that the wind will be over them (hope...).  If the first deer out of the corner is big enough to shoot I can get him before he gets my wind.  I can get in there by following the east edge around past stand A and sneak in from the SE.

It is going to be a rut only deal...kill one or blow it...but worth the trouble.  The only good tree there is a post oak with minimal cover, about a 10 inch diameter tree.  I can get up 12-14 ft, but will need to build in some cover.  That is in the plan for next week.

Some more walking and I think the situation is bucks checking the bedding area and then heading straight off cross country to check another area 500-600 yards away to the SE.  The inside corner there isn't an obvious spot - not much sign there - but it is obviously a great cruise-through during the rut.

A couple things I take from this situation:
1. This fits another bit of wisdom the Old Man gave me years ago - "If you see him do something once remember it, see him do it twice set up on it, the third time you better be there."
2. Pay attention to old setups - the previous landowner was there for a reason.  I don't put too much emphasis on his old sets because he was primarily a gun hunter - but that strap is in the tree for some reason.
3. Don't forget - sign and observation during summer/early fall is great...but doesn't mean much during prime time.

R


   

[Dsturgisjr]

Hey Ryan, don't miss!    Hahaha I made a few hunt houses like you told me your Dad was using for my Dad and I. Thanks again for helping out with the last article too.

The spruce stands, while low provide good cover and shot angles at close range.


   

   

[Yohon]

"If you see him do something once remember it, see him do it twice set up on it, the third time you better be there."

I LOVE that one!!!!