| Spring Deer Scouting | | | | are they coming from and where are they going. |
| Ok, first off, I can hear it now. What good is | | | | A good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope will |
| scouting early spring and all summer, when the | | | | help you get this job done. Remember to keep a |
| patterns will probably be different in the fall? To | | | | journal, write down every sighting of every deer |
| some extent this is true but a few things will | | | | you see. Make notes on where they were eating, |
| remain the same. For instance, whitetail bucks like | | | | where they came from, how did they enter a |
| to rub and scrape in and around their core area. | | | | field and how did they leave it. Summer is the |
| They like these areas because they feel safe in | | | | time to observe from a distance and a time to |
| them. Even if the buck that made the rubs you | | | | see if the information you gathered in the spring |
| are finding now, was taken last season, another | | | | pans out. |
| buck will more then likely move in and take over | | | | You may notice a pattern from a bedding area to |
| the spot. | | | | the field or to a growing honey suckle hedge. |
| Food sources may also hold some valuable | | | | Make notes as to how the deer enter a field on a |
| information early in the year. As winter fades out | | | | prevailing wind. Yes, as the more food sources |
| the whitetail deer herd is looking for food. Crop | | | | become available the patterns will change but |
| fields are not planted yet or not grown enough to | | | | when you actually see the pattern change and |
| support a quality food source for the deer. They | | | | know what it is, the less time you will need to |
| will be hitting any available nutritional vegetation in | | | | spend finding them in the fall. You will not need to |
| the area. I tend to key in on these areas when | | | | guess where the whitetails are, because you have |
| the rut is winding down also. By then many cop | | | | watched them all summer. |
| fields are picked and the same browse it what | | | | Ever heard the saying, 10% of the hunters, get |
| the deer will be looking for then as well. | | | | 90% of the deer. Think this is true? The numbers |
| Now that summer is here I want to give them a | | | | are probably exaggerated but the idea is true. All |
| little break but still keep an eye on what is going | | | | of us know the guy that gets his nice buck year |
| on. No more going in to the bedding area, unless | | | | in and year out. What is they do different, is what |
| you are very brave and very good. This is the | | | | we need to ask ourselves. They spend allot of |
| time to look for an observation point, the higher | | | | time watching deer. Remember to 80 Ð 20 rule. |
| the better. Maybe set up a stand with a good | | | | Spend 80%of the time scouting and 20% hunting |
| wind or just sit in the truck and glass the areas | | | | and you will put more deer in your truck. If we |
| you found in the spring. The most important thing | | | | can gather enough information now, the more |
| is to set up where you wonÕt be noticed. | | | | ahead of the game you will be when it is time to |
| Spring Deer Scouting | | | | move in and match wits with one of these |
| We are just looking for movement now. Where | | | | whitetails. |