| 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. You may notice a pattern from a |
| buck will more then likely move in and take over | | | | bedding area to the field or to a growing honey |
| the spot. Food sources may also hold some | | | | suckle hedge. Make notes as to how the deer |
| valuable information early in the year. As winter | | | | enter a field on a prevailing wind. Yes, as the |
| fades out the whitetail deer herd is looking for | | | | more food sources become available the patterns |
| food. Crop fields are not planted yet or not grown | | | | will change but when you actually see the pattern |
| enough to support a quality food source for the | | | | change and know what it is, the less time you will |
| deer. They will be hitting any available nutritional | | | | need to spend finding them in the fall. You will not |
| vegetation in the area. I tend to key in on these | | | | need to guess where the whitetails are, because |
| areas when the rut is winding down also. By then | | | | you have watched them all summer. |
| many cop fields are picked and the same browse | | | | Ever heard the saying, 10% of the hunters, get |
| it what 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 |
| the better. Maybe set up a stand with a good | | | | rule. Spend 80%of the time scouting and 20% |
| wind or just sit in the truck and glass the areas | | | | hunting and you will put more deer in your truck. |
| you found in the spring. The most important thing | | | | If we can gather enough information now, the |
| is to set up where you wonÕt be noticed. | | | | more ahead of the game you will be when it is |
| We are just looking for movement now. Where | | | | time to move in and match wits with one of |
| are they coming from and where are they going. | | | | these whitetails. |