When do you scout?

[msteiger]

I'm curious about people's opinions on when to scout for deer. I know some people will say they (or one should) scout all the time. No doubt being in the woods a lot is good for the body/mind and makes you a better hunter.

BUT. If you had to choose some certain months, what would they be? I know that deer change their behavior over the year. I think it might be possible to scout too early? (Where what you see is not indicative of what you'll encounter during the season.)

I also think you might be able to scout too late? (People will often say don't scout too close to or during hunting season.)

Bonus question: How do you scout? Just like hunting, without the weapon? Sit on a high thing and glass? Or walk through brush looking for brush and sign?

Thanks

 

[Nicholas909]

I go out at least 2 times a month in the area I'm going to hunt locally starting in May. I start at the higher elevation and work my way down thru out the summer into fall. I do allot of my scouting without a weapon. When I'm up in the forest I Just hike looking for there bedding area & rub marks on the trees. I glass in the lower parts closer to the opener. I kept track of one deer for the last year who stayed in relatively the same area all year. Unfortunately for me it's a non-rifle area, & I don't know squat about archery. But after the lake fire I need to find him again.

 

[ilovesprig]

Matt,

Scouting for me is a year round deal......Not just for deer......Don't over think scouting is my best advice......Just walk and look wherever you've chosen......2 cents.

ps.....Because of the areas I scout, I almost never carry a gun, but do carry a walking stick......

 

[TonyS]

The last time I deer hunted I started scouting about this time of year. I found the deer and would come back once in a while to check where they were moving if any. It is crucial (think that was what Steve was saying) to know the neighborhood. You need to know where the deer are, the squirrels, rabbits and long tail or Mr. Bob comes in, checks around and stays. Without that you are in for a hike with a gun.

I always take my bird dog. He loves the romp and he points long-tail and bedded deer for me. Ones you can't see but he can smell. Because of that I take my 9mm on my hip. I will load it with frangible non-toxic this year in case I run into a Whiny Mr. Greenjeans. That way he has nothing to cry about. If a highly protected long tail wants to take my dog he is going to end there. There is a concept in law called 'necessity'.

That is how I do it.

 

[Sigalert2012]

I typically Scout during rabbit season open to end. and any opportunity I get you really gotta find out of the daily routines of the deer....at least for a22

 

[TaftHunter]

Year round scouting. No such thing as too early for scouting, you can scout the day after season ends! And no such thing as scouting too late, you can scout the night before opener, bed a buck down and hope he stays there til morning... I would scout every day if I could haha. I love to sit at a vantage point and glass for the first 3 hours of morning and the last 3 hours of the day (usually in just that one spot). Maybe I'm weird, but I just love watching deer, even if I can't hunt them yet. Always know where the water is at, and always check to make sure the source is still there. Last year me and a buddy hunted around a spring during archery season that had a good amount of water, the last few weeks of rifle it was almost dry.
Deer will move to other locations if their water source goes away. So make sure to know a few different locations of water. Sometimes I take a rifle, just so I can be used to the feel of carrying it, plus if I need to dispatch a yote!

Try to pattern the deer the best you can. Water feed and bed!


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[msteiger]

Thanks for the tips guys. A few follow up questions:

- I've noticed varying opinions on water. Some people say to hunt around water, but others will say that deer drink dew off the grass or dig wet roots. Does the importance of water vary with zone? Some deer might be accustomed to having to hunt around for it, while others have plenty?

- What do deer eat in SoCal. I know they browse the dried grass (which is everywhere) and they like acorns. But what else? Lemonade berries? Manzanita berries? Sage?

 

[ilovesprig]

Deer find water sources and will travel long distances to get it.....Most the time at night.....As far as food, apples & pears are high on my deer's list......Obviously look for droppings and if you find turkeys deer are near by..... ;D

D-12 bucks....Probably traveled miles for this water source....

.

 

[msteiger]

The spots on that first deer are cool. But I also like the one yelling in pic 3.

 

[ilovesprig]

The spots on that first deer are cool. But I also like the one yelling in pic 3.

He was actually chewing on an apple................ ;D

 

[invisible man]

My buds and I scout from about Jan.1 to Dec.31

 

[prov1]

Scouting is a fulltime job, if you want to be successful every year you have to know where the animals are, the only way to know that is to be in the field.
Mature animals change there patterns all the time, there in one area when there in velvet, sometimes another when they lose it, move again pre rutt, move again during the rutt and again post rutt and again when they drop there antlers, And may change mountain ranges the next year, that's why your good spot last year stinks this year. The key is to know where they go at all times of the year , They are always out there somewhere the only way to know where is to scout before, during and after the season, it never ends. Harvesting animals is easy harvesting mature animals is a different game.
Happy hunting and good luck you can never scout to much.

 

[ilovesprig]

Scouted yesterday.......We had movement as early as 4:00 pm.......The back country is so dry, it's unbelievable.......Went to 2 for sure watering holes and they were both bone dry......Pray for rain.......

.

 

[prov1]

I'm with ya brother, they are getting water somewhere its out there . Scout, scout and keep scouting:]

 

[longbowhunter2]

Deer like mazanita, sage, lilac, , acorns, most type of weeds, Deer like to browse. yes they love apples. I believe they can get most of their water or moisture from the plants. but will drink water if it's there.

but be advised there is a California law that prohibits hunters or people from hunting near a water source for more than 30 minutes.
it's in the regs. I may be incorrect about the length of time, so look it up.

I have had better luck watching well used trails with lots of sign such as tracks and droppings.
if there are no tracks or droppings or devoid of sign, then move on. they are not there.
The days before we had game cameras we used deer tracks and deer droppings as a guide.
you could tell by the size, depression, if the track had dust around it, or if it was well degraded from the elements.
we could approximate the size, when the track was made, day old or weeks old. now with game cameras, it's more fun to actually get a pic of that Mule deer Ghost. that was hard to see during the day because they go nocturnal.
It's funny how some said in earlier other post that we have to pattern the deer, but the Deer will also pattern us. they know every week end, human hunters will be out in full force. so they hide in the most toughest , thickest stuff you ever seen. try to walk in that stuff and you will wish you had not even tried.

Ok

Ghost

 

[TaftHunter]

Deer like mazanita, sage, lilac, , acorns, most type of weeds, Deer like to browse. yes they love apples. I believe they can get most of their water or moisture from the plants. but will drink water if it's there.

but be advised there is a California law that prohibits hunters or people from hunting near a water source for more than 30 minutes.
it's in the regs. I may be incorrect about the length of time, so look it up.

I have had better luck watching well used trails with lots of sign such as tracks and droppings.
if there are no tracks or droppings or devoid of sign, then move on. they are not there.
The days before we had game cameras we used deer tracks and deer droppings as a guide.
you could tell by the size, depression, if the track had dust around it, or if it was well degraded from the elements.
we could approximate the size, when the track was made, day old or weeks old. now with game cameras, it's more fun to actually get a pic of that Mule deer Ghost. that was hard to see during the day because they go nocturnal.
It's funny how some said in earlier other post that we have to pattern the deer, but the Deer will also pattern us. they know every week end, human hunters will be out in full force. so they hide in the most toughest , thickest stuff you ever seen. try to walk in that stuff and you will wish you had not even tried.

Ok

Ghost

I believe it's you can't be within 200 yards of a Man Made water source for more then 30 minutes.
Natural water sources are different I think. I'll try to find it in the regs


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[TaftHunter]

Here we go

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[longbowhunter2]

good job Taft

 

[ilovesprig]

Oh brother!.........Another one of those grey area laws.........So what's the definition of NEAR a pond, spring, cattle drinker, or whatever?......30 minutes in one spot? General vicinity?

Dove shooting near water sources is one of the most popular ways there is to get them.....Man-made windmills at San Felipe WA?......Man-made ponds of San J..... :-[

 

[nicapopolis]

I know for damn sure archery hunters in Northeast California set up on waterholes for pronghorn and it is a non issue for the local wardens.

Like Steve said. Stupid grey area.

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