|
Post by willyhuntsdeer on Dec 3, 2007 11:02:08 GMT -4
this could get interesting ;D answer only once and add coments only if you like, but most of all BE HONEST... i will start things off by saying...i go look for signs myself, old school style. although next season i do plan on having a trail cam also, but up until now its been totally doing my homework in the woods
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2007 13:33:40 GMT -4
iam the do it your selfer when it comes to scouting with my job and kids it's hard to get out alot so i just got to scout when possible
|
|
|
Post by tracer on Dec 3, 2007 20:09:14 GMT -4
Good choice of topic for a poll Willy. When the deer season ends in my area on Dec. 31, that is when my scouting routine begins. With the snow on the ground by than, the trails are all laid out for me and I record them including funnels,intersections,and other travel routes. I also record rubs and bedding areas, all of which sets up a nice pattern that the deer are living in. For those of us that have limited time to devote to scouting, the trail camera is a big help in that regard. You can set up the camera on a major travel route and get a good indication of the deer in your area. When you go into check your camera every week or two to swap out cards and check the battery you are also scouting as you go.
|
|
|
Post by btexpress on Dec 3, 2007 20:50:38 GMT -4
If you scout like I do, and want to use trail cams, you'd go broke. Nothing beats walking an area, especially in February or March. The deer are more relaxed and in their normal routine. A great time to find bedding and feeding areas. This is also a good time to scout new areas.
|
|
|
Post by tracer on Dec 3, 2007 21:38:43 GMT -4
I agree btexpress nothing beats good old fashion leg work. Sounds like you put in a lot of time in the woods and for that I am envious. I am in the woods either hunting or scouting just about every weekend throughout the year.
Good tip there for scouting in Feb. and Mar. Keep those eyes pealed for sheds too folks.
|
|
|
Post by buckhntr92 on Dec 4, 2007 19:37:31 GMT -4
In my experiences trail cams really do no good for scouting. My uncle has a cam out on our relative's farm where we hunt (actually only 10yds away from my stand on the old tractor road) that he was consistanly pulling pics off of alot of deer, especially bucks, through the end of Oct. thru mid Nov. Come the season me and my dad saw a total of 3 deer (a BB, doe, and spike) in three days out. The spike was the biggest bodied and rack sized that anyone saw so far back there. Here's some of the pics that were pulled... this is the spike that was the biggest deer anyone saw
|
|
|
Post by tracer on Dec 4, 2007 22:59:17 GMT -4
Hey nice pics there buckhntr92, congrats to your uncle. I see five deer in the first pic, four of them bucks with the spike included. That's a nice bachelor group there and some of those bucks would have moved out of the your area to their own territory's. Also it is possible that these deer were spooked by the cameras flash and moved out. That is a beauty buck in the second pick and he may still be around. He may have gone nocturnal on you and that is why you are not getting any sightings of him. Don't give up on that buck or the trail camera.
|
|
|
Post by zodiakgsps on Dec 5, 2007 22:28:47 GMT -4
I do both. The cams help when I can't get out a lot pre-small game. I get a lot of leg work in when grouse hunting, get to get the dogs out, hunt birds & locate good trails, feeding areas & check mast crop, etc.....a win-win!! I should add, I try to avoid bedding areas close to season....my dogs don't bother deer, I don't want to get them spooky.
|
|