Time...

daiello91 · Mar 29, 2012

So how much time do you put into scouting for deer or elk pre-season and how many days to you dedicate to the season?

I put out trail cameras (usually 3 or 4 depending) from June on and check them about every three weeks and move them if necessary.

Come the season I take the whole 12 / 13 days off.

Last year I saw over 60 deer which included 6 bucks and I harvested a dink. I hit a real nice mature fork the previous year but was unable to recover after tracking that night and the next morning. The previous year I missed a dink clean.

As a side note, when i hit and was unable to recover I tore my tag and considered it used then headed home even 3 days remained... since the buck may or may not have survived.

So how much effort do you put in and how has it paid off?

ZigZagZeke · Mar 30, 2012

Five bucks in 10 years, 3 of which I didn't draw tags (then I got smart and we put the ranch into the LOP program), so 5 for 7.

I hunt the family ranch where I hang out a lot for other activities. I have my favorite spots, and I scout those areas for tracks a couple days out of the week before the season. I have rarely had to hunt longer than the first weekend. I am hoping I can get a trail cam to put up this year, mainly because one of my areas is sure to have a lion or two in it and I'd love to bag one of those.

nwwoodsman · Mar 31, 2012

Scouting for me is a year long deal. In January my 9 year old son pointed out a beast of a 4 point hiding behind a fur tree (jackolope fur that is). Never would have seen him on my own. I'm sure he'll be still be in the general areal come October. If I would have waited until August or September then the buck may have been hiding in thicker cover, skittish from the bow hunters wandering in the woods. As far as scouting for elk, I usually wait until deer season for that so that gives me a month to find them. Seems like I run into elk a lot more during deer season than during elk season.