Scouting ??

[Nebraska Outlander]

Have a few questions for those who scout.

1st - When do you start scouting?

2nd - How far do you travel to scout?

3rd - Do you use trail cameras if you have a long ways to travel for scouting so you are scouting more when you have 500 miles to drive?


4th - if you have a long ways to drive to get to your hunting spot for scouting and only have a weekend to scout what would be your strategy?

I want to really start scouting however I have around a 500 Mike trip. Mostly weekends to scout and would be leaving late Friday and could come home early Monday before work. Just wondering how some of you would approach this issue.

 

[packmule]

Scouting takes place right before season, the during season in preparation for the next go-round.

 

[7shot]

Scouting can be year round. Google earth is a great place to start. From there I will mark places I want to check out. I scout from a truck or rig from a high vantage point and verify that the terrain looks good. I am not only looking for animals, but for what will bring them there, (Food, water, cover, etc). I also look to see if there are sheep or cattle in there eating all the food and moving animals out. Some places are much overgrazed and that is another topic. I like to have 3 or 4 options to hunt in an area. In case an outfitter moves in with 8 hunters or there are no animals there in the season or it gets blown out, I will have another place to go.

I love to have boots on the ground, hike in during to cool of the morning and scout on the way in. Shade up during the day and then be up somewhere high in the evening to glass and evaluate the animals in there. I look for wind patterns and how it might be hunted as well as possible bedding areas and travel routs. I scout for a good place to camp near water and away from the animals so my scent won't jack things up. If you have stock, it is important to make sure they have feed as well.

As you hunt an area, it is so cool to find wallows and know where there is good water or the cool side of a hill where they will bed. It might just be me, but I hate spooking animals when I am scouting. I'd rather be a mile away with my spotter and just sit and watch the area. We scouted last weekend and spotted some good animals. Best of luck, it just takes some time.

 

[wrashall@yahoo.com]

Good advice thanks.