Summer Scouting?

[lukew]

When do you guys typically start your summer scouting?

 

[Hilltop]

Late July/Early August on years I can make it work. I like to be able to see good horn development.

 

[taskswap]

I hunt pretty high so it depends on snow. My hunt buddy and I often try to do a late June trip but often delay to July if the snow hasn't receded enough yet.

 

[JimP]

If I am going to a unfamiliar area I'll pretty much start after July 4. That way I can see what the antlers are doing and see what the potential is for that fall. I can also get a few more trips in just to get the know the area and watch the animals.

If I am going into a area that I know fairly well I'll wait until August. Antlers are pretty much formed up and you should see just what is in that area. The only problem is what hunt you are going to hunt the animals on. By the time most seasons roll around you are going to have the big Labor Day weekend when a lot of people get out into the hills and if you are not archery hunting you will have to deal with the archers pushing the animals around the country side.

 

[LCH]

Since I didn't draw Kansas, I'm debating between Kentucky whitetail and Colorado bear for this September.

If I do Kentucky whitetail, I'll probably make several trips down this summer to the various WMAs. Mostly scouting access, likely food sources, and historical sign.

 

[Micah S]

I set 8 cameras last weekend for my Dad's archery hunt. Hopefully I can find this guy again.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

A lot depends on where I'm hunting. In an area that I am familiar with, usually the later the better. Conditions change over the summer, especially water availability. I have scouted antelope in July and went back in September and conditions had completely changed. It also depends on the animal. I like to hunt 4th season deer here in Colorado. I usually hunt winter migration areas and during the summer, not too many deer are there.

But nothing is better than boots on the ground, no matter when you can get there.

 

[THelms]

I honestly scout for waterfowl more than anything else.

 

[nv-hunter]

We started last Friday, 7 hour drive each way to set cameras that have to be pulled by August 1, going back in about 3 weeks to finish a couple more water holes and the I'm sure we will be glassing in the fall for a November 20th hunt.

 

[lukew]

We started last Friday, 7 hour drive each way to set cameras that have to be pulled by August 1, going back in about 3 weeks to finish a couple more water holes and the I'm sure we will be glassing in the fall for a November 20th hunt.

Nice!

 

[lukew]

I set 8 cameras last weekend for my Dad's archery hunt. Hopefully I can find this guy again.View attachment 34701

Shooter no doubt!

 

[ColoradoV]

For everyone’s sanity in our house I “start” looking for mule deer on July 1.. With that said I got these 2 photo’s yesterday.

Before then it can be hard to get around w high creeks, snow, an what no anyway. Overall I will pry get in my normal 20+ in before the archery season. I don’t have a archery tag yet but hoping to get lucky somehow and I will go out with or without a tag. My wife has a muzzy buck tag so she will be joining on quite a few trips as well as my 6 and 9 year old daughters are old enough to come along this year so that will be fun.

 

[Bonecollector]

I generally start around Memorial Day weekend and ramp up my efforts throughout the year really starting to focus on an area and particular animals in August/September for the October 1st archery opener.
The only time I'm not actively scouting in some fashion is February thru May.

 

[Rich M]

I'm waiting for quota draw results before heading out and setting some cams. Have a 10K+ acre hunting area that I've not made it more than 2 or 3 miles into and need to get 4 or 5 miles to check out the tough to reach areas. This is all FL swampland and 100# whitetails.

Thinking about rigging up a 3 wheel E-bike. Can carry my "stuff" and make some tracks with less effort.

 

[Yell Co AR Hunter]

I don't scout in the summer. I just wait till season and drive around till I find a truck parked that looks like they know what they are doing and in a good looking spot and hunt there. That works well for turkey season as well.

 

[Bonecollector]

I don't scout in the summer. I just wait till season and drive around till I find a truck parked that looks like they know what they are doing and in a good looking spot and hunt there. That works well for turkey season as well.

So you're the son of a b*%$#@ !!

Just kidding buddy

 

[JimP]

It's a lot like what we used to do back in the 70's. I bet a friend that I could get a dozen or so trucks and cars to stop behind me and have that many hunters jump out and grab their rifles as we drove down a paved highway.

He took the bet and after I had quite a few vehicles behind us I quickly pulled over off of the road, jumped out with my rifle in hand and ran across the highway. Within minutes there were close to 20 vehicles stopped with hunters outside of their vehicles with rifles pointed across the road along with a few that followed me across the road and down to a river. I jumped over a spot and watched as a few of the hunters did likewise. Mind you I hadn't seen a thing up on the far hillside. Once a few crossed the river I just turned around and went back to my truck and put my rifle away and just watched the orange clad hunters scouring the far hillside looking for a deer to shoot. The hunters behind us were still looking with their scopes and binoculars trained on the far hillside when I got back into my truck and left.

My friend bought me quite a few beers in the next few days.

 

[Yell Co AR Hunter]

It's a lot like what we used to do back in the 70's. I bet a friend that I could get a dozen or so trucks and cars to stop behind me and have that many hunters jump out and grab their rifles as we drove down a paved highway.

He took the bet and after I had quite a few vehicles behind us I quickly pulled over off of the road, jumped out with my rifle in hand and ran across the highway. Within minutes there were close to 20 vehicles stopped with hunters outside of their vehicles with rifles pointed across the road along with a few that followed me across the road and down to a river. I jumped over a spot and watched as a few of the hunters did likewise. Mind you I hadn't seen a thing up on the far hillside. Once a few crossed the river I just turned around and went back to my truck and put my rifle away and just watched the orange clad hunters scouring the far hillside looking for a deer to shoot. The hunters behind us were still looking with their scopes and binoculars trained on the far hillside when I got back into my truck and left.

My friend bought me quite a few beers in the next few days.

Funny. It was a bad year for the antelope in the Wyoming unit we drew. We got a kick out of stopping in an area where no antelope were to be seen. We got out and glassed. Most would stop and at least glass, several would bail out with gun in hand and take off. When I glassed from camp. I would hide behind the camper, because if they saw you they would either glass or take off looking for what you were glassing.

 

[Timber Stalker]

It all depends on what and where I’m hunting. I used to scout all year round for Blacktail, they don’t move much. I have an archery elk area I don’t go into till after September 12th. This year I drew a Nevada deer tag in an area I’ve never been to. You could say I started scouting google earth the minute I realized I drew the tag, I start looking there July 4th weekend. That hunt will be my primary Focus this year.

 

[kidoggy]

I am always scouting. no matter where I am if there are deer in the area I am glassing to see what is around.