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June 6, 2008 09:00 AM
“9 Top Deer Scouting Tips that Deer Don’t Want You to Know About!” by Marty Prokop
If you would like to listen to this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog post as a podcast click the play button…
Every successful deer hunt begins with great scouting.
Sure you hear the occasional story of the guy who stumbles into the woods, plops down on a log and shoots a nice deer. But how consistently does that guy score big?
To really increase your chances at a big buck every year, use these 9 Top Deer Scouting Tips.
1.) Start scouting EARLY in the year.
If your work schedule will allow, start your deer scouting by mid-summer.
When deer season ends, start looking around for deer signs you may have missed earlier in the year.
Write this information in a deer hunting journal. Use this information when you start scouting and deer hunting the next year.
2.) Learn everything you can about your deer hunting area.
The internet is a huge resource for topographic maps.
Make sure your scouting time includes online research of your deer hunting area. Learn locations of ponds, bedding areas, food sources and natural funnels. Use this information to help you pattern deer movement.
3.) When you are scouting look for DEER SIGN not deer.
Looking for good deer sign is quicker and easier, and you will see more. If you spot a deer consider this a bonus.
4.) Don’t over do it.
Spending too much time wandering around a deer hunting area is not a good thing. You can leave too much human scent in the area, which could cause big bucks to shift their patterns.
5.) WALK through the woods looking for deer sign instead of riding your ATV or driving your vehicle.
If you walk through the woods looking for deer sign you will see and learn more. In most cases you will also make less noise.
Prepare yourself ahead of time for the physical demands of scouting on foot, don’t over do it. Only walk if you and your doctor feel you are able.
6.) Scout multiple locations.
Pay close attention to grain fields, water crossings, pine plantations and hardwood forests. Deer will use all kinds of cover as well as many food sources throughout the full deer season.
7.) Look for fall feeding areas.
Don’t waste your time looking for summertime feeding areas. Deer browsing will change with the seasons. Concentrate on fall feeding grounds like white oak trees and grain fields that will be ready for fall harvesting.
8.) Be aware of deer patterns while you are deer hunting!
Deer patterns will change near instantly when deer season opens. Be aware of the changes and be ready to make a move to follow these changing deer patterns.
Why would you want to scout pre-season if deer patterns change once deer season opens?
An important part of pre-season scouting is for you to become very familiar with your deer hunting land.
You need to know the food sources, water and cover your deer hunting land holds and how deer are using and could potentially use these resources.
You want to know all the deer hunting options available to you on your land so you can change your patterns and plans to match deer activity.
9.) Always look for FRESH deer signs.
Old trails with hardly visible deer sign could mean the deer have changed their daily patterns. Look for fresh repeating signs such as new tracks, fresh droppings, new scrapes and fresh buck rubs. This will insure regular deer activity in the area you plan to hunt.
To subscribe to the weekly Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter or get blog post delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog at www.marty-prokop.com .
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Deer Hunting Expert at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
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Find Deer Games, Pictures and Hunting Fun at: http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
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*** More Free Stuff ***
Get Your Own Free Audio Deer Hunting Tips, listen to the Deer Hunting Podcast, subscribe to our RSS Feed, see Big Buck Pictures and read the Deer Hunting Secrets Blog at: http://www.marty-prokop.com
=========================
*** Newsletter and RSS Feed ***
If you want to keep up on new deer hunting secrets subscribe to the weekly Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter or get blog posts delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog.
=========================
*** Help Your Deer Hunting Buddies ***
Help your deer hunting buddies and support deer hunting…it’s free to do… Go ahead and email this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog URL to your deer hunting buddies or use our Tell A Friend form at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com/ .
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Posted by Marty Prokop at 9:00 AM | Comments (0)
June 3, 2008 09:00 AM
Finding Early Season Deer
If you would like to listen to this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog post as a podcast click the play button…
In my Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter and blog posts I write about one of the most favorable spots to set up your deer hunting tree stand during early season overlooking food plots or well-used deer trails. These spots can indeed be good, but don’t over look other great feeding areas.
During early deer season you may want to find a good stand of white oak trees. White oaks, unlike red oak and black oak, drop acorns more readily. White oak acorn nuts are not as bitter as those from red and black oaks.
When white oaks have good acorn crop, target these areas. They will draw deer. Deer will use these heavy acorn producing trees year after year.
Make sure you do plenty of pre-season scouting to help you locate if and where your deer hunting woods holds white oak trees.
When scouting for white oak also look for areas with lush grasses, vines, wild grapes and wild fruit trees such as apples and plums.
You may have an old homesteaded or abandoned farm on your deer hunting land. Watch this location carefully.
The folks who homesteaded these now abandoned locations may have planted fruit trees to harvest for their pantries. If these trees are now abandoned, they become great hangouts for deer to find early autumn food sources.
Once you locate an abandoned homestead, look for well-used deer trails leading to food sources, water and cover. Study deer movement surrounding the old buildings and orchards on the property.
When you have patterned deer movements to and from the food sources choose your deer stand locations wisely. Make sure your deer hunting tree stand is set up downwind from food sources you plan to hunt.
You might get a shot at the big buck nobody else has seen yet.
Get blog post delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog at www.marty-prokop.com .
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Deer Hunting Expert at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
****************************
Find Deer Games, Pictures and Hunting Fun at: http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
=========================
*** More Free Stuff ***
Get Your Own Free Audio Deer Hunting Tips, listen to the Deer Hunting Podcast, subscribe to our RSS Feed, see Big Buck Pictures and read the Deer Hunting Secrets Blog at: http://www.marty-prokop.com
=========================
*** Newsletter and RSS Feed ***
If you want to keep up on new deer hunting secrets subscribe to the weekly Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter or get blog posts delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog.
=========================
*** Help Your Deer Hunting Buddies ***
Help your deer hunting buddies and support deer hunting…it’s free to do… Go ahead and email this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog URL to your deer hunting buddies or use our Tell A Friend form at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com/ .
=========================
Posted by Marty Prokop at 9:00 AM | Comments (0)
