Scouting & Tracking - The Lost Art

The time to scout for whitetails! And its not late summer…

The absolute best time of the year to scout is right after your season closes!

Its time to unravel the riddles of the whitetails that evaded you and if you were successful, take a look over that hill, trail or bedding area for some puzzles to solve for next season.

Once the season ends, most folks turn to indoor 3D shoots and some even put the bow down and wait until the warmer weather happens and turkey season comes into view. If you’re not lucky enough to be able to chase hogs and javelina in warmer territories, then read on for some simple tips for scouting and prepare for next season. Often this time of year Jan-March big bucks and other deer in areas where the snow flies are spending a lot of time looking for browse and hanging out in thermal barrier areas. For eastern North America it’s the time to look for those core areas the big boys have returned to and those major travel runs that all deer are using; especially getting into those areas you were shy to walk into.

Bedding areas! Crash the party and walk into them with abandon now, get to know the travel areas and beds that are used frequently. These are often tight cover out of the way areas that allow deer to have escape routes in case of predators; they are commonly areas where deer will go to when hit with an arrow and knowledge of ingress and egress point the animals use will assist not only when trailing a hit deer but when setting up stands on the outskirts of them as well. Remember to check the prevailing wind in these spots and also in relation to where you will sit next season in conjunction with evening thermal winds. You want to ensure that those pesky evening winds will not be carrying your scent to the deer as they move and stage from these sanctuaries toward your stands.

Be sure to keep an eye out for sheds in these tight cover spots, bucks will often drop antlers pushing through the brush and low hanging branches. Keep an eye out for dropped sheds near blowdowns as well as fences and anywhere deer may have to jump across as well.

I have found many sheds in these areas in the past and it told me volumes about the comings and going of a buck in the area. If you get a chance, follow a fresh track from a dropped antler- not only might you find the second antler for a set, but it will also tell you a lot about the habits and runs that buck is using to travel. Several times I’ve done this very thing and it surprised me how close that big boy was travelling in relation to where my ground stand or tree setup was located; hidden secondary routes are plain a day now. I have used this very method in the new season that very next season to take several deer using secondary runs that parallel main travel routes.

The big takeaway? They were using the secondary routes with cover in the daylight and main runs primarily after dark. And don’t forget to take your bow with you and stump shoot as you go! In addition, many small game seasons are still open and provide great opportunities for grouse, rabbits, and pheasant. Remember in some areas a set of snowshoes may be needed, I’ve used both cross country skies and snowshoes to reach some deeper areas or snowpacks that are tough to slog though, ​they are easy to pack in and out and a great source of physical hunting fitness.

So, get out there and get pushing through the snow and get ahead in your scouting game!
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