Best Time to Scout

bigbull1 · Jul 20, 2006

Going out this weekend for a first scouting, but when should you stop prior to the season? When is it to late to scout and risk pushing deer to secondary areas?

Ed

elkhutnAZ · Jul 20, 2006

I don't think that there is a bad time to scout, In arizona there is so many people that someone is going to push the deer so it might as well be you so you know where they like to hide and the escape routes they take.

cabinfever · Jul 20, 2006

Early August as their antlers are mostly done growing. And with their red coats you can spot them a mile away. I have also found mornings are the best time to scout.

Mike

patience · Jul 20, 2006

As long as you keep your distance I don't think there is a need to stop scouting. I scout the weekend before I hunt or the two days prior to opening day.

Dmanmastertracker · Jul 20, 2006

I usually scout muleys, so I don't even start until the end of September, since we hunt the middle of October. In my main area, I usually find bucks at the opener where I saw them in late September for the most part. I usually try and go after archery and muzzleload also, so that I'm not hunting an already shot buck...

idhunters · Jul 20, 2006

I'm hoping to scout a big bull right up to opening day and lay the hammer down on him. Sounds good in theory but much harder to do in practice.

I found a group of bucks in July 2 years ago and a couple weeks after we found them we bumped them out of their beds. Second day of season my buddy found the best one in the same area and whacked him.

Bumping them in the velvet/bachelor herds didn't scare them out of the area but when he shot that big one we didn't see any of them again. Be careful as they start to shed velvet and break out of their groups.

NMRaptor · Jul 20, 2006

For me, the closer to opening day the better.
-Raptor

fatrooster · Jul 20, 2006

For me I scout every chance I get any time of the year. Winter time tells me the potential and quality of the bucks in the area. Even if the big bucks traveled a great distance to migrate to the winter range there are still going to be offspring in the area from previous years and other previous bucks. Hot summertime tells me where the high mountain retreats of the bucks are. Last year I scouted a new area and prepared and set up camp in advance. On my way out sheep herders were herding about 2,000 sheep over the mountain and right through the area that I had scouted. It pushed the deer to thier hidey holes which I didn't figure out until towards the end of my hunt but this year I have the same tag and I am more educated. My favorite time of the day is at daylight but evening time is good too. Goodluck. fatrooster.