Summer Scouting
Whitetail Deer
Since trailcams, probably not many summer scout anymore, but I've been out almost every evening the past couple weeks or so scouting fields trying to get an idea what's out there... Usually by this time of year you can see/tell what some of the mature bucks are going to look like... Seen a few bucks, but nothing mature or exceptional until this guy this evening... He's within range of one of my properties...
Sorry for poor quality pix, don't have a digiscope adapter for this cell phone...
Nice! He sure looks good! I think anyone who has ever scouted "the old fashioned way" already knows the value of it. 3 nights of scouting to me is worth about 60 trail cameras....and I don't own 60 trail cameras. So ya...
I started bowhunting in 1956 & "always" walk/scout my hunting area every year.. With crops in our area they change patterns during harvest many times. Nothing beats finding that slightly used trail that a Buck prefers.. So much knowledge is gained from "a walk" & "looking" at what "is" there that a camera never shows.
I hunt public land so no trail cams for me.
Got another look at this guy the other evening, he's a 10-point...
The Little Muddy floods and trail cam gets two buddies taking a dip at my farm in Perry County Illinois.
Thanks a cool photo Pete...
Was scouting yesterday evening and seen the 10-point again hanging with his buddy... Think its the 4th time I seen them together and yesterday took a little more time glassing the other buck to discover he a clean 3x3 with a very even symmetrical rack, and probably about the nicest 6-point I can remember ever seeing... Kinda unique and by no means a yearling basket rack...
Also seen something ya don't see often, 2 bucks sparring in full velvet... Both looked the same 2-year old age class and although it wasn't vicious battling, they were tinkling their racks together... Had seen it another time a few years ago in August with 2 mature bucks in velvet sparring like that but that was August 8th and assumed antlers hardened enough probably no feeling in them, but this was the first time I'd seen it in July... From what I had read, anthers in velvet are sensitive until they harden and then shortly shed the velvet... Although nearing the end always assumed they were still in the growth stage in July...
You guys got some nice bucks! Can't wait to get out to my buddy's farm in a couple weeks and sit on his hill and watch the deer come out in the evening into his big field.
That's interesting zbone- never heard of bucks sparing with velvet antlers....................
One time summer scouting I watched a buck absolutely thrashing some willow bushes in July. Full velvet rack. I killed him first sit of the year. Had a legitimate unicorn point. Not coming from any other base.
Scouting is now finding a tree for the cell camera and a place to drop the mineral block.
IMO there are serious whitetail guys today that scout the same way the serious whitetail guys scouted 20 years ago, except that those same serious guys have also adopted new tech into their arsenal.
The lazy camera scouters of todays world just plain didn't scout 20 years ago. They'd show up and hunt without scouting. Killers do what killers do and have always done, complainers do what complainers do and have always done. Times change, tech changes, but the one thing that doesn't change is that some people have more drive, determination and fortitude than the rest. Not putting anyone into any one camp. Same reason why the same 10% kill elk every year. At the end of the day humans are humans and it's what's between your ears and under your neck that will guide success. Whatever your definition of success is.
Off to a great start hear in Manitoba Canada
Apauls good point. I won't ever own a cell cam
