Sorry for poor quality pix, don't have a digiscope adapter for this cell phone...
I live in an area where truck scouting is the most effective way. It's open country, the deer and elk are usually visible at prime times, and they are used to vehicles on the county roads, as long as you don't stop and stare at them.
Around here summer scouting is kinda pointless, however. Mule deer and elk seem to change their patterns a bunch from summer until the hunting seasons.
Matt
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...
That's interesting zbone- never heard of bucks sparing with velvet antlers....................
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.
