Scouting in January ?

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Jerky,mmm.
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Scouting in January ?

Unread postby Jerky,mmm. » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:52 am

I’ve been out walking the swamps. I’ve found some beds in some areas, mostly I suspect doe bedding. I’m not really finding bedding or tracks near areas where this years rubs are. I’ve been going pretty deep into the areas.
What I’m wondering is:
During winter, are the deer (even bucks) herding up near food sources. Since the pressure is off, are they trying to conserve energy and hanging out closer to food?

While walking the transition lines I kept reminding myself, “I’m not looking for deer. I’m looking that mature buck that values safety, even over easy food.”

Should I be paying more attention to heavy rub areas as locations to scout during better/other times?


Jerky,mmm.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby Jerky,mmm. » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:55 am

I should also add, by food I mean you can’t go more than a few miles without finding a corn field that didn’t get harvested last fall.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby dan » Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:03 am

Yes, right now in Minnesota I would expect deer (bucks included) to be grouped up near food.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:15 am

Killed my buck due to such a scenario. A good lasting snow cover and very low temps (for here) for an extended period. It was also windy.

Located a ditch that is pretty thick and secure being logged in the recent past. It was in the sun and completely sheltered from the wind. There were fields on the top. One being a small cornfield. I knew that ditch would have deer in it.

Sent my buddy in and I was waiting in the next ditch over. It was like a zoo. I've never seen so many shooter bucks in my life. Plus doe, coyote and fox lol. It was crazy.



Depending on the winter, winter scouting can be tough.

But, it CAN be huge if you get similar conditions during the season...you have some good Intel.. depending on if the food changes or not.


I had similar findings in a Marsh I scouted and now hunt. I couldn't find the bedding. Went back right as the snow was about burnt off and was walking right to the buck beds. Could still see them though they weren't being used recently..rubs and depressions in the vegetation.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby JAK » Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:07 am

I think anytime u can get out is a good thing I've been seeing what you explained. But I'm looking for where they were during season not right now. It can be tough to see beds but this year's we haven't had much snow and beds r still visable
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby Jerky,mmm. » Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:10 am

mauser06 wrote:
But, it CAN be huge if you get similar conditions during the season...you have some good Intel.. depending on if the food changes or not.


I had similar findings in a Marsh I scouted and now hunt. I couldn't find the bedding. Went back right as the snow was about burnt off and was walking right to the buck beds. Could still see them though they weren't being used recently..rubs and depressions in the vegetation.


I did find some old beds, matted grass, etc. A lot of those were on the edge of the high ground. I wasn’t finding much off the points, out in the isolated high spots in the marsh.

I need to figure out better ways to document my findings. Right now it’s so much information and I don’t know how to interpret it all. Obviously a journal is a good idea, but I’d like to print maps and such to write and mark in the field. I don’t really like using the phone, as taking off the gloves isn’t great in winter. Also, battery freeze is an issue, I’d rather keep the phone warm and spot check gps or save for an emergency.
I guess I need to scout and plan, before I scout... :think:
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby BAS4109 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:17 am

I scouted a swamp today and it was void of fresh tracks. There was a lot more fresh sign a month ago. It was awesome to be able to walk on the ice though. I got right where I wanted to be easily.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:47 am

Not sure if you can still find deals...black Friday and thereabouts, Cabela's in particular had deals on good Garmin GPS units.

In the cold, I run lithium batteries and a stylus for the touch screen (my GPS is one of the Oregon..I think it is... touch screens)

I mark what I deemed significant and put a note with the mark...


If I find bed entries/exits, good trails, good rub lines that appear well traveled and used annually etc, I will start a track and save it.


I'm sure there is a way to upload the data on to a computer...I just haven't gotten that far.


I never thought I really needed a GPS....till I got one....now, it's clipped to me anytime I'm out...even if I'm fishing or something "not related". Never know when you'll stumble into something great.

IMO, a worthy investment.


I have stuff marked in 3 states. I have stuff marked I've never been back to...I've used the marks to "go in blind" in places I marked stuff while I was cool hunting or fishing or scouted real briefly and happened to be passing by for whatever reason.. sometimes I travel for work or whatever and know I might get off early enough for a hunt but not in time to get home..
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:55 pm

I love scouting with snow really shows me how deer travel and puts me on primary bedding. then I go back after snow melt and count poop to see how often a spot is used I figure a deer goes 4 or 5 times a day I count all the piles and compare it to other spots more poop more usage. then I can forget about the other beds and dial in on the hot stuff. take note of the big stuff too.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby Bedbug » Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:14 am

When scouting MN swamps this late in January im paying little attention to current deer tracks and movement. There bed to food patterns change drastically by mid January. Especially in swamps
I take the opportunity to get in to the swamps and see where their in season bedrooms are. I would not be one bit discouraged if you're not physically finding the deer.
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ghoasthunter
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:48 am

Bedbug wrote:When scouting MN swamps this late in January im paying little attention to current deer tracks and movement. There bed to food patterns change drastically by mid January. Especially in swamps
I take the opportunity to get in to the swamps and see where their in season bedrooms are. I would not be one bit discouraged if you're not physically finding the deer.

I agree its important to be able to age sign when this circumstance is present some areas can have major swings in where beds are threw out the season deer avoid ice if possible if they are in swamps its going to be in drier bedding areas near food. that don't get rapid drops and raises in water levels creating that false ground ice pocket that you fall threw while walking. if you track them in snow you will see them make abrupt turns avoiding those sections. sometimes you can find very big bucks that refuse to leave the swamps they typically bed right on top of some form of food. for my areas its often water cress near a swamp spring wax myrtle patches on edge cover or a lone clump of beach trees that still have nuts they can dig in winter. I call it the hermit buck pattern I also see this pattern with beach trees in early October holding very old bucks.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby Tim H » Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:39 am

Yesterday I did 4 hours of scouting. I checked out some areas I’ve never been before and didn’t find much. I found a bunch of rubs on a trail from what I’d guess 2.5 year olds. It seemed like a good area for deer to be but the sign wasn’t there. Lately I feel it’s been like this for a month. Almost like they are deep and herded up.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:10 pm

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:Yesterday I did 4 hours of scouting. I checked out some areas I’ve never been before and didn’t find much. I found a bunch of rubs on a trail from what I’d guess 2.5 year olds. It seemed like a good area for deer to be but the sign wasn’t there. Lately I feel it’s been like this for a month. Almost like they are deep and herded up.

I know in the Adirondacks they seem to yard up near the towns a lot of time also if you have moose around some big bucks will spend the winter with them letting them break trails of deep snow
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby Tim H » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:02 pm

ghoasthunter wrote:
NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:Yesterday I did 4 hours of scouting. I checked out some areas I’ve never been before and didn’t find much. I found a bunch of rubs on a trail from what I’d guess 2.5 year olds. It seemed like a good area for deer to be but the sign wasn’t there. Lately I feel it’s been like this for a month. Almost like they are deep and herded up.

I know in the Adirondacks they seem to yard up near the towns a lot of time also if you have moose around some big bucks will spend the winter with them letting them break trails of deep snow


When I don’t see the sign like I’d expect I think about a few things. One, perhaps there just isn’t a lot of deer per acre as I’d hope. Less deer, less sign. Another is that the deer have migrated to a food source more abundant. Maybe it’s further in the woods. Either way I think by me they are in a completely different pattern than the fall.
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Re: Scouting in January ?

Unread postby KLEMZ » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:11 pm

ghoasthunter wrote:I know in the Adirondacks they seem to yard up near the towns a lot of time also if you have moose around some big bucks will spend the winter with them letting them break trails of deep snow


ghoasthunter, that is unique information! You have only been a member here for a few weeks but have already made some great posts...keep them coming! The beast is full of talented hunters and I have a feeling another has just joined the ranks!


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