Page 29 of 29

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:56 am
by <DK>
Noreast10pt wrote:I was off work early today and near a property that I used to hunt, it was logged some this past winter but they left a few pockets of cover here and there, so I walked the military crest of the hill and found a few beds.

This one had a old rub on the tree next to it and some hair in it.
Image

Image

We got a quick rain shower this afternoon so it was quiet walking, coming out of a thick area I got within 15-20 yards from a smaller bull moose.

Image


:clap: Way to get after it! Cool looking beds!

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:58 am
by hunter_mike
Awesome scouting trip and moose encounter!

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 11:03 am
by medicsnoke
Left the house last night armed with a nice button up fire department logo shirt and my cute as a button 3 year old side kick. I had a list of about 7 farms I wanted to hit up for permission to hunt. I got lucky and the second place I stopped a girl came to the door that I knew from working at the local hospital. Her husband said he doesn't usually give permission but that since his wife knew me he would allow it. 80 acres of beautiful point filled ridge top that leads out into agriculture and a huge river bottom!!! I'm super stoked to put some boots on the ground....maybe Monday. TBC

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:28 am
by Clink
medicsnoke wrote:Left the house last night armed with a nice button up fire department logo shirt and my cute as a button 3 year old side kick. I had a list of about 7 farms I wanted to hit up for permission to hunt. I got lucky and the second place I stopped a girl came to the door that I knew from working at the local hospital. Her husband said he doesn't usually give permission but that since his wife knew me he would allow it. 80 acres of beautiful point filled ridge top that leads out into agriculture and a huge river bottom!!! I'm super stoked to put some boots on the ground....maybe Monday. TBC


Gotta love it.

BTW, awesome buck in your avatar. Something about I just can't stop looking at it. Nice character.

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 12:29 pm
by Jonny
Fishing was bad today so my dad and I took a detour to look at a buck only area near the cabin. He wants to bowhunt it more since there will be less pressure there than normal. No problem for me.

Anyways hiked back a mile to his stand he loves and I was actually surprised by the amount of sign in the area. Lots of rubs, scrapes, digging and acorns were falling. Not a lot but enough.

Went to check out an area I hunted and specifically the edge where hardwoods meets poplars and swamp. 3 edges coming together. Sign didn't blow me away, but I found one very fresh bed under a tree, though it was a smaller body. I'm assuming a satellite bed since it was right in front of all the thick wet stuff.

Wind today is the same forecasted for Saturday. Going to go in and bump that bed and set up for the wind near that bed. Only have 2-3 trees I will feel comfortable getting my assault in. The climber would never work there and that's why it's going to collect dust this season.

Not excited about bumping the bed, but I don't think I will be close enough without doing so. Going to get in early, try to spook the deer out without it winding me, and set up. Should be fun 8-)

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:51 pm
by Wannabelikedan
Took a mile kayak ride up a local creek this afternoon. Was hoping to get into a little more remote stuff and find some southerly wind bedding. Area has some steep bluffs that drop into wetland type stuff. Did find a couple beds but none looked like anyone's been home lately or had any big buck sign.

Wasn't real pumped about the area but I still hung a camera on an exit trail that tied into the main trail running the bluff base. It transitioned into some thick low land willows so who knows maybe it will pick up something later when the hunting pressure starts. Got a hunch that the lowland willows might be the ticket here if water levels stay low through the season. Popular area for the duck hunters though so it may be a bust no matter what. All spots can't be great and the scouting never ends!

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:54 am
by Jonny
Jonny wrote:Fishing was bad today so my dad and I took a detour to look at a buck only area near the cabin. He wants to bowhunt it more since there will be less pressure there than normal. No problem for me.

Anyways hiked back a mile to his stand he loves and I was actually surprised by the amount of sign in the area. Lots of rubs, scrapes, digging and acorns were falling. Not a lot but enough.

Went to check out an area I hunted and specifically the edge where hardwoods meets poplars and swamp. 3 edges coming together. Sign didn't blow me away, but I found one very fresh bed under a tree, though it was a smaller body. I'm assuming a satellite bed since it was right in front of all the thick wet stuff.

Wind today is the same forecasted for Saturday. Going to go in and bump that bed and set up for the wind near that bed. Only have 2-3 trees I will feel comfortable getting my assault in. The climber would never work there and that's why it's going to collect dust this season.

Not excited about bumping the bed, but I don't think I will be close enough without doing so. Going to get in early, try to spook the deer out without it winding me, and set up. Should be fun 8-)


Here is a visual of what I was talking about. Pink shows my old stand where I would always hear deer, but never see them, brown in where I will be saturday unless the wind is not out of the south. Pretty confident the bedding is wind based since all the oaks (assumed food source at the moment) is to the south of the bedding. Found a fresh, not heavily used bed on a south wind day. First warm day in awhile :think: same wind for opening day. That was the satellite bed I will most likely bump setting up, but won't be in the game without it.

Image

White is the movement I saw over the course of two seasons hunting that stand. Saw some beautiful bucks. Always went into or out of that area. Green is the obvious transitions, orange is a soft transition. I call it that because its a gradual change. Not abrubt. Where I will be hunting is in between the two orangeish lines. It's open, but swampy. Once you get to the west of the orange line, it is extremely thick, and where I am assuming the bedding is. Whole corridor is about 30 yards wide so if a deer comes out of the bedding area, I should have a crack at it.

Really the reason I am showing this, is this is what I can figure out after a couple seasons scratching my head at why deer are doing something, finding the beast, figuring out the why, and taking a two hour walk with my dad to confirm. Red is an old logging trail we walk in on. Once I am off the trail, the stealth mode begins.

One last thing. A climber is about as useful as a scent lok suit where I will be sitting. :lol:

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:12 pm
by JAK
I was really excited to pull my last camera remote bedding area adjacent to a oak flat I have to kayak to get into on the way in acorns were dropping raising my excitement even more.. So I get to where my camera is or I should say was dang thing is gone and a trail cut through the brush wide enough to walk side by side through just beat to the mud.. I'm thinking bear baiters.. Lesson learned no matter how remote you think a spot is can't let your guard down. :naughty:

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:52 pm
by hunter_mike
JAK wrote:I was really excited to pull my last camera remote bedding area adjacent to a oak flat I have to kayak to get into on the way in acorns were dropping raising my excitement even more.. So I get to where my camera is or I should say was dang thing is gone and a trail cut through the brush wide enough to walk side by side through just beat to the mud.. I'm thinking bear baiters.. Lesson learned no matter how remote you think a spot is can't let your guard down. :naughty:


Very similar thing happened to me last yr around this time. Not as remote but i had a cam next to a small pond. A trail was cut straight line frm the road to the pond and camera was gone. Im thinking the trail was waterfowl hunting related.

Re: 2017 SCOUTING REPORTS

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:15 am
by hunter_mike
Been out walking a few times this past week, just looking at sign. This morning I was doing a test run of setting up my stand and sticks. Made a few mental notes of a couple items to fix up a bit better.

The area I walked into this morning to practice had just tons of acorns. They were dropping like rain. Tons of deer tracks and actually a couple big rubs from last season. Struck me as a good spot for an inventory trail cam and I may just do that soon. Though I may wait till after our opener this weekend to avoid the rush of potential thieves.