Boots on the Ground in Summer

[swiftni]

How late is too late for boots on the ground summer scouting? Found some decent looking bedding and would like to check it out before season, but I don’t want to get too much scent in there.

Would you just wait until you have a stand on your back to slowly scout your way in for a sit?

Fairly high pressure public swamp bedding (for reference).

[greenhorndave]

Seek and ye shall find…

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=61752

[Stingray713]

I’d go jump in there ASAP. If it’s worth hunting, it’ll still be worth it when season starts. If it’s not, better to find out now and not waste a day during season.

[swiftni]

Seek and ye shall find…

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=61752

Thank you! Sometimes I forget about that “search” feature.

[swiftni]

I’d go jump in there ASAP. If it’s worth hunting, it’ll still be worth it when season starts. If it’s not, better to find out now and not waste a day during season.

Would you go all the way in to the suspected bedding? Or scout the edges?

[Stingray713]

I’d check the edges, but I don’t want to leave without answering some basic questions.

Are deer using this area? When are deer using this area? Is this area being hunted by someone else? How would I hunt this area? When would I hunt this area?

If walking the edge doesn’t give me the answers, then I keep looking until I have them.

[swiftni]

I’d check the edges, but I don’t want to leave without answering some basic questions.

Are deer using this area? When are deer using this area? Is this area being hunted by someone else? How would I hunt this area? When would I hunt this area?

If walking the edge doesn’t give me the answers, then I keep looking until I have them.

Sounds like we are thinking along the same lines, thanks for the help!

[Stingray713]

I’d check the edges, but I don’t want to leave without answering some basic questions.

Are deer using this area? When are deer using this area? Is this area being hunted by someone else? How would I hunt this area? When would I hunt this area?

If walking the edge doesn’t give me the answers, then I keep looking until I have them.

Sounds like we are thinking along the same lines, thanks for the help!

No problem, good luck!

[swiftni]

I’d check the edges, but I don’t want to leave without answering some basic questions.

Are deer using this area? When are deer using this area? Is this area being hunted by someone else? How would I hunt this area? When would I hunt this area?

If walking the edge doesn’t give me the answers, then I keep looking until I have them.

Sounds like we are thinking along the same lines, thanks for the help!

No problem, good luck!

Glad I took your advice and got out there this weekend. One area looked like active doe bedding and the other is crossed off the list, saved myself a potential wasted sit. Also glassed up a nice one near one of the spots I found earlier this year.

[Stingray713]

I’d check the edges, but I don’t want to leave without answering some basic questions.

Are deer using this area? When are deer using this area? Is this area being hunted by someone else? How would I hunt this area? When would I hunt this area?

If walking the edge doesn’t give me the answers, then I keep looking until I have them.

Sounds like we are thinking along the same lines, thanks for the help!

No problem, good luck!

Glad I took your advice and got out there this weekend. One area looked like active doe bedding and the other is crossed off the list, saved myself a potential wasted sit. Also glassed up a nice one near one of the spots I found earlier this year.

Yeah man, I’ve never regretted going to learn more about a spot. Glad you got some good info.

[PK_]

I’d go jump in there ASAP. If it’s worth hunting, it’ll still be worth it when season starts. If it’s not, better to find out now and not waste a day during season.

Would you go all the way in to the suspected bedding? Or scout the edges?

Idk where you are or what habitat you hunt but in most places bucks are in summer bedding. You can go walk through all the good stuff right now without hurting anything.

My personal answer to your question is go scout if you feel you need to, I don’t care how close it is to season even if you screw up a spot, that is temporary, but the knowledge gained lasts forever.

[Tennhunter3]

If you don't have the intel you need get it.
Summer scouting is better then no scouting.

The hard part will be discovering which time of year the bed is used. And was a issue I ran into often my first beast season.

If it's in open oaks odds are it's a night bed these look great, big sign nearby but i havent seen bucks leaving them in daylight. .

Early season crop edge bedding ,shade field bedding if its high grass or thick edges transitions ,points near acorns.
This is what I would be looking for summer scouting. Thp ran into alot of this type of shaded field bedding in their early season hunts in Kentucky think it was their 2019 season.

Rut bedding downwind of does sometimes upwind thermal rise. Great to keep tabs on where you find doe bedding it stays the same most of the year.

Late season near whatever food is avaliable here often Greenbriar. And for me the hardest time to locate bucks they seem to change habits alot.

[rs2893]

I’d go jump in there ASAP. If it’s worth hunting, it’ll still be worth it when season starts. If it’s not, better to find out now and not waste a day during season.

Would you go all the way in to the suspected bedding? Or scout the edges?

Idk where you are or what habitat you hunt but in most places bucks are in summer bedding. You can go walk through all the good stuff right now without hurting anything.

My personal answer to your question is go scout if you feel you need to, I don’t care how close it is to season even if you screw up a spot, that is temporary, but the knowledge gained lasts forever.

PK,

That is a great point, think long term, sure scouting the area could hinder this year’s potential, however just think if you were to scout 2-3 new areas a year without stressing the short term impact, in 5 years you now have intimate knowledge of 10-15 locations!

Its exponential growth too because multiple factors compound one another.
1. You develop your scouting abilities
2. You see more features/situations that aid you in future situations
3. You increase your hunting options which means you have multiple options during different situations (wind, time of year etc)

Just like retirement, the sooner you start investing in your hunting locations, the sooner and larger that compound interest becomes.. I think Einstein said its the 8th wonder of the world.

[PK_]

I’d go jump in there ASAP. If it’s worth hunting, it’ll still be worth it when season starts. If it’s not, better to find out now and not waste a day during season.

Would you go all the way in to the suspected bedding? Or scout the edges?

Idk where you are or what habitat you hunt but in most places bucks are in summer bedding. You can go walk through all the good stuff right now without hurting anything.

My personal answer to your question is go scout if you feel you need to, I don’t care how close it is to season even if you screw up a spot, that is temporary, but the knowledge gained lasts forever.

PK,

That is a great point, think long term, sure scouting the area could hinder this year’s potential, however just think if you were to scout 2-3 new areas a year without stressing the short term impact, in 5 years you now have intimate knowledge of 10-15 locations!

Its exponential growth too because multiple factors compound one another.
1. You develop your scouting abilities
2. You see more features/situations that aid you in future situations
3. You increase your hunting options which means you have multiple options during different situations (wind, time of year etc)

Just like retirement, the sooner you start investing in your hunting locations, the sooner and larger that compound interest becomes.. I think Einstein said its the 8th wonder of the world.

You have just done an exceptional job explaining my approach for the last decade+

Sure I have some areas and some trips when I am trying to capitalize right away. But any property I plan to hunt frequently in the future, I am more interested in gaining the intel for long term. There are spots that have paid off for me over and over and over and over, even though I may have ‘blown them up’ the first year by being intrusive.