2015 Boot Leather to the Back of the Truck Thread---Scout to KILL

Pretty much my favorite setting to hunt them in these days, it's the ultimate cat & mouse out there because there are so many edges, islands, thickets, water crossings, etc. Finding their sign and often catching a glimpse of the deer is easier but being able to sneak in there and bow-hunt them is still very challenging. Just got access to the piece below last season and have scouted it some(heavy sign at lightning bolts) but I am looking forward to heading in there next week and really getting to scout and get a couple of stands in place. It's wet in there but the bugs and snakes aren't bad yet so I'm not complaining!

 

Man that is some great looking land. Looks like you found the majority of your heavier sign on the higher ground?

 

Yes they love any high(dry) ground be it a small shrub island or an actual pine thicket. For the most part they seem to like to hug the edges of the marsh and marsh pockets but when they bed in those islands at some point they have to cross open marsh. Those paths across the open marsh stand out like highways and are usually pretty wet but usually no more than knee/thigh high or lower(depending on the tide). Unless of course you find a hole then you can easily find yourself chest deep in water with the bottom 2 feet being "suck-mud". Basically it's that thick black marsh mud that tries to vacuum your boots off as you flail to pull them out. Good times

If you look close at the tip of the lightning bolt the furthest North you can see where a strip of pines crosses that smaller open marsh pocket. I don't wanna get too far ahead of myself but after walking that line I'm predicting good things from that spot!

I'll try and get some good photos if I get there Tuesday.

 

That spot looks great terrain wise and it also looks like it has a small cut of trees connecting to it through the marsh. Could be a deadly spot for cruising bucks.

 

50 degrees this am...perfect for scouting.

 

Had a good scout today. Unlike last time, where I don't think I found a single new stand area, I found a couple solid spots this morning. Found a dead head in a really unique position, a large 4 x 4 scrape, and one absolutely awesome stand site between bedding areas. Back at it tomorrow.

 

Had a good scout today. Unlike last time, where I don't think I found a single new stand area, I found a couple solid spots this morning. Found a dead head in a really unique position, a large 4 x 4 scrape, and one absolutely awesome stand site between bedding areas. Back at it tomorrow.

View attachment 57969 View attachment 57970 View attachment 57971 View attachment 57972 View attachment 57973 View attachment 57974

 

Do you hunt creek bottoms? Or do you check for heavy crossings then work back?

 

I usually try to work back toward a good spot where I can use the wind to my advantage. That being said, Ive started to experiment the last couple of years and when the time is right, I will hunt creek bottoms and have seen deer.

This morning I found an awesome skinny ridge pushed right up next to a pine thicket. I followed it down and found a great creek crossing. I don't think I will hunt it because of the high ridge on the other side. Anything coming off that other side will pick me off unless I am buried in thick cover and don't move much.

 

When is the right time to hunt the bottoms?

I've been eyeing up a extremely thick creek bottom but the bottom is only 40-70 yards wide with steep hillsides. Plan is to look for beds on the points but I suck at finding them.

 

If that creek bottom is the centerpoint to a bunch of terrain features coming together, you better believe bucks will be moving through there cruising. I killed a decent buck right after first light last year on a creek bottom. I killed one this year about two hours before sundown. The only problem ive found with those bottoms is it is hard to get a consistent wind. I've given up trying to be perfect on some of my hunts, and when the feeling is right and I feel the bucks are moving, I am moving in and hunting. I may have to give up 25% of the terrain because of my wind, but at least I am hunting in a spot where deer are actually moving and not sitting off in no mans land.

 

Back at it this morning. Scouting a new area. The more I drive these 50,000 acres and scout the more I realize it would take several lifetimes to know this place. It is fun.

 

Good scout this morning in a new area. The first two hours I didnt find much of anything other than trudging around for miles. Then I finally found a spot about 1000 yards in that looked outstanding. Gained one definite stand site and one average stand site.

 

Im really beginning to like high ground thickets with ravines running up into them. The deer seem to cut to the inside of the thicket at the top of the ravine. Ambush.

 

I'd love to scout with you Brett....not to sound

 

If you'd like to follow around an aging guy with a bum knee, yet hyperactive, i'd love to have you. hahaha. I really am trying to get back to my scouting basic roots this year. I lost it the last couple of years due to moving twice. A lot of guys are probably just like me...stressed out from a lot of work, family, and life. I feel guilty sometimes even leaving the house to scout, but once I get out there and just walk, and think, man I love it. I love it as much as hunting.

 

I am hunting a spot where I am having trouble deciding what wind to hunt. I have a wide open ridge of mature oaks. you can see probably 1000 yds. the deer love to feed there like an ag field. these oaks butt up to a 200 acre clear cut. I am sitting on the edge of the cut where the deer are entering and exiting. really excellent spot. but I am having trouble deciding if I should be hunting this spot when the wind is blowing into the cut where does are bedding. or if I should be hunting it when the wind is blowing out of the cut? I have seen deer there on both winds but have been wondering if I should be only hunting this when the wind is blowing into the cut or only when it is blowing out of the cut. what makes this hard is the does are bedding in the cut. then throughout the day the bucks are coming through the open oaks heading to this clear cut checking for does. if the wind is blowing into the cut I am good for the bucks but the does are winding me and vice versa. Help I'm caught in the crossfire!!! I try my best to hunt a parallel wind. I can not hunt a cross wind from either direction due to too many trails on this ridge. I try to hunt as high as possible and it seems to help any down wind situation. I guess I am in a great bad situation. lol

 

I would hunt a cross wind and sit on a corner of one of the edges of the things thicket and ridge. You are going to have to give up something if there are that many deer in the area, just spook as few deer as possible. Let the wind blow into a dead zone if possible. A very slight cross wind would do wonders. Do you have a map?

 

a sw wind will give me a slight crosswind that will let the wind go much higher then the deer as they will be just off the ridge a little lower than I am. i'll try it. as for location I am where you are suggesting already. i'll get a map asap. not great with a computer but i'll try! lol

 

Making a map with all my spots color coded and labelled for the right wind. By being organized this way it will save me time during the season. I am going to laminate the map with my notes on the back of it.

I didnt realize how many acres I scouted this year. Probably 400-500 acres. And I didnt just walk without a clue, I got into the mix and really thought it out. I hadn't done that for at least a couple of years due to my family and moving all over the place.

Come on 2015!