How close are you to 1 to 1 scouting/hunting time?

I admit for years that I did not scout very much. I just worked hard during the hunting season, not smart, just hard. Then my mindframe began changing 3-4 years ago and I realized that where I hunt and to be the kind of hunter that I envisioned, that I needed to scout almost the same amount of hours if not more than the hours I put into hunt each year.

Well this year might be the first time since 1992 that I will have actually scouted as much or more than I hunt, and in fact if you count in the time I have looked over maps I bet it would be much more time spent scouting than hunting.

So, how close are you to having a 1 to 1 ratio in terms of time spent scouting versus your actual predicted hunting time this year? I am not sure what this will do to my hunting success this year or in the upcoming years, but it sure is fun!

 

I am sure I scout more hours than I hunt. I have never documented it but by the time I factor in my shed hunting and summer spy work.. I would guestimate its 2-1 scouting to hunting time, maybe more. My work schedule plays well into my hand for scouting time.

 

Scouting, not even close. Prepping (not counting shooting), I would say is a 1 to 3 ratio, but I spend ALOT of time hunting. 2008 was 174 hours afield and 2009 was 177.

 

this will be my first year that my ratio will be at least 50/50, in the last few years my scout time has been 0% but my situation has changed and i have much more time and money to spend on my passion.

 

I would say I am more like 3:1 (scouting to hunting).

You can't elk hunt on public land without scouting a lot and expect to be successful. Now if you want to pay thousands to have someone else find the elk for you, that is a different story.

 

With family commitments I am not even close anymore, I use game camera's now to do my scouting

 

Not even remotely close.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I used to be able to ride around looking for deer or sitting out in the woods on nearly a nightly basis over the summer...then pretty much hunt daily too.
Now I will be lucky to get a handful of drives thru my hunting spot to scout.

 

I'm in the same boat as Germ. I do spend a lot of time scouting, but if it were not for family commitments I'd be out there much more. As it is I do as much scouting as possible and save my "Honey Passes" for actual hunting time.

 

I have an extremely fast paced, high energy family and wife so I have many commitments as well. However, I swtiched over to 12 hour shifts at work the past two years so I have many days off during the work week to scout after I drop my kids off at school/babysitter. It is a lot of fun and great exercise for the mind and body.

 

I probably spend about the same amount of time on both. I have a dog that loves scouting with me when the hunting season is over but the weather is still cold. He even helps find the trails.

 

Im not even close....I have barely any time scouting this summer...I did most of my scouting Jan. thru the end of Mar. and thats about it. I have not been out glassing, heck I dont even have a trail camera out yet! Pretty sad, I need to get going!

 

Like 3 to 1 in favor of scouting..

I don't hunt nearly as much as many of you.. about 70-90 hours is about it (20 of that behind camera).. TOPS. I'm a busy dude.. I don't have the time to waste while hunting. Not to mention my lands are like 6 hour drives.

Besides.. scouting is the best part of hunting.

Although.. this season it will be closer to 1 to 1.

 

"waste" is a harsh term. "time spent hunting isn't deducted from ones lifespan" in my mind anyway

 

Im right at 1-1 or slightly ahead on the scouting. Most of my family commitments are usually in the spring and summer months so im able to do alot of post season scouting and I agree with Duke, scouting rocks, I enjoy the hell out of it

 

uhh...

1 hour of scouting for every 20 hours of hunting? Maybe even 1 to 30.

 

I'm not even close and with 2 boys it could be a few years. With that being said I am glad
it is this way as some of you can tell by my postings and pics on facebook.

 

I actually wouldn't enjoy my hunting if I had a 1 to 1 scouting to hunting time....granted i'd be more successful but I just wouldn't want to put in that much time in the offseason.

Now if I lived out west I'd love to scout in that terrain, but flying out west for a summer scouting trip isn't an option no matter how cool it sounds.

 

I think you're taking the choosen words to seriously dude.

It's just a term I would use. No harm meant to you personally.