I have two pieces of property to check out and determine if I would be interested in hunting them. Both properties are located in southern to central Wisconsin. I will only have one day to scout both pieces. I was wondering what part of the summer should I get out there...now, mid-summer, or late summer? What should I look for...scrapes, rubs, trails, etc...? Any suggestions or advise would be appreciated! Thank you!
Since from what i've read the archery season comes in September 13th the bucks still might be in velvet and hopefully on their summer patterns. This might work in your favor. I would go in about 2 or 3 weeks before the season and look for any sign you can find. Look for trails leading to where they are feeding and setup stands on those trails. Also if you can stay to dark at the property watch some ag fields to see where they are coming in and going out of the field. Hopefully since they might still be on their summer patterns then you could possibly hunt over the field edge too.
Your best bet is to get out there now to mid summer... Scrapes and rubs will be from last year so I would focus on finding trails going to/from local food sources. If the properties have fields, you can glass them from a distance in the evening.
Focus on trails and for the next few weeks look for beds. I would stay out of bedding areas after the second week in July, but others may say sooner. Look for transition in the woods: i.e. Where thick brush meets more open hardwoods, or where hardwoods meet swampy bottoms, or even ridges and hill tops. Any terrain or landscape change seems to attract deer and the trails seem to be right on the edges of those types of terrain changes. It's not too often I've found good trails just wandering through wide open hardwoods. I've never been to Wisconsin so I'm not too sure what you have there as far as forest type or terrain, but l try to focus on those transitions here in New England. EDIT: Also, I treat my scouting days like I treat my hunting days. I wear clothes washed in scent-free detergent, I shower with scent-free soap first, and I try not to touch too many twigs (I have a bad habit of breaking of the ends of branches and fiddling with them while I walk...subconsciously). The way I see it is even though they will still smell your presence, and step you can take to minimize your disturbance will be worth it. The summer of 2012 I was religious about this and had a very productive year. The summer of 2013 I was lazy and wasn't able to get a buck with a bow and saw significantly fewer bucks on camera. Might be coincidence, but I use it as motivation and take the extra precaution.
