Using Maps and Scouting to Find Hunting Grounds Hi everyone, Last weekend I passed my bowhunting practical tests and just picked up my deer permits for the 2010 season - I'm very excited. I've hunted small game but this is my first big game season and first bowhunting. I'm going to be hunting state land this year and have started scouting to find good spots to setup for early season hunting in September and October. I was originally just focused on using a climbing treestand but have switched to planning for a blind - seems easier to use and could have my girlfriend join. Scouting is difficult because I've never had someone teach me to find deer but I do have a Search & Rescue background so am comfortable in the woods and tracking. Its a little like I'm stumbling around probably missing signs all over the place I'm focusing on a state game area where I found a small clearing with multiple beddings, droppings and deer trails through thicket. I don't think I bumped any deer when I found the clearing around 9am in mid-July. I marked the clearing with my GPS and then pulled it up in Google Earth overlaid with a topo map: Here's a plain topo of the same area: Being a new hunter I'd really appreciate your thoughts about choosing to hunt this location. I did spot 5 deer and a fawn grazing in a food plot to the North/NW of this location (outlined in red). I think the deer could also be traveling South/SW to feed and may even head to the river to the East. Should I expect deer to still use the clearing as a bedding area in September? Should I setup a blind near the small clearing or try to find a deer trail in open woods that might be used to reach the clearing? Do you see any natural choke points or other natural hunting spots on these maps? Sorry for the long first post - I've been doing a lot of thinking about this... maybe overthinking it too much
I would check out several locations like inside corners of crp or crop fields all season. these areas deer will find a path to cut the field corner for a shortcut because their not going to follow the L shape of the timber. also pay attention if there are other tree stands in the area. I have hunted public land before during the week and found literally 50 stands within a 200 yard area, which meant those people hunted the weekends. sometimes it's best to walk far away from the parking areas to get away from the crowd.
damboyer--those are some sweet maps! How did you get that overlay to look so nice on Google Earth? I would really like to print off some maps like that and laminate them for the upcoming season. Here are some places I would check out. Welcome dam!
it looks like there is a filter going from the bedding area to the crops. i would sit by the crop field for the afternoon hunt and then find a different location for a morning hunt
After berifly looking at it my novice topo opinion is....At the very bottom where the creek is there is a narrow patch of woods thats connects the two bigger woodlots not to sure whats behind it but deer should use that, set up on the steep part of the hill once you find the trails there
The circle with red x inside is an inside corner I would look at plus it is a good terrain related funnel as well, could be an awesome spot depending on pressure the property receives. Red lines are terrain/cover related funnels I would look at. Blue lines are potential bedding spots. How did you get the topo overlay like that on Google Earth?
