Scout Now for Early Deer Season!!

While some people prefer to wait until mid to late October before climbing into a tree, many don’t realize that they could actually be missing out on bucks who may reside on their farm only during early season.

Though it may seem premature, early-August through mid-September is a great time to start perusing your hunting grounds for mature bucks during their summer feeding pattern. The best place to do this is near likely food sources.  In Midwest farm country, deer are relying heavily on soybean crops, berries, clover & honeysuckle. Focus on these areas and you may get one step ahead of the deer of a lifetime.

For scouting purposes, it works best to get to a high vantage point; a place where you can see as far as possible. For this you will need quality optics, whether its binoculars or a spotting scope. This will help to identify where the bucks are entering and leaving the food source to and from their bedding areas - a vital factor in determining good stand placement for early season.

Don’t think this a time to get lazy with scent control.  You need to scout deer in the same way as you hunt.  Camouflage; scent control and rubber boots are all key components to helping you go unnoticed in the deer woods.  Remember, these bucks have been undisturbed for an entire season and will not tolerate human scent or foreign entities in their living room. Scent control is a MUST.

When you’re in the woods pre-season, whether scouting, clearing shooting lanes, setting stands, checking trail cams, etc., you need to “get in” AND “get out” with as little disturbance as possible.

Remember, the timber is a mature buck’s bedroom. If you come home tonight and your bedroom is ransacked, you’re gonna notice….. And so will he.