Weekend Woodsmen Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 This method of scouting has helped us a ton! It takes the guess work out, and saves you from having to remember all the details from year to year. What do you think about it? Do any of you do anything like this? [video=youtube;SADqw7tsnDk] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 After he said we need a GPS I didn't go any farther. I know my land and where the deer run, bed, and what crops they are feeding on. Cue in on what they feeding on and that's where Im going to be. I could use one for waypoints on a lake for a hot spot, like up on Winnie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend Woodsmen Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 That's exactly why we had a GPS to begin with! We do a lot of fishing on Lake Erie, then this year we started getting some new spots to hunt that are new to us, so we gave this a try in order to get the lay of the land if you will. We had a few spots that we hunted for a long time, and you are right, no need to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Could see where it may help on a big tract of public land.... Friend of mine had one on his boat, everytime we hit a walleye he would hit a waypoint..pretty soon he had a line that he could follow when trolling..when we got to those waypoints...WHAM...FISH ON! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend Woodsmen Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Could see where it may help on a big tract of public land.... Friend of mine had one on his boat, everytime we hit a walleye he would hit a waypoint..pretty soon he had a line that he could follow when trolling..when we got to those waypoints...WHAM...FISH ON! Oh yeah, we definitely do that for Walleye too! I tired to explain how the tracks function worked to my dad for walleye fishing (he drives the boat), but he still thinks that his crossing the way point from any direction rather than lining it up in the same line is good enough. Haha, needless to say, we argue a lot! From a hunting perspective, it is definitely most useful when you are coming into larger plots of land that are unknown to you. This year we got permission on some larger pieces that we had never set foot on before, so between the fact that our biggest previous piece of property was like 20 acres and having multiple 70+ acre areas to tackle, we couldn't keep it all straight in our head. I think it is most valuable for those days when you are game planning, print all these things out, lay them on the floor and you don't have to imagine, it is all right in front of you. My buddy and I would always waste a bunch of time trying to explain where we were talking about versus with this method you can just point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 My buddy and I would always waste a bunch of time trying to explain where we were talking about versus with this method you can just point! I can certainly relate to that!!! My buddy has a problem visualizing the lay of the land when I'm trying to explain where & why I like a certain position. No problem if he has a map to look at. Over the years I've learned some people have that problem & some don't. Same with topo maps...most people see a bunch of squiggly lines. I don't...I see hills, ridges, bottoms, saddles, spurs off ridges, etc. I can certainly see how this method would be very helpful for many hunters that have a problem putting the puzzle together. I really don't have that problem but I'll admit the majority of hunters do. This method would require hunters do a lot of postseason footwork. I have no problem with that but the vast majority of hunters don't even think much about stomping the woods until they're getting close to deer season or even during it. That's the time when hunters need to be stealthy...not stomping all over the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend Woodsmen Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I can certainly relate to that!!! My buddy has a problem visualizing the lay of the land when I'm trying to explain where & why I like a certain position. No problem if he has a map to look at. Over the years I've learned some people have that problem & some don't. Same with topo maps...most people see a bunch of squiggly lines. I don't...I see hills, ridges, bottoms, saddles, spurs off ridges, etc. I can certainly see how this method would be very helpful for many hunters that have a problem putting the puzzle together. I really don't have that problem but I'll admit the majority of hunters do. This method would require hunters do a lot of postseason footwork. I have no problem with that but the vast majority of hunters don't even think much about stomping the woods until they're getting close to deer season or even during it. That's the time when hunters need to be stealthy...not stomping all over the woods. Couldn't agree more! It's funny how many hunters wait until a week before the season before getting out there. I have done it too, but definitely is not the way to go, we learned it the hard way when deer were nocturnal within a few weeks of the season starting! Also, if I start saying things like North East or South West, and I might as well be talking greek! We are giving it a shot and hopefully after we use it for a while it will be more a matter of tweaks and the leg work will drop off considerably. That should reduce pressure all around! I am with you though, I enjoy doing anything hunting related, so the work doesn't bother me one bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WStreblo Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Me and technology are not friends. You hand me a gps and I'd prolly throw it over the hill. I put boots on the ground and study a lot of aerial maps and topography maps to get a view of the land. I'm sure I'd love to learn the functions of a gps or other technological advances but... The capability wasn't bred into me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend Woodsmen Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Me and technology are not friends. You hand me a gps and I'd prolly throw it over the hill. I put boots on the ground and study a lot of aerial maps and topography maps to get a view of the land. I'm sure I'd love to learn the functions of a gps or other technological advances but... The capability wasn't bred into me That style will get the job done as well! What time of year do you do the majority of your scouting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WStreblo Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 I don't believe I ever really stop scouting. During turkey season I'm watching the deer, what they are eating where they are bedded, what times they enter and leave fields. When I'm out looking for coyotes I still watch the deer, but I do slow down some in the summer when it's really hot. I will hang cams on some creek trails and watch travel patterns to water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrown Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 I'd use topo maps too. GPS is good, in fact I have a Trimble unit sitting on my desk now. Here's a question, how much scouting is too much? My philosophy is, big bucks do not get big for being stupid! I don't even use stands the majority of the times, cause I got sick of deer walking under and looking up! I have a couple of designated trees I climb and sit in the fork of. Seems like the deer have NO CLUE once you start tree hopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 (edited) Here's a question, how much scouting is too much? My philosophy is, big bucks do not get big for being stupid! Depends on when and what you're doing scouting. Post season scouting can show you a lot. Scouting that far in advance of the next season isn't going to bother them. Glassing fields from a distance as the season approaches or even during it isn't going to bother them either. I personally don''t like to go stomping through the middle of a timbered area or bedding area within it scouting close to or during the season. If I do any scouting within the timber during the season, I prefer do do it during midday hours. I also pick and choose small areas I want to check out after 1st looking at a topo map & aerial photo to minimize disturbance. It's only on rare occasions I even do that anymore. The only exception would be hunting a new piece of property or a do it yourself hunt trip where you don't have the opportunity to check out the property before setting foot on it to hang stands & hunt. Even then I 1st check my maps and scout where the maps indicate I should find funnels and hubs of trails. I don't even use stands the majority of the times, cause I got sick of deer walking under and looking up! I have a couple of designated trees I climb and sit in the fork of. Seems like the deer have NO CLUE once you start tree hopping! I'll never hunt in a tree anymore without a stand. Too dangerous for me and too uncomfortable to hang in there for a long time. If I choose my sets with cover in mind and how the deer use the trails approaching the set, I don't have a problem with deer pegging the stand. On familiar ground I hunt a lot on I also prefer to have stands set and lanes trimmed far in advance of the season. I also don't care to use climbers much at all. Your ability to have good cover around your stand using a climber is very limited, unless there's a small tree growing next to the tree your climbing providing cover. Edited March 31, 2014 by Rhino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend Woodsmen Posted May 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 I also don't care to use climbers much at all. Your ability to have good cover around your stand using a climber is very limited, unless there's a small tree growing next to the tree your climbing providing cover. You are right, we use climbers almost exclusively and we are always trying to find places that have other trees close by. One of our best spots has a small beech tree right next to the tree and we actually just trimmed branches around use when we got up there. Provides great cover because beech trees hold their leaves longer. It does limit you in places you can hang an effective stand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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