Scouting - Where to start? What to look for?

Good morning all!

New to the forum, and this is my first season hunting.

Though, I'm generally an experienced outdoorsman, I am still very green when it comes to hunting and tracking. I've had a successful goose hunt (though it was mostly setting up decoys and sitting in a corn field for a couple of hours). However, I'm much more interested in walking in the bush and tracking small and/or big game.

At this point, I've gone out in the bush a few times looking for rabbits, hare and grouse, but no luck. I have general knowledge of finding game trails, but that's about it. I'll find myself in the middle of the bush, not knowing the best course of action. With that said, I'm curious to know if anyone has particular scouting techniques. Some of my questions include: What do you look for? What would be a good place to mark? What times to you go out? Is it best to be on the move or stay still? Etc etc.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

For deer, the best place to start would be to read 'Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails' by Eberhart, the second place to start is Google Earth Pro to get an idea of the terrain and local agriculture. Generally speaking scouting is done post season but if you have not got a spot in mind currently then you could 'scout hunt' by starting out in the morning on foot to find active sign, when you find some get set up in ground blind or tree stand and hunt it that evening by staying downwind and staying still. Deer have an amazing ability to pick out movement.

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Originally Posted by tangdre

Good morning all!

New to the forum, and this is my first season hunting.

Though, I'm generally an experienced outdoorsman, I am still very green when it comes to hunting and tracking. I've had a successful goose hunt (though it was mostly setting up decoys and sitting in a corn field for a couple of hours). However, I'm much more interested in walking in the bush and tracking small and/or big game.

At this point, I've gone out in the bush a few times looking for rabbits, hare and grouse, but no luck. I have general knowledge of finding game trails, but that's about it. I'll find myself in the middle of the bush, not knowing the best course of action. With that said, I'm curious to know if anyone has particular scouting techniques. Some of my questions include: What do you look for? What would be a good place to mark? What times to you go out? Is it best to be on the move or stay still? Etc etc.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

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Hunting small game without a dog well you got to be the dog. That means usually kicking around the nastiest stuff you can find. Don't be discouraged not being able to shoot if you see game but do make a mental note where you made contact. Eventually you can make stealthier approaches on those spots as creatures tend to be where you find them.

To add to what FFF said, I'll also concentrate on places you wouldn't find your average hunter. Put on your waterproof boots and go a bit deeper and the odds improve. Learning when to slow down and pay attention takes time in the field. The pattern will show itself once you've flushed a few animals from hiding.

Sent you a PM

Lot depends on what game can be found in the area you want to track. Know the difference between tracks ( dog, fox, yote, wolf ) each track has different features to look for. Follow a track it will teach you more than any book. Start with a yote track lots around to easy find and follow it. Once a yote knows you are tracking him it will try to lose you. It may jump off to a one side, back track, follow tracks of other animals or trails that are hard packed and leave no tracks for you to follow. If you lose the track then you missed something he did. You will find lots of tracks doing this and you will find what a thick dirty swamp is.
Best is to track in a fresh snow fall with little to no wind and when the snow stopped falling about couple of hours before daylight. Then the tracks with be fresh and fewer tracks. If you try tracking with no new snow there will be too many tracks to follow the yote you started with. Have fun it's a game to see who is smarter.

https://youtu.be/qQsivFgvBAY

https://youtu.be/OguefTZ_S_k(only good if you have topography in area )


https://youtu.be/S2QfAiBdwMI


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