It’s late summer, and we’re all amped up ready to get in the blind, stand, or saddle with bow in hand. Sometimes though, our anxiousness can lead to mistakes during the summer, and however small, these mistakes could make or break our season. So here are some critical reminders, some Do’s and Don’ts for your summer scouting regimen.
Late Summer Scouting DO – Scout from your vehicle
WHY? Driving roads and glassing in the evening is a great way to see what bucks are in your area and do this non-invasively. The goal in the summer is to take inventory, and see quirks or patterns of certain bucks and make note of these for hunting season. You can find out a lot of information (entry and exit locations to food sources, size/age class of deer, how deer use a property or food source, etc.), with little effort, and no invasion. This is also when to start identifying potential shooters, so you don’t have to do this on moment’s notice when hunting, probably in a less than ideal situation (with buck fever setting in).
Late Summer Scouting DON’T – Get caught walking your hunting area
WHY? During the summer and approaching the season you will most likely just educate deer, spook them, and eliminate the chance some good bucks will stay there once fall hits and bachelor groups breakup. Too much intrusion into their safety zone, or near bedding areas, will likely push them onto neighboring less-pressured areas, and kill chances you have at them early in the season or even throughout the fall.
Late Summer Scouting DO – Scout with non-intrusive trail cameras
WHY? Trail cameras can be another great tool for taking inventory of your deer. Also, putting them in non-invasive areas like field edges, or other food sources is critical. Pick a place that you can easily get in and out without going through whitetail habitat, therefore leaving no scent, sound, or sight of your presence. Do not check these more than once a week, even if anticipation is killing you. This is counterproductive. The key is not to influence or change their behavior, which is very difficult to do as soon as you step onto their turf. Also consider placing them in areas you can literally drive up to without stepping out of the truck. And, consider rubber gloves and possibly hip boots or waders if your clothes will touch brush or grass as you check them.
Late Summer Scouting DON’T – Scout with intrusive trail cameras
WHY? It is tempting to put mineral attractants, or feed (if allowed in your state) deep in the woods or in or near bedding areas. Maybe you have a great stand back where you shot a bruiser years prior. Resist the temptation to do this. Unless it is a mobile camera you will probably just push deer out of the area and ruin the spot before hunting season even arrives. Stick to your edges where you can drive up, or walk easily. Most deer will visit these areas in visible light during the summer (for road glassing), and the trail camera takes night pictures, so there is no need to intrude.
Late Summer Scouting DO – Quick scouts, but only when necessary
WHY? Again, pressure before season can push deer out of your area. Ideally, you have your stands ready and set from scouting in the winter or spring. If not, a quick scout now might be necessary, but it is critical you do so with minimal invasion. Use a windy/rainy day to minimize your scent and noise footprint when scouting. It is crucial you employ sound concealment and scent concealment practices I’ve outlined in other articles (Read them both: Scent Concealment Regimen HERE, Sound Concealment Regimen HERE). Try not to invade bedding areas, and get in, and out, as quickly as possible.
Late Summer Scouting DON’T – Do long scouts in core areas
WHY? Noise and scent in these core areas can be killer. The longer you are in your hunting area, even the fringes, the more impact you will have. This impact should be seen as directly relating to your chances of success. Noises will be made that travel hundreds of yards into bedding areas. Scent will be left on trails, branches, and leaves. Your goal should be zero impact, a clean slate to start the year. The longer the brush is on the canvas, the more paint will be left, so get in and out quickly if you must.
Late Summer Scouting DO – Take inventory of your bucks
WHY? This could really come in handy throughout the year. In most cases, these deer, especially bucks, will change their areas and patterns before hunting season hits. But that’s not why you’re scouting now. Again, you are taking inventory and should take notes of quirky behaviors, really getting to know the bucks. They are individuals that all have their own habits and personalities. Where do they like to come from, bed, and travel? Where do they enter the field or food plot on certain winds? How many days between each showing in the plot, and how often do they show? Any detail you can notice, may be key information to helping harvest this deer later in the season when he shows up again (you hope), or even the next year or two. Look at your intel gathering as a long game, and string the pieces together of particular buck personalities until you have a clear plan to kill him. Intel now, is a part of that puzzle, so collect all the pieces you can. (BELOW: summer trail cam data gave key information that helped the author tag this 16 point in early November).
Late Summer Scouting DON’T – Expect your bucks to stick around for opener
WHY? Reality is most buck bachelor groups break up sometime in September, and each buck finds his own core area. Many times this takes bucks you’ve been seeing somewhere else, maybe miles away, and they “disappear.” Don’t fret, but keep what you’ve learned in mind, as deer many times return to their summer patterns/safe areas later in the season or during rut…when you’ll be ready for them!
Late Summer Scouting DO – Make a plan to kill a summer buck day 1
WHY? Just because the bachelor groups break up, and many deer move off to find their own area, this doesn’t mean some won’t stick around and make your hunting area their home. If there is a hot food source, this could mean continued action near it right up to opening day or later. So use your observations to make plans for a day 1 kill on that bruiser, while he’s still a little stupid from being in summer mode.
Late Summer Scouting DON’T – Prep to hunt summer patterns long
WHY? The summer hunt only works for a day or two usually. Deer catch on quickly due to you and other hunters, and as stated their patterns naturally change due to bachelor group breakup and food sources shifting. If you continue to hunt these areas, you will probably just end up frustrated. So, if you’re patterning and trying to kill a summer buck, it’s typically a one time deal so plan well to tag an early season slammer (Read about how to tag an early season slammer in detail HERE).
Pay attention to these summer details, and they just may pave the way for a great fall.
HIGH IQ Takeaways and Challenges:
- Analyze your plan for taking summer inventory and scouting – what could be improved to increase the quality of intel and decrease intrusion?
- Take the Deer IQ Test, and share it with a friend HERE
- Get a journal going like the DEERIQ Journal (a free download HERE to help you begin busting through limiting factors to be a greater deer hunter).
