Scouting

[extreme1]

Since this Archery thread is barely being used, I thought I would chime in. Has anybody out there been in the woods yet? I have been shooting my bow and thinking about it, but I have yet to slide out in the woods yet. I put the batteries in my new trail camera the other day and was thinking about trying it. Our season here in MN starts in about 6 weeks, but you can never start scouting too early. Just trying to drum up some conversation.

[ziert]

If anyone who needs this material wants to correspond privately: richardziert@yahoo.com

Scouting: By: Rischard Ziert, 8/2008, About 1,200 words.

Permission to hunt Private Land can be tricky. With both Private, or Public Land, start with Topographical Maps of the chosen area and any DNR publications available. Also look into County Maps and local Platt Books. Platt Books will tell you who owns the land. If these are unavailable, check with the county registrar’s office or local police for land ownership. Check the phone book or telephone 411. Call or write to the owners, even physically visiting the property if you have to, explaining you intent. Getting to know the landlord better and better, developing good chemistry between you and them is your best approach.

Ask the owners entire family out to lunch or dinner assuring them of a demonstration your integrity and offering payment of one sort or another. That payment can be monetary. Then again, it can be that you would work at there property under their supervision. When permission is granted, remember the land owner just before opening day by delivering a personal gift of one sort or another, or having it delivered for you with a note of gratitude. These gifts should start with such things as a 5 pound box of good chocolate or other candy, or a substantial fruit or sausage basket, or something you’ve discovered they need around the house. If you want to go an extra mile, remember the owners’ children with something they would like. Then, always offer some of the game taken from the property. . . When ever visiting, leave only good feelings and footprints behind.

Both game animal as well as human needs, and immediate opportunity, are core elements to living. So too should they be the cornerstone to scouting property. We need to get in touch with the workings of nature as they exist.

Currents push the web of life. Follow the currents, the migrations, the changes, the shadows, the patterns overall, however they are formed; opportunity for survival will be there. Survival, moreover life, consists of birth, finding food, safe travel routes and havens, mating, and even death. The higher aspirations, sometimes unconscious direction, are also there as respects education, playtime, as well as something that is handed down from previous generations to insure the future.

Look to historical and seasonal wind direction, patterns to most abundant food, patterns to favorite food, watering holes, high and low bedding and feeding areas, and animal maturity as they all come into their own season. Notice changes in flora and fauna; looking for real, vacated, and reasonably imagined animal activity as you go. Know that air rises during the day and sinks at night. Learn the effects of the weather on game. Keep in mind that movement is the only thing that destroys good camouflage.

In all types of terrain the effect of wind and current/change create visual , smell, and sound turbulence on several levels. This same turbulence creates an uncertain camouflage, dappled or flicker texture to light penetration and sound resonance. Unnatural location odor, even unnatural seasonal smells can cause alarm. In open terrain the sight effect is far reaching. In heavily forested areas the sight trigger can be overtaken by sound. Smell travels on the wind. At the edges, and in this mottled environment, game animals are able to set up, and move around more undetected, and safe from harm.

Experience tells us to look for changes, the difference in game trails, or low light surroundings, to find other situational life style triggers. Transition edges, like those of tree lines, dirt and plant composition , those easy game highways to and from areas of interest, scrapes and rubs, and even the available light of the season, and mating urges, are forms of functional triggers. We would do well to learn as much as possible about game lifestyles.

Note where suspected travel patterns come together with shadow under low light conditions of any kind, and activity is fresh. Find “food”, and “cover “ along or near the confluence of these changes, and you’ll find the triggers we are looking for.

Incomplete List of Forage: (Legal Baiting Aside)

• Clover, and or Alfalfa • Indigenous Tree Leaves

• Acorns • Corn

• Oats • Sun Flowers or Millet

• Soy Beans • Legumes/Peas/Peanuts

• Apples • Berries

Refer to agricultural planting guides to determine when food sources come into full ripeness. Allow yourself a few weeks either side of normal to determine actual local events.

In addition to the above, any natural or artificially generated current - shade/change creates the same situational environment for that something that must exist in order for something else to happen. They are leads to game animal activity. For example extensive Victory Gardens are a magnet for feeding game.

Remember to think about different things that can cause a broad definition of current, shadow, and anything else that makes something pass from one state to another; change to one degree or another. Even partly cloudy or windy days where the Sun peaks in and out rhythmically can be considered not only shadow camouflage, but ebb and flow of activity.

You will be pleased to do your scouting seasonally for another reason. Habits do change, but safe havens are not forgotten. Remember, when the first bullets of the season fly, animal travel patterns will be altered. They will go with what is remembered as a route to those safe places of another season. For this reason, find the most and the least accessible ways to entering and moving through your chosen area. Your quarry, or other unfamiliar hunters, will not make it easy on you. Using your topographic, county maps, and Platt Books if available, draw an overlay map covering, and noting each feature.

I suggest you start with what you feel to be the best 1/8 mile radius of land you know of, and use a GPS plus note pad once in the field and as you go. Then, back off to the next connecting piece of the same property; increasing your radius in manageable increments. I would recommend at least a 2 mile radius by the time you are done. Start with the topographic maps easiest routes noted by funnel land breaks leading to other promising features. Keep in mind no paper plan ever works in practice. Confirm kitchen table map findings in the field. Pick the most promising spots and set up trail cameras. Transfer all findings and practical use/confirmation to a single source of information.

Yes, it's work; a labor of love. From 4 -6 months before the season plan on spending at least 2 days a month in the field devoted to this work. The month before the season, make the trips once a week covered with scent eliminator. Take this time to set up natural looking blinds/stands accordingly. Trim limbs/saplings in at least 3 shooting lanes from each stand. Measure yardage, placing distance shooting and trail markers. Remember, it will most likely be dark when traveling to and from your blind. Remember also, elevated stands require greater height of vegetation removal. Two weeks before the season don’t go near the property. The day of the hunt, allow enough time to park you vehicle at the upwind perimeter of your area and walk in. If it’s too far for you to walk, take a Mountain Bike if capable. In position, you will leave the element of luck pretty much behind you. Based on your effort, you will have the confidence needed to be successful.

[Phil T]

Permission comes easier when you assure the host landowner you won't be bringing any of your friends with you.
We hate surprises, especially ones who don't respect the land they are hunting.

[ziert]

That, and not cutting fences, or damaging anything, or, or ,or, 's all a part of that integrity I spoke of Phil.

Actually, nobody should ever hunt or fish alone if they can help it.

[went522]

I was out last week. Wanted to check on a few sites that were set for logging last winter. I found some good activity on the edge of a cedar swamp, it was logged right to the edge of it. They've been using a few trails pretty hard, nice tracks, so I know there is potentially a good deer there. Checked a few other areas that were freshly logged, they looked promising as well. Headed back up in a few weeks to brush a few ATV trails and get stands set. Northern MN by Togo.

[extreme1]

Went; got to love that Northern Mn country!. I live in Grand Rapids, so I know what you are talking about. It is tough hunting for the most part....lots of trees and hard to scout. Without trail cameras you are scouting only by tracks and trails. Anyway, I put out my first trail camera on Sunday last week(got it for Xmas). Going back up there this Saturday to see if I have any activity. Excited to check it. Other than that, we are doing some mowing up at the deer shack this weekend. Hopefully next week I can check out some prospective areas that have been nagging me all summer.