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Best times to scout: Scouting out potential hunting areas is a delicate and crucial part of deer hunting. One of the most important things to pay attention to when scouting is the time of year. I have learned through experience that the best times for scouting are early October through the end of November. These months are perfect for scouting because weather conditions are beginning to mimic the way they will be for the remainder of hunting season. Deer will begin falling into characteristic patterns that should persist until late January when the deer season ends. Therefore, this time allows a perfect opportunity to gain knowledge of the deer herds routines and habits.

Where to look and what to look for: Basically when scouting for deer you are looking for hard evidence of deer activity at a particular location. The location you choose to scout is an area where you "think" deer are occupying. This approximation is a trial and error process to say the least, but some simple strategies can be used. First, try searching in an are that is heavily wooded. The thicker the are, the better it is. Also, a thick area that is located close to a source of food (acorn trees, red leaf briers, rye grass) is even better. Besides food a source of water should also be somewhere in proximity. Now that you have narrowed down your scouting to a few areas its time to search for deer signs. The most common and easily noticed sign of deer activity is a heavily worn deer trail. Once a trail like this is found make sure that the tracks marking the trail go both ways, i.e.. make sure the trail is used frequently and not just a large group of deer that passed through. Besides tracks sometimes bucks (male deer) will rub small cedar and pine trees with their horns leaving the trees shaved. Also, these bucks make small scraps about 2-3 feet in circumference in this same are. These are just some of the signs you will learn to notice with time. Just be creative in looking and keep an open eye!

Cam scouting technique: An alternative to traditional scouting is a new technique called cam scouting. This technique uses a blend of old and new techniques. To scout in this manner a location should be chosen as before. Based on your opinion of where deer are located. Then like with normal scouting hard evidence of deer activity should be located. Once this trail or food plot is located place an electronic motion activated camera on a tree facing this area. I recommend the brand Cam trakker. This camera will then run 24 hours a day taking pictures as deer pass through the motion sensor. These photos can then be checked and are a great indicator of deer activity. A further advantage of cam scouting is that you get an idea of the time that deer are in that particular area. I recommend a mixture of both scouting techniques for deer hunters.