scouting

[Morgan]

You aren't....I am scouting every time I hit the woods....

[wisturkeyhunter]

I'm always looking for turkey sign. Found a couple new public land spot that were loaded with turkey sign during pheasant season. Hope to get a permit for this area.

[greyghost]

Same here, everyday off I am in the woods either at Quantico or in the mountains scouting year round. Although I do not deer hunt my deer hunting buddies help me out also.
 
I have a job I work 3-4 days get 3-4 days off and then every 5th week we get  8 days off.
 
Gas prices slowed me up last year, but as long as prices remain resonable? I will be hitting the woods. Today took the dogs out for a couple hours on base and scouted an area out.
 
Earl

[JPH]

Well I'm the exception...again.

I don't scout. I know most of the small parcels i hunt like my own back yard and I tend to be very mobile while I am hunting. This seems to keep me pretty well clued in on what the birds are doing.

If I pick up a new place, I will look over aerial photos pretty hard and take a quick "speed scout" a day or so befeore I hunt it.

"Speed scouting" is a term coined by Dan Schmidt of D&DH. I will identify several promising areas by map/photo recon. Then I will go in, taveling light and fast to look them over and pick out set-ups. I don't worry about spooking birds, I just try to get in and take a quick look, then get out of there. I will then revise my plan on the fly as I hunt.

[greyghost]

ORIGINAL: JPH

Well I'm the exception...again.

I don't scout. I know most of the small parcels i hunt like my own back yard and I tend to be very mobile while I am hunting. This seems to keep me pretty well clued in on what the birds are doing.

If I pick up a new place, I will look over aerial photos pretty hard and take a quick "speed scout" a day or so befeore I hunt it.

"Speed scouting" is a term coined by Dan Schmidt of D&DH. I will identify several promising areas by map/photo recon. Then I will go in, taveling light and fast to look them over and pick out set-ups. I don't worry about spooking birds, I just try to get in and take a quick look, then get out of there. I will then revise my plan on the fly as I hunt.

 
Very good point on the small parcels of land. Dang, got to agree with you there also [:D]
 
I should have clarrified that 95% of my hunting ground is public land, starting with Quantico (48,000 acres), Fort AP Hill (50,000 acres) and then the National Forests (lots of acreas).
 
Out of State hunts the same except I have and still do search out new spots with topo and arieal maps to look into the out of State spots. Or hunt with my connections there.
 
My private land I do not set foot into except for listening in the spring or a very quick walk through. That land is anywhere from 100 acreas tracts to 1600 acrea tracts.
 
JPH, you say revise and fly I say improvise, adapt and adjust. We can't be agreeing to much. [:D][;)]
 
Earl
 
 

[bubbalp]

The best scouting is when you hunt on land that the owner lives on and calls you to snitch out the big gobbler walking down her drive way at 1100am and you get to get him at 0629 the next morning and report to work at 0745. and evern got breakfast on the way...That scouting the easy was. The rest of the time I have to like every one else...Bubblp

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: greyghost

We can't be agreeing to much. [:D][;)]

 
Earl, maybe we could start talking politics and relig-
Ah...never mind.

[mark hay]

there was a time or times that i didn't scout much at all ,,,i knew the birds were there,,,some of those years i didn't fill a tag . since i started scouting seriously , things have changed dramatically.
the last day of ohios m. l . season , last week, i found myself inspecting turkey sign more than deer sign.
like others , last seasons high fuel prices  put a big damper on my turkey and coyote hunting.
i like to be out somewhere every day, but someone needs to draw a paycheck and cut firewood,,,,,,,,,ANY VOLUNTEERS ?
i like to locate and LOG IN THE JOURNAL every saddle in the ridges , every fence corner and benches out in the public land where i hunt. them birds will be there a lot.

[trkyklr]

constantly/year round

[Gobblerman]

Yep, Earl and Joe, you guys are gettin' to be just like two peas in a pod!  Next thing we know you two will be eatin' twinkies together!
 
Scouting.....I don't do it because I need to, I do it because it gives me a chance to get out there amongst 'um.  It's as close to Heaven as a person can get without actually checkin' in at the pearly gates!  Give me half an excuse to get out there with "my" turkeys, and all's you'll see of me is burnin' rubber and a streak of gray!
 
Jim