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Post-season scouting reveals mysteries of your deer herd

Hunters stay away from deep, forested areas for most of the year so they don’t disturb sanctuary areas and places where big bucks were thought to be hiding. Now that the season is out, it is the right time to dive into these areas to unravel the mysteries while the evidence is still fresh and the woods are clear.

Scouting is one of the best methods to reveal the travel patterns and bedding areas of deer. But during the season is never the right time to scout. When a mature buck finds refuge, he will call it home for as long as he can. When hunters disturb these areas, mature bucks may alter their travel patterns and become more cautious.

With the season out, hunters should scour the property, following trails in each direction, looking for places the deer have spent most of their time. It’s a good time for scouting to locate bedding and routine feeding areas.

Don’t forget to scout heavily around deer stands, too. Follow trails leading to agriculture fields and corn piles. Not only will they reveal where the deer are coming from, but they also will uncover staging areas where a new stand could be set up for next year.