Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default How do I start scouting?

    I’m becoming a little overwhelmed by the whole thing to be honest with you. I think now would be as good a time as any to start heading out into the state game lands around me and getting the lay of the land and seeing what they’re like.

    Please don’t laugh when I ask these questions. I assume I can take the map off of the the game commission website find an entry point and just start walking around and seeing what is what? People are going to be out there hunting turkey and then getting all pissed off at me? I can just go out there with a backpack and some water in my notebook and start figuring out where dear may or may not be.? Then in the fall I just go back to the same spot set up camp and start? Do people ever just go out there without scouting it all and have any success? I guess I want to at least know where people are parking and seeing a little bit what the land this like I don’t want to go and blindly but not really sure how successful I am finding signs and perfect spot to hunt :-) I’ve so much to learn.

    What might be some good places to look I mean as far as signs or things like that. Considering I’m on a state game land it’s probably a mix of wooded and open areas. Do most people just drive up on the access road or whatever it is parked their car and then just head in a little bit? I assume I don’t want to go into far because if I have success then I have to drag it all the way out which becomes a pain in the butt. It looks like around me there’s multiple access points for these places so I would guess the one that is least on the main road in most maybe dirt road or whatever would be best?


    I hope this fall to maybe get out with the person or two that I’ve met through the boards here you all know who you are and honestly still looking for whatever you wanna call it a hunting buddy whatever it would boil down to just someone who might be able to help me out at the start.
    Gunowner99 - NRA Benefactor Life Member

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Southern Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
    (Huntingdon County)
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    4976639

    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    It will help to familiarize yourself with the land. Keep an eye out for food/water sources. Look for game trails and scat. Just remember there is no such thing as the perfect hunting spot. Take your time while walking through the woods, teach yourself to look for movement. Once you have found a spot where you know the deer have been come back another day and sit for a few hours. I've had the most luck in the early morning. Good luck!
    Because Failure Is Not An Option

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Age
    74
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Get into the woods.
    Start walking. Look for trails. They generally are the paths deer take between bedding areas and food source.
    Basing an answer also depends on your physical shape.
    How well you can travel, walk and possibly drag an animal.
    I think most hunters generally travel into the woods maybe a half mile, perhaps a bit more.
    If I hunted SGL, I would find a food source maybe a mile in and find trails heading to it.
    Get in early on opening day. I like to be at my spot at least an hour before daybreak.
    Being further in than many other hunters might have deer push to you as they enter later.
    Understand that your best laid plans may be compromised depending on hunting pressure around you.
    If the area you choose has a large number of hunters, the deer may be moving a lot.
    Look for heavy cover. Thick cover. Many times deer will go toward the areas less people are going to go in.
    I have been on my hands and knees crawling into thick pockets of briers when all I could see is orange around me. There are trails, escape routes in the thick areas.
    I try to position myself off trails as far as I can comfortably have some sort of shooting lane(s).
    If you can find areas that the deer funnel through, narrow patches of woods between larger wooded areas, that may give you an edge to seeing deer running away from hunters.

    I don't shoot at running deer. I've wounded a few early on.in my hunting years and found that tracking is harder than waiting for a shot that you know provides a likely, ethical kill.
    Scout throughout the year.. The diet may change as different food sources mature..Squirrel hunting may let you see deer and give you an.idea of where the are before that season.

    Good luck
    Opinions are like anal apertures. They all stink but mine.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Pennsyltucky, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Pretty sure it's been mentioned, but it's worth repeating.

    You don't (and won't) need to learn every conceivable aspect of hunting in one summer. It's not possible, so just set reasonable goals, expect no return other then personal enjoyment, and go for it. You're just going to stress out over things that you have almost zero control over.

    I would avoid annoying Turkey hunters, so head out on Sundays. I have known plenty of people that barely scout, and hardly walk 1/4 mile into the woods, and have been moderately successful, others that have had hardly any success. Hunting is 90% luck regardless of how much effort is put forth. The only difference is how often you want to hit that mark, and that largely depends on what type of person you are.

    If you want to scout and get away from a lot of hunters, you will need to get at least a half mile in. Further if the land is easy walking and there are easily accessible trails.

    This is what I would do if I were relatively new, and hunting SGL's

    Take advantage of the early seasons! Even if it means not getting out much during firearms season. It's a huge opportunity for hunters, and especially novice hunters when deer are more predictable. If you do nothing else, take this to the bank!
    Walk in about 20 minutes.
    Look for heavy cover. Most hunters have this fantasy of a clear 200yd shot with no one else in sight and act accordingly. The deer have other ideas.
    Alternately look for a natural funnel. Preferably leading into heavy cover.
    Don't concern yourself with food. It gets complicated, deer change their feeding habits by hunting season, and everyone else is looking at the same oak tree.
    Find a spot where you can squeak in a 50-70yd shot.
    If you can bring a climbing tree stand and use it, all the better.
    Be prepared to sit all day and see nothing. That's hunting. deal with it.
    Don't worry about gun shots and what everyone else is doing. Most of them don't know shit.
    Don't be the guy that gets antsy, and moves every couple hours, or needs to go get lunch and a beer at noon. Be the guy that scores the deer from the other people doing it.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Douglassville, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    What are you hunting with? If you want you can come bait them here then just plug the bastards out the window up the other end of the house. Their a nuisance here and their numbers are high.
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    PENNSYLVANIA, Pennsylvania
    Age
    73
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Buy yourself a Compass ! Easy to learn to use it and will save your butt in every instance if properley used.I never go into the woods without it even if familiar with area,if you have to track a deer you can and will get disoriented !

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Ephrata, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Be aware that spring turkey hunters are currently in the woods. You wont make any new friends if you bust their setup.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Okay, I wont learn everything this year indeed, sage advice but some that I need to keep in mind and not get frustrated.

    Keep the ideas coming but I am seeing a pattern here as far as funnels, concealment, food, trails, deer pushed to me, escape routes. I plan on hunting the ground and maybe a blind, we will see. I want to learn so bad and you all are being extremely helpful, thanks!

    I do plan on getting out bow so that is early and maybe less crowded. Gives me time to learn and has less pressure. Rifle would be great but I fear others shooting me ha ha! Seems like that would be amateur hour even though I am a beginner I can see that!

    The one comment, "Don't worry about gun shots and what everyone else is doing. Most of them don't know shit." Is this true at least a little? I feel like I will be the guy screwing everyone else with my newness. My biggest fear is pissing off other hunters, taking some sort of sacred spot or breaking some etiquette.

    Huntstand or onX Hunt help at all?
    Last edited by Gunowner99; May 1st, 2018 at 12:09 PM.
    Gunowner99 - NRA Benefactor Life Member

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    The End of Josiah's Railroad, Pennsylvania
    (Luzerne County)
    Posts
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    520271

    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Quote Originally Posted by MARINE DIVISION TWO View Post
    Buy yourself a Compass ! Easy to learn to use it and will save your butt in every instance if properley used.I never go into the woods without it even if familiar with area,if you have to track a deer you can and will get disoriented !
    Even if you don't "really" know how to use a compass, use a map and determing a direction you can head to reack safety without missing your mark. For example, know that if you head East, you will run into a paved road within a reasonable distance.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Douglassville, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: How do I start scouting?

    Quote Originally Posted by Breadman03 View Post
    Even if you don't "really" know how to use a compass, use a map and determing a direction you can head to reack safety without missing your mark. For example, know that if you head East, you will run into a paved road within a reasonable distance.
    I'd go with the 'take a compass along and know how to use it' routine. I tried the above method once in heavy woods where I couldn't even see the sun. I did find the road that I knew I would hit if I kept heading that way but I came out about a mile east of where I wanted to. Now I keep an old, functioning compass in my fishing vest.
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

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