one-way, 500 mile scouting trips

[kodiak06]

9 hr trips aren't that fun and making a game plan take hours on the screen e-scouting. I did an April trip to NE Wa and there was too much snow at elevations I mostly wanted to scout. I did find a few good spots BUT, I also found stands, mock scrapes, bait sites and cams. After I completed one set up, I exited the woods a different route and stumbled across another hunters place, stand still hanging so, this trip I'll be grabbing my cams outta there. It's 285yds from my cam to his stand, I think I'd feel cheesy about hunting there. One thing that sucked last trip was ticks. Deets expensive when shopping in small town stores lol. This trip, the snow will be gone and I have a different game plan, I will heavily scout 3 large areas and hopefully be able to leave cell cams with my SD types this time... My verizon cams were a bust so, I'm rolling in with some AT&T cams this time. Out of curiosity, what's your guys minimum distance to hunt from a known spot hunted by someone else?

[hughjorgan]

Permethrin is far better for ticks than DEET, just order it off Amazon. There are also cell cams that have both Verizon and ATT so you don’t drive all that way to find out one network doesn’t work for you. Spy point flex is one of those cams but I’m sure you can find what ever brand you like with both networks on them.

[huntnnw]

If I know someone is in the area I don’t wanna be anywhere near them. I prefer to hunt spots that I believe nobody is around me. I don’t wanna mess up their sit and vice versa

[baldopepper]

Just curious why scout this time of year?  Getting familiar with the general area, where the various roads and trails go, etc. is fine, but where you find animals now and where you'll find them later is different.  Depending on what type of summer we have (initial forecast is another hot dry summer) animals are likely to be mostly gone from where they are now.  Another factor is fire road closures and , of course, wildfires themselves.  With fuel costs what they are, I'd save my money for later, more meaningful scouting.

[hunter399]

What exactly are you scouting for?

Had a bow hunter last year setup maybe 40 yards from one of my cams. I didn't mind at all, I even stopped checking it during archery.
Left him ,his cam ,and his stuff undisturbed for the season.
Then just pulled the cam when modern rifle hit.
Public land is just that, says something in the regs about bait spots need to be 200 yards apart. Other than that your good to go.

Most standard trail cams ,just regular non cell cams these days
Will take a 32 gigabyte card. One photo burst, that will hold 30,000 photos. Pretty much you can setup now,check it on opening day.
Probably last all Summer.

[kodiak06]

Permethrin is far better for ticks than DEET, just order it off Amazon. There are also cell cams that have both Verizon and ATT so you don’t drive all that way to find out one network doesn’t work for you. Spy point flex is one of those cams but I’m sure you can find what ever brand you like with both networks on them.

Grabbed 4 AT&T Brownings on sale. I took a lot of reg cams last trip and will take another 8-12 this next trip. Gotta leave some here for elk...I had permethrin here at the house ran out the first trip there lol. Taking it all with me this trip. thanks.

[kodiak06]

Just curious why scout this time of year?  Getting familiar with the general area, where the various roads and trails go, etc. is fine, but where you find animals now and where you'll find them later is different.  Depending on what type of summer we have (initial forecast is another hot dry summer) animals are likely to be mostly gone from where they are now.  Another factor is fire road closures and , of course, wildfires themselves.  With fuel costs what they are, I'd save my money for later, more meaningful scouting.

All of the scouting I'm doing now will be good during the season and a lil less vegetation than August to punch through. Historical rubs, last years rubs, scrapes etc. All of that remains constant.

[kodiak06]

Permethrin is far better for ticks than DEET, just order it off Amazon. There are also cell cams that have both Verizon and ATT so you don’t drive all that way to find out one network doesn’t work for you. Spy point flex is one of those cams but I’m sure you can find what ever brand you like with both networks on them.

Grabbed 4 AT&T Brownings on sale. I took a lot of reg cams last trip and will take another 8-12 this next trip. Gotta leave some here for elk...I had permethrin here at the house ran out the first trip there lol. Taking it all with me this trip. thanks.

Scouting whitetail. I run about 24-30 cams a year but, now I'm splitting between 2 states so, gotta buy more lol.

[Ridgeratt]

So if you have a dozen cameras scattered all over the NE corner. MY question is if I am hunting someplace near yours am I encroaching on your spot?

Out of curiosity, what's your guys minimum distance to hunt from a known spot hunted by someone else?

[kodiak06]

If I know someone is in the area I don’t wanna be anywhere near them. I prefer to hunt spots that I believe nobody is around me. I don’t wanna mess up their sit and vice versa

That's my thoughts also, not the same as elk hunting for sure. WT hunters for the most part usually show a lil respect, especially archers IMO. That hunters set I found is why I'm grabbing my cams as soon I roll in. I may hit the other side of the drainage though. I've seen some of your bucks on FB, I'm after the same type animals, maybe a lil smaller this year lol. I grew up hunting in the south and have the WT itch bad once again after last years Idaho hunt. Looking fwd to early opener in Sept and then the late archery if needed.

[kodiak06]

So if you have a dozen cameras scattered all over the NE corner. MY question is if I am hunting someplace near yours am I encroaching on your spot?

Out of curiosity, what's your guys minimum distance to hunt from a known spot hunted by someone else?

I don't care to be near anyone whitetail hunting but, it's public land so really not my spot. I personally think people sitting in the same spot as someone else's stand is disrespectful but nearby is to be expected at times. Last trip I found one area with a rope licking branch and old alfalfa and within 150yds another place with old alfalfa. I would think the guys knew each other were there but to each his own I guess.

[kodiak06]

What exactly are you scouting for?

Had a bow hunter last year setup maybe 40 yards from one of my cams. I didn't mind at all, I even stopped checking it during archery.
Left him ,his cam ,and his stuff undisturbed for the season.

 

Most standard trail cams ,just regular non cell cams these days
Will take a 32 gigabyte card. One photo burst, that will hold 30,000 photos. Pretty much you can setup now,check it on opening day.
Probably last all Summer.

I have several traditional cams that'll be out.  I have this trip to do and then a return trip the week of 15 August to decide if I'll hunt the Sept opener. Depends on if I get any mature bucks on cam.

[addicted1]

Guessing bow hunting gets a lot less pressure.
Do whatever you’re comfortable with in the moment. I prefer solitude, but when someone beats me to one access point to 50000 of public, I’ll follow them right in and go my route. Just really depends on the situation, that’s the thing with public. If it’s not another hunter, it’s a quad, mt biker, hiker, random off leash dog, or someone with key to gate driving in after you just hiked.

[huntnnw]

Just curious why scout this time of year?  Getting familiar with the general area, where the various roads and trails go, etc. is fine, but where you find animals now and where you'll find them later is different.  Depending on what type of summer we have (initial forecast is another hot dry summer) animals are likely to be mostly gone from where they are now.  Another factor is fire road closures and , of course, wildfires themselves.  With fuel costs what they are, I'd save my money for later, more meaningful scouting.

If you are a serious whitetail guy there is no better time to scout then February and March. Looking for scrapes, rubs and trails. Almost will always be used again the following year. Better yet is finding a big bucks sheds pretty much in most cases tells you that you find his core area.

[baldopepper]

Around our area February and March is still winter. Most back roads still impassable and trails and other sign pretty well snowed under.  Guess if I hunted a new area every year I might try looking around a bit that early, but I know the areas I hunt well enough a little later scouting for actual animals seems to work better