Corsicana — It’s hot! Let’s face it. Summer is upon us, temperatures are rising and the one constant for a while is that fierce summer heat is sure to try to bend us into submission like wilting leaves and drying grass. It’s this time of year that most of us forget all about hunting; we can barely manage, at times, to walk to the mail box, it seems. But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those who brave the searing sun. Less than three months separate us from our outdoor pursuit of the nation’s number one big game animal, the whitetail deer. That means that those of us who believe our summer sun is an outright monster get some distraction from its brutalities. It’s finally time to get your mind on hunting by getting out and scouting your ground!

Few animals get our blood pumping like whitetail deer. They have a phenomenal sense of smell, great hearing and eyesight, and always seem to have a sixth sense about impending danger that drives us completely insane! They are a tough nut to crack! Scouting is key to antler-in-hand proof that your non-scouting hunting buddies are spinning tall tales of their encounters this whitetail season.

Over the years, many have inquired as to what, to me, would constitute good deer activity on a given piece of ground. The answer is both long and short. In short, it’s sign. The long of it comes when I define sign to a hunter ill-experienced in searching those signs of activity out. So as Bill Engvall so eloquently suggests, “Here’s your sign!”



Lay of the Land

Look at the lay of the land and the attributes, that if you lived there, you might require to survive. Can the ground sustain larger wildlife? Is your favorite hunting property layered with open cropland or pastures? Is there a wealth of good cover like trees and underbrush that if you were subject to predators would make a great place to hang your hat and bed down for the night?



Living Water

To us Christians, living water takes on a completely different meaning; however, to deer, that meaning is quite literal. Especially in warmer months, deer depend on water sources for survival. Lakes, ponds (tanks as we call them), creeks and rivers offer great water sources; even better, when those water sources are deep in cover. Watch for hoof prints, trails and other sign going to and from water sources; more on that in a moment.



Fast Food

Deer love to feed on crops, native grasses, fruits, acorns and a host of other foliage both in open fields and deep in the heart of your woods. The best times to catch deer grazing in open fields, whether on native grasses, food plots or crops are typically at dawn and dusk; give yourself ample time to get in and setup to observe before primetime. While scouting your woods, look for wild fruits such as grapes or persimmons, and nuts such as pecans and acorns. Watch for lower hanging foliage and tree limbs and note whether or not many or all lower hanging branches lack their leaves or other morsels. If so, watch for scat and pay attention to trails that offer hints about routes and patterns.



Hot on the Trail

Have you investigated game trails? Don’t walk on the trails but next to them. Do you see tracks? Follow the trails paying careful attention to where those trails lead, for example, food or water sources, and make note of heavily used intersections, or as I call them, super-highways. Watch for scat. Is it fresh?



Get the Picture?

Game or trail cameras are a great way to find out what’s happening in your neck of the woods, in areas of noted sign or activity, when no one is looking. Good cameras, like Spy Point’s Pro-X or other similar cameras offer great information including time of day, moon phase, feeding habits, trail use and other patterning information invaluable to deciding where to set your blinds or hang your stands as we near the opening day of archery season. Even better, as we transition through rifle season, continued use of cameras helps us ascertain changes in deer behavior as the weather gets colder, days grow shorter and food sources fluctuate. Never underestimate the scouting value in a good game camera!



Two Cents Worth of Tips:

Follow the same scent control procedures you would use if you were bowhunting. Stay off of trails and be sure to spray the bottom of your boots before heading into your hunting ground.

Carry a map of your property. Make notes of all sign and actively used game trails you find, especially those trails leading to food and water and intersections where more than two trails meet. I use a numeric legend when I map activity. Each number has an activity and I note those numbers, separated by commas, on the map. Mapping is a great way to decide where you should set up for opening day and beyond.

Hunt hard, hunt often.

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Email Kevin with questions and comments at kevinr@just-hunt.com