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As a professional writer, author and seminar speaker - one of the
biggest problems I hear about or see - is that many hunters do not
"scout" (actual field scouting or glassing) as much as they should
prior to the hunt, so that they can gain as much information about
the area, the game, the time the game move, and where the game moves
in that area.
After
scouting many different areas with several people, even accomplished
hunters, and for many different species (whitetail, elk, turkey,
pheasants, waterfowl, bear) - I've come to the conclusion that
several different factors contribute to this lack of preparation for
the hunt - as in "scouting".
One of
those factors (problems) is obviously time. Many hunters do not have
sufficient time in their hectic schedules to adequately scout,
whether it be the first time in an area, or the first time in an old
area that y ear (things can change from year to year, such as trails
wash out or fallen trees make them unusable; food sources change;
development occurred).
If you want
to be successful on a regular basis, give yourself enough time to
adequately scout the entire area you have access to hunt, and use
game cameras if you have to, so you know what animals are there,
where they spend the day (rest), where they generally travel, where
they eat and get water, and at what time they are in or near each of
those places. If you have time, you should also glass the area, so
you actually see the animals (I even glass for waterfowl). And I do
a lot of listening for elk, turkeys and pheasants.
Even if the
animals are not using the area you hunt, when you have a chance to
scout, you still have the opportunity to learn where they sleep,
eat, water and travel, if you look for sign - in the weeks before
you hunt, during the weeks you hunt (which should continually do,
because as the seasons, and weather changes, the habitat and food
sources change; and as the breeding season progresses, the
activities of the animals change, and where and when they are active
may change), in the weeks after you hunt, and during the rest of the
year. If it rains or snows, and lets up, get our the door, because
the animals will move, and leave evidence of where they move. You
should also either sit and watch, or place cameras in high activity
locations to find out what time the animals move.
Another
problem is that hunters do not see some sign (because they do not
know where to look, or the sign is hard to see due to infrequent
or one-time use, or due to vegetation); they do not read sign
(interpret it) as well as they should, or they do not interpret it
correctly. The cure to this is either learn it from someone who is
not good - but great - at interpreting sign. You can do that by
reading books and articles, going to seminars, watching TV or
videos, or by actually going with them (which is generally the
best).
This is one of the reasons why I started my
Hunting University,
because I've learned that even though I think I write fairly good
descriptions of sign, and I have good slides (for seminars) and
photos (for books, internet and articles), actual in-field
experience, with someone to help you understand what you are looking
at, and at what time of year the sign was made, and at what time of
day it was made, is the best way to learn to interpret sign
correctly. If you think you are lacking in the area of
"interpretation" of sign - find an expert - and learn from them.
And scout
the area, particularly at the time of year when you plan to hunt,
and in the immediate weeks before you hunt (so you know where the
animals are), and glass the area or use cameras to find out what
time of day the animals are most active at particular places where
you can hunt them (blind/stand sites).
And then
scout it some more. Scouting is not only the biggest part of the
hunt, it can be the most fun and rewarding part of the hunt. With
early duck, goose and deer seasons just around the corner, July and
August is a great time to start your scouting for the fall hunting
season.
T.R. Michels is a
nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor
writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck
& Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are
Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's
Manual, The 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual;
and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.
You can find his books and lots of other great outdoor information
at
www.trmichels.com.
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