| Scouting for deer signs before the season comes | | | | granted. Also, it is best to scout just before |
| in is a very important part of the overall hunting | | | | season begins in order to have more accurate |
| plan. Most hunters find hunting whitetails fun but | | | | information about where the deer are. Go check |
| not so many like the thought of walking all over | | | | out the areas that looked promising for sign on |
| the property looking for deer sign. However | | | | the map first. Be as quiet as possible as not to |
| finding out where the deer are at is in order to | | | | disturb deer. Look for tracks, trails, rubs or even |
| have success in the field and take home a trophy | | | | old scrapes. Rubs are areas of missing bark on |
| buck. | | | | tree trunks scraped off by a bucks antlers. Bucks |
| One very important tool that some overlook is a | | | | create rubs to let others know they are around. |
| well detailed map of the property. Aerial photos | | | | Old scrapes from the last rut season will look like |
| may be a little troublesome to obtain but are well | | | | bare spots in the ground but may be partially |
| worth the money. Photos will easily show possible | | | | covered with leaves depending on how late in the |
| feeding areas and other likely hangouts for deer. | | | | year it is when scouting. If all or some of these |
| Topography maps may not show details as well | | | | signs are present then it will probably be a very |
| but a hunter can fill in deer habitat by scouting the | | | | good area to hunt. |
| property. If all else fails, draw a map and scout | | | | Scouting for whitetail deer is a chore but it is |
| the area to fill in the details. The idea is to know | | | | essential in order for all other deer hunting efforts |
| the property well and find out where the deer | | | | to pay off. It is not difficult to do and may save |
| are. | | | | hours of aggravation later. Also, scouting helps the |
| Once some form of a map is in hand, it is time to | | | | hunter become familiar with the property before |
| scout the area. Be careful of property lines and | | | | season in order to avoid any surprise land |
| stay within the land where permission to hunt is | | | | features and learn whereabouts of property lines. |