SECTION 2 - INTERNET SCOUTING AND RESEARCH
Computers are very useful tools when it comes to scouting and preparing for a hunt. This lesson focuses on finding good spots to hunt once you've chosen a state to hunt. If you are trying to decide on a state, please go to the next chapter. If you know the state you'll be hunting here then you're ready to see your computer and internet are useful for scouting.
1) Google Search
Once we choose an area, the first thing we do is a Google search. Something like “deer hunting on ____ ____ WMA”. The best source of info is often the state agency website of the public area in question. We also pull information from old forum posts and online articles on deer hunting in the area. These searches are by no means fully credible but it’s possible to pull small amounts of info from them. The general questions we are looking to answer are:
1) Are deer on the area?
2) Is hunting pressure an issue?
3) Did they mention other good areas in the state?
4) Is there consistency from one source to the next? For example, do several people mention hunting pressure issues on the area?
5) Do they mention any access issues such as closed roads?
*Disclaimer - Hunting pressure is not a deal breaker. Most areas will receive some form of this and some specific spots within the area will receive more than others. Again, these are just tidbits of information that help the overall plan.
2) Contact local sources such as a biologist
We ask many of the same questions but ask some additional things.
1) Are there good camping locations nearby?
2) Current deer population trends?
3) What makes deer in THIS area different than others?
4) Do you have to park at designated areas or can you park and access from any adjacent roadway?
5) Are certain food sources preferred during different times of the year? For example, apple trees may be a draw for deer on an area for a brief period of time. If you can gain that info ahead of the hunt, it’ll make your time in the woods more efficient.
TIP: Be sure to learn ALL of the regulations for the area you plan to hunt. Keep in mind that some specific public areas within a state have other regulations that aren’t listed in the statewide regs. If you aren't sure about something contact the local game warden for clarification.
3) Planning to Avoid High Pressure Areas
Once we obtain general info, we start developing a plan via maps. Google Earth and OnX Maps are incredibly valuable tools. We use them every day of the year both while we’re at home preparing for a hunt or in the field during the Fall.
We try to identify main parking areas right away and avoid them. This is not to say we won’t hunt near the parking area. However, it’s likely we won’t park there and will try to access the area a different way. The main thing we’re looking for are either overlooked or hard to access spots.
4) Identifying Habitat Diversity
It’s important to understand the terminology used when describing areas of a map. Terms like saddle, main ridge, secondary ridge, marsh, creek bottom, leeward hillside, windward hillside, bench, hollow, transition, etc. We’ll cover all of these in the video below. Feel free to get maps of your own property or area you plan to hunt out to compare.
5) We use all of the above to identify bedding areas
This is where we connect the dots of our initial internet scouting. We’ve identified overlooked spots to target and gained valuable information on deer behavior in the area. Now we are looking for specific spots where bucks will hide.
