Preseason Deer Scouting

I spent a fair amount of yesterday wandering through some of my deer hunting areas. It's always fun to get out there and see what the deer and other critters have been up to. I set a trail camera in a new area where 2 heavily used trails intersect near the corner of a corn field. For the past couple of years, I've spent more time scouting and goofing off in the deer woods than I had since I was in my twenties. Just the anticipation of getting trail cam photos of deer, turkeys, coyotes, foxes, etc. gives me the excuse I seem to need to lace up my hiking boots, sling my pack, and take off.

Big poop = Big buck!

Even during these hot summer months, well before bucks are making rubs and scrapes, they leave tell-tale sign for the observant outdoorsman. Of course tracks are always a good indicator to deer movement and I pay close attention to size, location, and direction. Droppings are another key piece to the puzzle that are often overlooked. When you find huge clumps like the one in this photo, you know there's a very large deer in the area. No 2 1/2 year old six point is going to drop a number two of this size!