When do you begin scouting for the new season?

Just wondering when everyone starts their preseason scouting? I plan on making the trip to So. Utah at least three times before Aug 25th. Starting in May...

I started shooting this weekend and now August can't come fast enough
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MuleyMadness
May huh? Little early for me. :)

I don't take scouting seriously at all until Middle of July myself, not saying I don't get out before then because I do...but it's more for enjoyment usually vs. actual scouting.
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PhillyB
Well mainly just want to get the trail cams out, I'm a little excited to use em.

If I do July I will only get one weekend of scouting... maybe I will look to go up the first part and last part of July
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I will normally go place some cameras as soon as the snow melts and I can get in. Use that opportunity to find some new areas. Then around the End of june or early july get real serious about finding some nice animals and recording their habits. After that at least once a week till the hunt starts.

Wasatch Archery Shop
West Haven, UT
801-710-4287
http://www.wasatcharcheryshop.com
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amp713
I was going to start next weekend since that is when i will be graduated with college and moved back home, it will be looking for game trails or areas that intrest me and marking them, but mostly having fun getting away and getting in shape. I have been shooting my bow all year round, started hiking when the snow was still knee deep and so i figure better stick to the madness and start looking earlier than most...
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a_bow_nut
When I start scouting a new area I'll start as soon as I can get in there. For the early part of the season the scouting is to learn the lay of the land. As the season moves along then I will start watching the game and setting up the cameras.
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BIG R
Were allways out and about but wee start hitting it hard in July.
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I spend a couple of weekends in what ever area I draw as close to the hunt time as possible. I don't live near any place I hunt so before I drive up for the hunt I fly in to the closest air port and rent a jeep or something for the weekend. In the mean time I study topos and stuff. I only put in for NM this yr and I won't find out until the middle of June if I drew.
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BOHNTR
When I do my bonsai out-of-state scouting trips, I usually scout in July where they'll usually be on their summer range when I'm bowhunting them. Depending on the state, I find I can get a pretty good idea of antler development for the bucks I find.

For local CA blacktails, I scout them year round here....been out quite a few times already and will continue to scout until about July.....
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firefighterbraun
I usually start just getting out in June but then start hitting it hard in July. But even before that I like to just get out and hike around a get used to the area again. I usually hunt in generally the same area though so I have gotten pretty used to it...guess it just depends on how much you want to know the area and watch your deer. Best of luck though! :thumb
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MTQUIVER
I start scouting as soon as there is some bone growing out of their heads. The sooner the better for me
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Actually went out last weekend to try to get into a place i have been lookin at here on the wasatch front. I was not able to make it all the way to the top cuz i ran into 2 feet of snow but give it a few weeks and i will have game cameras set up.. I agree the sooner the better
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NONYA
NEVER STOP
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muleyslayer
Here in Colorado I start first week of July. The snow is usually down and the antler growth is up also by then I know which tag I've drawn . If I draw AZ or NM tags I strart in mid August.

Muley
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swbuckmaster
I scout year round. I follow them through the winter to see what makes it.
This year I actually went after their sheds with my daughter. Normally I don't wast my time with all the people. This was my daughters first shed of this year. We looked for this buck for about 7 hours before finding this one side. To say I was proud of her would be understatement.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n72/swbuckmaster/0410101635.jpg" alt="" />

I then give them a break for a month or so and start hitting the hills in June. lots of ground to cover and I am looking for something that stands out as a big buck early. i then don't pay much attention to him unless he is absolutely amazing and I keep looking for back up or better bucks until the season arrives.

while I'm hunting I'm keeping notes of decent bucks to check back on in the years to come.

It really never stops if you want something special!!!
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"NONYA" wrote:NEVER STOP
+1. dont really stop
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In Nevada our archery season starts August 1st so I will start hitting it really hard by the 4th of July. This gives me a good month to hit the spots I want to sheck out and see how the horn growth is this year. In this area the deer are always in the same area so the game plan is usually always the same
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If it's in country where the deer don't migrate, I go and look for sheds in April. I start scouting right after July 4th and don't sop till after the season. As Roy said, you can usually tell a buck's potential by mid July.

Good luck to all.
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I start scouting shortly after the hunting season ends before any antlers drop so I can see if I can spot any of the deer I scouted or hunted still alive. Then I start scouting in June for this season
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i have had trouble when i go scout early. Whenever i do it doesnt help, it seems like if i do scout early and get to the spot where i have seen animals before the season started they are all at different spots when the season starts from the pressure from other hunters... we will see this year though. i went out and found some spots last weekend and plan to go out again this coming weekend. its just archery cow hunt but im going to try and hold out for a decent spike lol
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