Summer is one of the best times of the year to embark on hands-on reconnaissance missions for trophy whitetails. Why? For starters, bucks are visible at food sources in the early mornings and late evenings. Being able to watch particular bucks for days on end as they enter and exit a food source will have you in the right stand position come opening morning. Plus, there’s nothing quite as incredible as watching bucks as they develop their new set of antlers.
Mossy Oak’s media communications manager, Dustin Whitacre, recently shared some great summer scouting tips.
“If you have places to hunt deer close to home, drive to nearby food sources 30 to 45 minutes before dark,” Whitacre said. “Soybeans and alfalfa are great summer food sources and if you can get within a half-mile of them, you can effectively scout them. If you can get closer that’s fine, but try not to break that 200-yard barrier. I don’t like to disturb deer even in the summer months. I want them to get as comfortable as possible in their feeding pattern. Weather is another thing to keep in mind when scouting. If the weather is rainy or cooler than normal, the deer will be apt to move earlier. Be sure to adjust your scouting times accordingly.
“Your bucks will be in bachelor groups, meaning that if you put in your scouting time, you will get to see a lot of the bucks that you will be hunting in just a few months. You get to watch them grow, and if you do your scouting properly, will be able to put yourself in a good position for that first early-season hunt.”
The Mossy Oak GameKeepers share the belief that being outdoors is about loving the land, its wildlife, and giving back more than you take. For more articles and information about managing land for wildlife, please visit farmingforwildlife.com.
