Scouting The Game

Hunting is a very popular sport in America. People have been lured to hunting by the risks and dangers that come with it. It is also a sport which utilizes a wide array of equipment, which makes it attractive to people.

There are many factors that can determine the satisfaction gained from a hunting trip. It is a sport where patience, stamina and the mental capacity is tested. Hunting is a time consuming sport because it includes pre-hunting preparations such as scouting; and the factors listed above are very much tested during hunting.

Importance of scouting

Soldiers don’t go to war just for the sake of going to war. Hunting can be comparable to a war: no one should ever go into it without the proper preparation as someone might get hurt or killed.

Scouting is very important in hunting. Scouting the topography is one thing, and scouting the game itself is another as it makes hunting easier and more enjoyable. Scouting lays the foundation for every step that follows. The total picture will give the hunter much needed information to bring home his trophy.

There are several different ways of properly scouting prey. This article tries to give relevant tips on how to effectively scout for game.

Pre-season scouting

Scouting before the start of the hunting season is very important for hunters who want to be successful. It gives a hunter pertinent clues regarding the feeding and bedding patterns of the animals, their watering holes and their trails. Pre-season scouting is particularly important in hunting small game animals such as prairie dogs and wolves. These animals are very agile and smart and the only thing that allows a hunter to successfully hunt them is to use the information gained during the pre-season. Preparation is the key to success in hunting.

Post-Season Scouting

Many hunters lose their interest in post-season hunting activities because they deem them boring and inactive. However, if a hunter is really serious about getting better at what he does, he will understand the importance of post-season scouting. Michael Jordan never became the best just by shooting during his games - he sweated it out during the post-season and improved his skills.

Post-season scouting gives a hunter much needed information which he can use during the next hunting season. During off-season, the trails of the animals such as deer are revealed more clearly because all the dirt and fallen leaves are not visible. Following the trails can lead a hunter to the area where the animals bed. It’s all about learning an animal and thinking like the animal that will eventually lead to the trophy.

Stand placing

The location and preparation of a hunting stand is very important. The stand should be about twenty to a hundred yards away from a major game trail if the hunter is using a rifle. If the game trails are not clearly visible, one would assume that a game trail is present between a feeding and bedding area. The stand should be at least 15 feet from the ground and should be placed beside or in trees which would provide good covering for the whole stand. Placing a stand near small trees does not work.

Droppings and other elements

There are many different elements which can be used as guides in scouting for prey. Animal droppings are a good indication or the location of prey. Other things such as trails, scrapes, and rubs should all be taken into consideration when trying to locate the animals.

Hiding Stands

Again, stands are very important tools in hunting but they can also be deterrents if they are not hidden properly. A hunter must be able to find creative ways to hide his stand such as pulling the branches of the trees that are beside it and tying them to provide cover or he may opt to bring his own branches and arrange them in an orderly manner to hide the stand.

Scouting is a very important aspect of hunting. It’s not all about pulling the trigger, but also about the journey towards pulling that trigger and bringing home a trophy.