Deer Preseason: Scouting the Buck

By Ryan Gorsche | Monday, October 29, 2001

A bead of sweat ran down my forehead, and dropped off my nose. I was face down in an alfalfa pasture in Texas, having just completed a three hundred-yard army crawl. Two hundred yards ahead, a lone whitetail buck that had been grazing peacefully was staring straight ahead, his eyes focused on me, his ears stretched out like satellite dishes, listening. I knew I'd have to take the shot or lose him again.

The first time I had seen this buck was six months earlier in early June when I was out hunting jackrabbits. His antlers were still in velvet, but even then I knew he was a wall hanger. Since then I'd been coming to the ranch regularly to track his schedule, scout his favorite hangouts, and record what I saw. And now here he stood, motionless against the setting sun like some surreal cityscape.

After my long crawl, I saw that he had popped his head up before I could position myself. My torso was propped up on one shoulder. My teeth were chattering. I waited. Cautiously, my buck lowered his head back to the grass. My free hand reached around and gently pulled the rifle off my back The leather sling made a tiny cracking noise. The buck peered up, only momentarily, and again buried his face again in the grass. I tried adjusting my body to a more comfortable position. The motion of my hips spooked the buck. His fears that something was creeping through the grass were true. He stamped and gave a snort, warning any other deer in the area. I pulled my .243 up to my shoulder, flicking off the safety catch. My trigger finger crept quietly over the guard, and an instant later my ears were ringing. The buck stumbled, regained his footing, and took off in a full sprint for the pasture fence, the adrenaline pumping through his veins. And then it was over. I had just shot the largest buck of my hunting career, but it had come only after months of scouting and hard work.

It doesn't take much planning to go out and shoot a deer, but what if you want a monster buck or a buck with a special rack (drop tines, or non-typical)? How do you know you're on the right track? Or that the deer you're following isn't a small yearling? There are plenty of tricks that are picked up only from years of hunting, but pre-season scouting can be learned by any beginning hunter and will give you the best opportunity to make the most of this year's deer season.

Deer are territorial animals. They usually stick to a routine that takes them to certain points within their territory every day. The first step to finding deer is looking for a deer path. A deer path will look like a small worn down trail, that deer follow almost everyday. Your first inclination may be to walk down the path, but this late in the season I would recommend that you do not. If you leave heavy human scent behind, you may throw the deer off their schedule, leaving you with a hunting area filled with wary deer, or worse, no deer at all. The best method is to follow the trail a fair distance off the path.

So just what do you look for along these paths? The first thing to look for along your path is tracks. If you are not sure what one looks like, find a good field guide. I usually do not put a lot of stock in hunters who claim they can tell a doe's track from a buck's track. Most people rely on a myth that the doe's tracks are more pointed, but this is not always the case. A mature buck will have a track about three inches long, or longer, and easily 1.5 inches wide. Remember, though, that a big doe can have tracks that reach three inches also. The direction of the track will give you an idea of where your deer is heading.

If you are on the right track you will run into plenty of deer droppings. Examining these will give you a good idea of the deer's diet. There is no way to know whether the droppings belong to a buck or not, but remember the larger the droppings, the larger the deer.

Deer beds are very indicative of the type of deer you are scouting. Beds can be on at the tops of hills or in areas of heavy cover. Look for areas where the grass has been stamped down. The size of the bed will give you an idea of the size of the deer. However the most important feature is the number of beds. Mature bucks will have a large lone bed. Does and yearlings will stick together, sleeping in large groups on numerous small beds surrounding one another.

Buck rubs are one of the most important things to look for. Male deer rub their antlers against trees to scrape off the velvet. A rub looks like someone has been pulling the bark off trees. There is a common misconception that the bigger the tree the bigger the buck. Look, instead, for the amount of damage. If a tree has deep gouges and bits of bark scattered around, count on a monster buck nearby.

Another indicator of bucks is something called a scrape. Bucks will scrape the ground with their hooves. The size of a scrape is not indicative of how large the buck is, so look at branches around the area to see if there are any broken ones indicating antler size, and look at the dirt for tracks. If you find a line of scrapes, you're in luck. Bucks generally use the same scrape line from season to season.

If you come across a path with these features, stick to it during the season. Pattern your hunting day after various features on the deer trail. Deer usually bed down in morning, so if you know where the beds are you may be able to sneak up without spooking the animals. Follow the trail until you reach water. Hunt over water either in the morning or late evening before the sun sets. Remember deer need water every day. It's never a bad idea to hunt near a path that ends at a body of water.

New Hampshire deer season starts November 14, so start scouting as soon and as much as you can. How does the season look? Sadly, not as good as can be. Last year's long winter reduced the herd significantly. There are new regulations protecting does this year, make sure you get a free copy of the regulations. To better your chances of success, get the edge on other hunters and get out there now without your firearm and start scouting.

Be safe and good hunting.

Deer Preseason: Scouting the Buck

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