Preseason Ritual - Scouting and Preparing

[WayneL]

Once I start getting my hunting magazine subscriptions coming in it always kickstarts my preseason ritual. This early I usually concentrate on practice, practice, practice but soon I will start scouting my spots and hanging stands. During the last full moon we had I seen a bunch of velvet buck groups moving around during daylight. In my backyard, which has a bunch of oak trees, I see the acorns are back too! Gets me excited for the upcoming season.
 
When do you start scouting, hanging stands, etc...?

[JOEL]

im not as active as i used to be due to my injuries,but i like the end of august ,its starting to get cooler.like you the mags get me going.I may do another early bow hunt in the daks.Only spots in westchester /putnum i know are all public lands

[msbadger]

Scouting here at home is not difficult but I do need to get to camp for a couple of week ends....Dad in-law is getting his bow tag this year and will join me down there a few times.....He says he had to really lower his bow weight ...it's been a while but doing good.....started down the hill on a.m. walk and just as I crest over the ledge I see red....so I stand still and feeding out of the buckwheat thru the perennial mix are 3 good size buck......not sure of points but wide racks....and wide chests....they one at a time feed to under my stand were there is a berry patch.
 then continued along where the hill and flat area meet....I just backed back up the path...That is the only stand I need to repair. [:o][8|]That will teach me to get the lead out....well I know that 8am is not the time to do the work. turned and walked due south of this on ridge and up pops a set of twins...stand still and they slowly walk in direction I just came from...I turn and go east and into one of our gullies...to hear the distinct sound of putputput...and see the berry patches shaking....looking down as I'm trying to bug out of the entire area and deer droppings every where then...yep bear dung.....If I don't tag out on something really nice this year...it will be a hard pill to swallow....lol...time to take my walks to the road.....

[adirondackhunter]

Checking my trail cams, looking for any acorns.So far i have some does and a nice buck on camera.

[Headrush]

I do a lot of hunting down In Hammondsport on my Uncles 65 Acres, But I've been scouting another piece down the road thats 440 Acres of State land. Its not heavily hunted...yet...and two long, deep ravines make a Y. Scouted it 4-5 times this winter and used the snow to my advantage. I found that you can really pinpoint trees and trails to set up your stands "Right" the first or 2nd time instead of taking years to learn a place. Anyway I am going to be down there a couple more times before the season. Will hang a couple sets, or at least prep them by the end of Aug and I'll stay away until The rut. I got a good feeling about this place, as i'm WAY FAR AWAY from the road and hopefully other Hunters too

I set up a camera Friday in Palmyra too. A Beaver dam pinches them against a river and through a break in a fence. Should get some big boys on cam since I've hunted this spot 3 yrs and have seen a 130-140 or bigger each year. No shots though...yet

Good luck this year everyone!!

[Greenhorn]

I have a trail cam by a couple of apple trees and a cherry tree on something I call "Acorn Hill"... tends to be a great feeding area. No pics yet, and had to trim a small branch. I did get over 200 pictures of the branch though[:(]. I also have 2 ladder stands to put out. One on acorn hill and one on the other side of the property at a place I call "the back door". They use the back door as a travel corridor... especially when pressure is high. I did most of my physical scouting last winter and have been using arial photos and topo maps that I downloaded. Its 80 acres next to some state land so not a bad place and I only have 2 buddies I share it with who dont hunt but a few days a year. I have my climber to get into some really rough spots that are great areas once they feel the heavy pressure. No bow hunters on the property so it tends to be nice and quiet till regular season starts. I have 2 rifles set up, and have worked to figure out which rounds work best this last summer. I now am just fine tuning them, and have given them their final cleaning till after the season ends. Now I just need to re-zero them and then I will limit my practice to a few rounds with each. Finally I pay close attention to my "Honey do list" and attempt to make sure my wife is very happy with the progress we are making on project and such. Also I make sure to let her know what my plans are 2-3 months in advance so she has an idea of what is coming and so we can plan our family stuff without conflict (thats at least the idea).