Whitetail Scouting - Tips

[skibum]

I am new to whitetail hunting - I have tried hunting them in spots where I have seen them, which is basically a white flag in the dark while I drive to my mulie spots.

Went out last weekend to where I have seen whitetails before, and ended up only calling in mule deer. Wasn't a waste as some bruisers came in, but no tag left.

Anyways I put some time in hiking/scouting around; really don't see too many whitetail (hiking kamloops area). Do you need trail cameras to scout them?

Any tips to scouting whitetail.

Thanks

[hoochie]

I find them, then take note of the time I saw them. watch them for a while and see where they come from and where they leave. I mean, if you see them along a treeline; where did they come out of the tree line, and if they walked along, where did they go back in or what have you.
They, in my experience, tend to follow a pattern like us going to work. If you see me in the driveway in the morning you know I am going to be heading down the road at a certain time. You will also see me return in the evening at about the same time.
I have seen WT at all hours of the day, but tend to see them most between 9 & 10 in the morning, or any time after 4 in the afternoon. Earlier in the season, I noticed that the deer I was hoping for was usually around 6pm.
I don't have trail cameras, haven't ever used one. I hunt on foot. I have seen many times where people in trucks or quads have driven right on by deer and never knew they were there. Walking, you can sometimes hear them. They make a noise from their nose like a dog doing a quick exhale through their nose.

[Seeker]

Good place to start..... http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?98219-Some-Big-Whities-For-Ya/page13&highlight=whities

Cameras are great to let you know if they are in the area and what types, eg does, bucks..... Little easier to pattern than mule deer, but big bucks basically become nocturnal just after season starts and remain that way unless bumped out of their bed, or later when the rut is raging. Even during the rut, you will be likely to only see them in the first and last 10 minutes of light. If your after any buck, the smaller ones tend to roam more during daylight hours. good luck, they are a fun animal to try and figure out.

[HarryToolips]

I find them, then take note of the time I saw them. watch them for a while and see where they come from and where they leave. I mean, if you see them along a treeline; where did they come out of the tree line, and if they walked along, where did they go back in or what have you.
They, in my experience, tend to follow a pattern like us going to work. If you see me in the driveway in the morning you know I am going to be heading down the road at a certain time. You will also see me return in the evening at about the same time.
I have seen WT at all hours of the day, but tend to see them most between 9 & 10 in the morning, or any time after 4 in the afternoon. Earlier in the season, I noticed that the deer I was hoping for was usually around 6pm.
I don't have trail cameras, haven't ever used one. I hunt on foot. I have seen many times where people in trucks or quads have driven right on by deer and never knew they were there. Walking, you can sometimes hear them. They make a noise from their nose like a dog doing a quick exhale through their nose.

Exactly that quick exhale through their nose is a warning to the other whitetails in the area, it's call the snort-wheeze..I've heard it from mule deer as well, though not nearly as often..to the OP, keep covering ground, and cover it a little slower, lookin around frequently for them waving their tail at ya, or you might even catch a view of them before they run away...

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Exactly that quick exhale through their nose is a warning to the other whitetails in the area, it's call the snort-wheeze..I've heard it from mule deer as well, though not nearly as often..to the OP, keep covering ground, and cover it a little slower, lookin around frequently for them waving their tail at ya, or you might even catch a view of them before they run away...

from what I understand this is a snort wheeze.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J13zKHGxil8

[hunter1947]

How I get many WT is that I find where they are slashes ,timber etc after I find out where they are living then I know where they are good thing..

After knowing where the WT are then will set up in slashes early morning just breaking daylight and glass and watch same thing for the evenings
i'm there 2 hour before dark and wait glass till I loose shooting light..having trail cams out in different areas does help big time tell you what's in that area :smile:..

[Sofa King]

from what I understand this is a snort wheeze.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J13zKHGxil8

actually correct.
but I've always mistakenly referred to the sound that is commonly made by wt does as a snort-wheeze as well, like what harry said.
but I always actually second-guessed that that was what it was, as a snort-wheeze is supposed to be a useful call, whereas what the does are doing is always out of alarm it seems.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

actually correct.
but I've always mistakenly referred to the sound that is commonly made by wt does as a snort-wheeze as well, like what harry said.
but I always actually second-guessed that that was what it was, as a snort-wheeze is supposed to be a useful call, whereas what the does are doing is always out of alarm it seems.


Ya, I don't even know what the proper term is for deer blowing the whistle on us?