Late season scouting techniques.

By far the most reliable method of telling if you are following a buck or does sign especially in the late season is by looking at droppings, I use this a lot when I am hunting sheds. Buck droppings will be clumped together to form one mass. While doe droppings will be scattered and seperated.

Above would be a Buck and this would be a doe.

Short shed hunt this morning with minimal results.

Our backyard is full of that type of sign. They have been eating on the last season newly planted grass. Keep them tips coming we can all learn something along the way.

I think finding out where they are feeding at, or where they changed there route. Is the beth method for me

My late season scouting revolves around finding bedding areas, and keying in on the differences between doe bedding and buck bedding. I concentrate my efforts prior to the rut on buck bedding and staging areas. I stay away from the doe bedding areas until the rut is starting to ramp up.

IO Jess wrote:G3 (Tim) how do you tell the difference between Buck beds and Doe beds?

The first thing that tips me off, is the amount of beds, a group of beds close together is going to be a doe family group. 2nd is bed size and prevalence of rubs. Bucks will have rubs in their bedrooms. A large single bed is going to be a buck bed. When you find them make mental note or mark on a topo map...that bed will be used by several different bucks over time. I am learning from a scouting master where to expect to see buck beds by using topo maps and basically knowing where the beds will be before ever setting foot in the woods. Dan Infalt has some awesome scouting techniques and videos available that teach you what to look for and the subtleties that will help you become a better mature buck hunter

I do my late season scouting by using the coverts, looking for the number of beds, look how well the trails have been used, and look at their droppings. I fine these methods really effective and they give me a great idea of whats still out there after the gun seasons.