The blacktails have been working me over the last few years. Would appreciate any advice on effective scouting techniques and strategy to get away from the flood of people.
I do not rely on same-year scouting. The deer behavior changes pretty drastically near the start of deer season so summer intel is nearly useless where I hunt. If the particular year stays warm and dry well into deer season then knowledge of water holes can be useful. Once the rain starts, not so much. I will usually make a single pass through the areas I plan to hunt in early September to assess the water and see which of the 4 types of oaks we have here have the best acorn crop .. varies year to year. Most of my scouting amounts to re-applying what I've seen in past years' hunting season. It takes years, sometimes decades, to work out a new area. I expect it to take 4-5-6 years before I start punching tags in a new place unless it happens to be a near-exact copy of a familiar location. That means I'm very secretive about my spots because I have a huge investment of time put into them .. it only takes one blabbermouth "friend" to waste years, sometimes decades, of learning by sharing it with the wrong people.
So far as getting away from people there are 3 approaches. First, consider one of the limited entry "trespass permits" that some of the timber companies sell. Not cheap. Some people object to them. But they are an option. Second, hunt wilderness .. hike in farther than you think anyone in their right mind will go. Get off-trail. Third, study road systems and look for "[bleep]-of-creation" spots with intimidating brush, bluffs, or canyons which sane people will drive right by. Google Earth can be a worthy tool for the latter two.
Tom
