Scouting

After you decide what you want to hunt and where you will go to do it, it is time to do some pre-season scouting. The term scouting refers to time you spend "checking out" the area you plan to hunt. It may include looking at maps and aerial photos, and it includes hiking throughout the area to see what it is really like. Scouting is great fun, and it will increase your chances of being successful when the actual hunt finally arrives.

Here are a few things to remember when you go scouting:
 Ask permission before entering private property
 Conduct your scouting just like you would a hunt.
 Watch the wildlife; note where the animals go, and when they go there.
 Look for sign: tracks, trails, droppings, dusting and wallow areas, rubs and scrapes.
 Note well-used travel routes, game trails, feeding and watering areas.
 Watch other wildlife that use your hunt area. Other animals may give you clues to where game animals are located—but remember that birds and animals may not use the same area throughout the year. They may live in one area in summer and a different area in winter.