While the summer does not allow for much hunting, there are many things that can be done to improve your chances of being successful in the fall. One of the most important things to do before the season arrives is scouting. I have heard experienced hunters call this half the hunt, although I would say it is more than that. Without proper scouting, you will spend long days in the field seeing little to no deer, and ones you see will most likely be nothing too special. I have had people tell me that they spend entire days in the same spot and see nothing, wondering why they can’t get lucky and see a good buck or even a doe. This is probably because there are no deer there, as obvious as that may seem. Sometimes public land could even prove better than private if there are no deer on the private land, but you will never know if you don’t scout beforehand. With the world getting busier, people having jobs, kids, or school, opportunities to hunt can be hard to come by, so make sure to make the most of your days. Putting in hours in the summer will allow more success to come in the fall.
First and foremost, you must get a good idea of land close to you that you will be allowed to hunt on. If you don’t own much land, I would highly suggest finding state game lands. Being from Pennsylvania, state game lands are abundant and so are the deer populations. The difficult part of hunting public land is making sure to find an area that is out of the way and not hunted by other people. The massive amounts of accessible land make this very possible, however. Another option is to call a friend, farmer, neighbor, or anyone you know that owns property. Ask if they will grant permission to hunt their land. The worst they can do is say no, so make sure to ask around and be polite whether or not they allow you to hunt there.
Once you find a place close to your house that you can hunt, you should begin to walk the area to find sign of any deer presence. The simplest way to determine this is to look for the deer themselves. It is practical to find a place where you can see for a distance and just sit there for a night. This will allow you to get a sense of the area, and see if any deer come through while you are there. If you see nothing after a night, there is no need to be discouraged if there is other sign, because even the great areas will have nights where no deer move. Signs of deer in the area that you can look for are trails, especially ones that have been worn through good brush, shed antlers, areas of fresh water, and food sources. Ideal deer habitat will have an area where there is thick cover, which is most likely where the deer will bed when it sleeps. Finding a water source can be helpful because deer also need to drink a good amount of water and will more than likely visit. Looking for good food sources is also important, and these could include grass or clover fields, oak trees, and fruit trees/bushes. Deer in the mountains love to be in areas with an abundance of oak trees, because they will eat the acorns that fall from them. Finding an ideal habitat for deer is very important in finding a deer population.
Once you find an area that you believe to be a great habitat, it can be beneficial to install a few trail cameras. These should be placed near the water/food sources or on a trail that has been obviously used. These cameras will do some of the work of spotting deer in the area for you, so you won’t have to always camp out in the area to spot deer and feel confident in your hunting area. Make sure to take advantage of these tips and strategies to maximize the potential of taking an animal that you will be proud of.