DUE TO FIRES THIS SUMMER, WE WERE FORCED TO POSTPONE THIS SERIES ON SCOUTING UNTIL 2021
This will be a series of post to document our 2020 archery deer scouting in central Arizona. We will be focusing mainly on Coues Deer but will probably set a few cameras and do some glassing for mule deer and bears also.
Follow along with us as we scout some new areas as well as some of our favorites from the past.
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April 20th
We set some cameras up at a few old salt licks and trail intersections. This is a good time of year to scout because the bucks are back to their normal core areas and they still have their antlers. We like to freshen up the salt licks every time we check the cameras. This way we don't need to carry heavy, 40lb sacks of salt up the mountain. A few pounds every couple of weeks will keep it going all summer.
When starting new licks, we like to first find a spot with good trails, preferably where two of more trails intersect. Then we will set up some cameras on the trails without salt. We are looking for bucks and don't want to waste our time with salt if there are no bucks using the trails.
Once we find a good buck then we will pick a spot along the trail where there is a good tree for a tree stand or a flat spot that would work good for a ground blind.
The picture below is a lick we started a few years ago and we just added a few new blocks and some loose salt to. On the hike in we actually picked up a small shed .
May 8th
We set out on this morning to check the cameras and hang another one near a remote spring at another established salt lick.
This is a remote spring head that we have been to many times and we have an established salt lick up the trail from the drinker. Setting a camera on a spot like this is just asking for it to be stolen but if you can get 75- 100 yards or so away you should be ok.
Here is our salt lick about 100 yards away on a good trail leading to the water.
Here are a few deer we have caught on our trail camera at this salt lick the past few years
Here are some deer we got on our first round of pictures for 2020!
Check back later (or better yet SUBSCRIBE to the blog) for more updates on our 2020 archery deer scouting.
Scouting Packages
We offer one and two day scouting packages in most units for Coues Deer, Mule Deer, Elk, Javelina and Bear.
Each scouting package will include the following:
1 or 2 days of scouting (appx 10-12 days before opening day)
DVD Video
Link to the same video on Youtube (set to private so only you can see it)
Maps marked with each location
Google earth KML File with markers for each location
GPX file for uploading the GPS coordinates to your GPS or GPS APP
Written description with pictures of each location