Skip to main content

Post-Season Scouting Master Class: Analyzing Quality Information

Part two of four in this post-season scouting series focuses how to dissect your in-the-field scouting finds.

Post-Season Scouting Master Class: Analyzing Quality Information

Photo by Untamed Images by Jason Loftus

Once all bedding areas, food sources and watering holes are located and recorded, it’s important to analyze and translate these behaviors, patterns and tendencies into actionable post-scouting planning.

This phase of the scouting process is about sifting through all the information gathered while in the field. A lot of miles were walked, interesting things seen and dozens or more of app pins dropped. Each data point means something. Sometimes, these things are obvious. Other times, they aren’t, but there’s always a take home message. Here, we learn what those are.

//content.osgnetworks.tv/northamericanwhitetail/content/photos//PostSeason2-1-1200x800.jpg
After gathering data from your in-the-field scouting, it’s time to analyze your findings. Utilizing digital mapping systems can help you piece together the sign you found in the field. Photo by North American Whitetail

Of course, another aspect of this scouting phase is studying satellite, topography and other relevant app and map layers that can help determine the clues garnered in the field. Deer use different habitat and topography types in a variety of ways.

For starters, observe your app (with the visible trail network and dropped pins showing). Study it from a high level perspective. Don’t focus on the details, just take in the whole picture. Make note of where major concentrations of activity occur, and where there seems to be wastelands void of deer activity.

//content.osgnetworks.tv/northamericanwhitetail/content/photos//PostSeason2-2-1200x800.jpg
Using different map layers in conjunction with your pins on the map can help you understand why sign is better is some areas. Photo by Honeycutt Creative

Then, zoom in on hotspots and points of interest. Study these areas in detail, even to the point of redundancy. Here, it’s important to question everything. While focusing on specific locations, revisit each dropped pin, note taken and photo snapped.

Ask yourself, why was this series of rubs here? Why was this community scrape there? What made that big buck bed in that spot so often? Why did the bulk of the deer use this trail, but some used a smaller, less-traveled one adjacent to it? When was each bed most likely to be used?

It’s these types of questions that will be important to ask and answer during this phase of the scouting process. Eventually, knowing these answers will help you understand how deer use and maneuver about the property, which is critical information when making decisions on creating new bedding areas, establishing food sources, placing watering holes, planning lines of movement, creating screening cover, charting access routes and more.

//content.osgnetworks.tv/northamericanwhitetail/content/photos//PostSeason2-3-1200x800.jpg
Analyzing rubs and rub lines will help you map out buck travel corridors on the land you’re hunting. Photo by Blake Garlock

In addition to findings revealed while in-the-field scouting, it’s important to compare these things to reflections on in-the-field sightings while hunting during the past season. It can really help unlock your understanding of an area. For example, if you see that cluster of beds on a south-facing slope, you may remember the day toward the end of deer season when a monster buck emerged from that direction. Or, if you’re trying to determine which buck made a rub line, you’ll think back to fall when you watched a buck make a rub. Then, after the season, study the various rubs for similarities in rubbing patterns or unique features that could be attributed to a buck’s specific antler traits.

Likewise, it’s important to plug in key trail camera photos, too. All photos of mature bucks are relevant, especially those taken during or close to legal shooting light. By studying these trail camera photo details (i.e., arrival direction, departure direction, time of day, etc.), and comparing these to things found while scouting, you can unlock clues that’ll help you get on a target buck.

//content.osgnetworks.tv/northamericanwhitetail/content/photos//PostSeason2-4-1200x800.jpg
Analyzing trail camera photos is also a must-do during post-season scouting. Looking back on the season’s photos is a great way to determine when certain spots are most active. Photo courtesy of Blake Garlock

This is especially true for trail cameras that soaked within bedding areas. Capturing photos of bucks within bedding areas tells you where they are sleeping. If these deer are still alive, this can help make plans for next season. It might also reveal what other bucks might do in the future. But we’ll cover this and more in more detail in part three of the Post-Season Scouting Master Class.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Team NAW Tests Taurus' Raging Hunter on Texas Axis Bucks!

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Winchester's Continued Legacy: The .400 Legend

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Savage Unveils New Line of Popular Axis Hunting Rifles

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Browning's Brand-New X-bolt 2 Hunting Rifle

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Ripcord Arrow Rests Rejuvenates Lineup with Three New Models

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Don't Sleep on Conventional Trail Cameras

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Browning Trail Cameras Announces Cellular Innovation for 2024

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

ATA 2024 Core SR First Look from Bowtech

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Browning OVIX Camo: Ultimate Concealment for Any Time, Any Place

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Air Venturi Avenge-X Classic PCP Air Rifle Reviewed

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Primos Edge Carbon Fiber Tripod Shooting Sticks

Danny Farris puts his Browning OVIX camouflage to use in the rocky terrain of Texas.
Gear

Bowhunting Aoudad in Texas with Browning OVIX Camo

North American Whitetail Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the North American Whitetail App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top North American Whitetail stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top North American Whitetail stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use