Summer Scouting Gear for Whitetail Hunters

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Summer is finally here, which means it’s an exciting time to be in the whitetail woods. As big, mature bucks begin growing velvet-clad racks, you’ll head into the heat to hang trail cameras, establish mineral sites and figure out which deer you’ll be targeting this fall. In case you’re looking for any new gear to help you spy on the local bachelor groups, we’ve got you covered.

Trail Cameras

BROWNING

The Browning Pro Scout Max HD (pictured above), Browning Trail Cameras’ most advanced whitetail scouter, is designed to deliver top-end full HD images from the field. Its new Ultra-High Grain Cellular Antenna ensures maximum performance even in remote areas where cell cameras struggle to transmit. The camera’s on-demand picture and video capture feature is a win; all photos and videos are crisp and clear. The camera’s invisible IR Night Illumination eliminates game-spooking flash and is compatible with SD cards up to 512 GB. The Pro Scout Max offers month-to-month data plans with no contracts, and the user-friendly Strike Force Wireless mobile app makes operation a breeze.

COVERT

Available with cellular data service from either AT&T or Verizon, Covert’s WC20 sports an ultra-sensitive .3-second trigger that ensures no big buck is missed. The camera’s no glow flash range is 100 feet, and the detection range is 80 feet, which ensures longer-range image captures. A QR code makes for effortless set up, and the 1.5-inch Setting Screen allows for in-the-field photo and video viewing. This 20-MP cell scouter captures 1080p video, and Maximum Silence image capture ensures you won’t have a picture of your target buck flagging as he runs away from the noise.

MOULTRIE MOBILE

Moultrie’s Edge was a homerun. However, the latest addition to the Edge series — the Edge Pro — is a grand slam. Showcasing all the original features of the Edge, the Edge Pro provides False Trigger Elimination (FTE). Smart Zones allow you to select areas in the field of view where you don’t want to trigger an image, and Smart Capture’s onboard AI device means swaying branches, grass and other debris won’t ping your smartphone. The camera connects to the strongest signal in the area, which means no swapping SIM cards, and the user has total control of the camera via the user-friendly Moultrie Mobile App.

SPYPOINT

Fitted with an on-board lithium battery charged by an integrated solar panel, the Spypoint Flex-S keeps you from spreading your human footprint whenever batteries need to be changed. Eight AA batteries can be used alongside the panel to extend battery life, and the Flex-S snaps 36 MP photos and 1080p videos with sound. The .3-second trigger never misses, and the flash and detection range are 100 feet. The Flex-S works on all major cell networks and will automatically connect to the one with the best coverage in the area. (spypoint.com)

REVEAL

Get long-lasting performance and stunning day or night images with the Reveal X 2.0. The unit comes with a low-glow IR flash that won’t spook game, and the rapid trigger speed and extended range detection allow you to capture deer at distance. The X 2.0 promises minimal to no blur, and the camera body is built like a tank to ensure years of longevity no matter how harsh your whitetail climate gets. The camera operates on a dozen AA batteries and is compatible with Verizon and AT&T networks. 

BUSHNELL

Bushnell's Cellucore 20 has proven its salt and is a favorite of many whitetail fanatics. With the Cellucore 20 Solar, you get all the excellent features of the Cellucore 20 with boosted battery life via the addition of a solar panel that detaches, so you can make that “just-right” sun adjustment angle. The panel has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and can maintain a full charge for up to 70 daily images with direct sunlight.

CUDDEBACK

Looking for a simple, organized way to receive trail camera images from multiple cameras without Wi-Fi or cellular data? Enter Cuddeback’s CuddeLink 2+1 Starter Kit. This kit comes with the Home Camera and a pair of either IR or Black Flash cameras. A system that is neither Wi-Fi nor cellular, CuddeLink allows up to 23 cameras to daisy chain and send images to a single, easy-to-access Home Camera. Camera-to-camera range is roughly 1/4-mile in timbered terrain, but that range increases as the terrain opens.

Binoculars

LEUPOLD

Leupold’s BX-4 HD Rangefinding Binocular is not only perfect for whitetail hunting, but it’s also great for glassing up velvet bucks and ranging their proximity to potential ambush locations. Nothing beats a single set of optics that allows you to glass game and get an accurate range. These binoculars pair precise optical performance with Leupold’s DNA engine, allowing deer hunters to glass their quarry and get an accurate range simultaneously. The yardage readout is immediate, and the high-contrast OLED display provides easy-to-read yardage no matter the lighting conditions. Built around Leupold’s Elite Optical System, light transmission is boosted, and glare is reduced. The BX-4 HD ranges reflective targets at 2,600 yards, trees at 1,600 yards and deer-sized game at 1,100 yards. 

SIG SAUER

Match your bino power to your terrain with Sig’s Zulu6 HDX. Available in powers of 10, 12, 16 and 20, these binos sport a feature you won’t be able to go without once you use it: Image Stabilization. When Image Stabilization is enabled, shaking and vibration are canceled, allowing remarkable off-hand glassing. The optics also will help you to switch between Scan Mode, ideal for gridding terrain while looking for game, and Target Mode, perfect for locking in on wild game and targets. Target Mode increases your stability up to 50 percent when glassing off hand.

VORTEX

An easy-to-recognize name in the optic world, Vortex’s Razor UHD 10x42 binocular is a quality optic designed for the whitetail hunter. The acronym UHD stands for Ultra High Definition, which Vortex delivers on flawlessly through the binocular’s unmatched image resolution. Whether you’re trying to spot velvet antlers sticking out of a bean field or a mature buck in the open country, the Razor UHD 10x42’s will provide you with an ultra-clear image no matter the terrain.

RITON

If you’re in the market for high-quality glass packed into a durable platform, look no further than the 5 Primal 10x42 ED binoculars from Riton. Built on a strong aluminum alloy frame, these binoculars perform incredibly while remaining lightweight. The advanced Riton ED glass provides whitetail hunters with top-notch clarity during low-light periods. Backed by Riton’s industry-leading limited lifetime warranty, you can rest easy knowing your optics are protected from the unexpected.

SWAROVSKI

Known as the manufacturer of some of the world’s best optics, Swarovski has knocked it out of the park once again with their NL Pure 10x42 binoculars. Loaded with Swarovski’s famous glass, the NL Pure’s are crisp and sharp, providing whitetail hunters from the timber to the plains the clarity they need. Coming in a lightweight and ergonomic design, the NL Pure 10x42 is a tough optic to beat. (swarovskioptik.com)

SIGHTMARK

Sightmark’s 10x42 Solitude XD binoculars offer deer hunters stunning sharpness and contrast. The XD (meaning extra low dispersion) glass helps correct optical color defects, which are caused by light wavelengths not converging at the same point after they’ve passed through the glass. Sightmark’s innovative technology doesn’t stop there. Designed with Bak-4 roof prisms, the Solitude XD binoculars allow for maximum light transmission for those low-light buck encounters. All this packed into a rubber-armored, nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed body that makes the binoculars water, fog and dust proof.

Accessories

ALPS OUTDOORZ

ALPS knows packs, and its award-winning Pursuit is a top-end choice for the whitetail enthusiast. This 4.7-pound pack measures 2,700 cubic inches. The D-ring clip lets you hang it from your whitetail perch, and the organizational shelf pocket keeps your gear at your fingertips. The padded waist belt with dual pockets is removable, and Alps includes plenty of webbing loops for immediate lashing.

ONX HUNT

Likely one of the most innovative tools for summer scouting, onX Hunt provides whitetail hunters the ability to confirm land ownership, identify mast-producing trees and toggle between topo and satellite imagery. Best of all, the onX Hunt app allows hunters to plan their boots-on-the-ground scouting trips from the comfort of their home. By marking your scouting points of interest in advance (i.e. water holes, terrain features and vegetation edges), you can efficiently cover more ground and zero-in on a big buck’s core area.

CONQUEST

Scraping allows bucks to make their presence known by dispensing scent throughout their core area. When a dominant buck is roaming the woods and wanders upon a massive, realistic-looking scrape with an authentic licking branch overhead, he wants to take it over. The trick is in creating that scrape, and Conquest’s Scrape Maker is the answer. A specialty tool, the Scrape Maker allows you to make scrapes with licking branches that bucks can’t ignore. There’s no better time to establish a new mock scrape than the early summer, so act fast and give your bucks plenty of time to adopt the new scrape.

BROWNING OVIX

Available in Browning’s blend-into-any-terrain OVIX pattern, Browning’s Early Season Hooded Shirt and Pant is a killer combo designed for summer scouting and early-season hunting. The shirt’s lightweight polyester fabric withstands abuse, and you’ll appreciate the 50+ UPF sun protection. Engineered for long days and extended hikes, the Early Season Pants showcase lightweight ripstop polyester fabric and tow convenient side cargo pockets. To top it all off, the articulated knee tailoring boosts mobility.

STRIKE FORCE

New from Strike Force, the Protein Gravity Feeder Kit allows you to feed your deer herd almost any protein pellet or other feed in a naturally regulated manner. A trio of tubes with adjustable feed gates lets you control how much feed is dispensed. This new feeder kit is mountable to nearly all barrels, drums or buckets via the included mounting adapter, giving you plenty of set up options.

KUIU

Scouting in the summer heat can be brutal, so a quality lightweight garment is essential. Kuiu’s Mesa Vented Snap Shirt is perfect for keeping you cool as you traverse the hot, buggy whitetail woods. Knowing that ventilation is crucial during hot weather, Kuiu designed this shirt so that it has adequate ventilation even when you’re wearing a pack. So, no more sweat stains where your scouting pack rests on your back. Coming in six different sizes and eight different color schemes, there’s a Mesa Snap Shirt to fit any hunter in any terrain.

BIG TINE

From the minds at Big Tine comes just what you need to boost summer antler growth with all the benefits of Big Tine’s original Fortified Deer Blend, including a protein boost. By adding roasted soybeans and a higher concentration of Big Tine’s Nitro Mineral and Vitamin supplement, this blend is an outstanding source of fat and protein. Without a doubt, Protein Plus will help you inventory and retain the deer herd on your property.

OLD TRAPPER

Bulk up for the summer scouting season with Old Trapper’s protein-rich Peppered 10 oz bags. Twelve packs per case means plenty of keep-you-going snacks that taste great and provide exceptional nutritional value. Seasoned with a mix of spices and fresh black pepper, Old Trapper Peppered Jerky is smoked with natural wood and packaged fresh.

WILDLIFE RESEARCH CENTER

Put that mock scrape wherever you want with WRC’s Active-Branch Mock Scrape Kit. From trees to fence posts and everything in between, this patent-pending branch holder showcases a pair of tubes — one upper and one lower — to give you a two-branch mounting system. The two-branch system provides a set-at-the-right-height licking branch and a branch above to hang your scrape dripper.

BUCKSTIK

From the minds at BuckStik, BuckBranch is an all-in-one horizontal scrape system. This mock scrape maker is perfect for summer deployment, giving your target buck plenty of time to adopt it as his own. An easy to screw in base that requires no tools means you can throw the BuckBranch up on the fly when you find the perfect location. Coming with a three-pack of gland secretions and a durable tube for transport, BuckBranch is ready to go as soon as it arrives at your front door.

HOYT

Summer prep can’t be complete without archery practice, and the Go-Stix 2.0 Bow Stand from Hoyt will make your summer shooting extremely convenient. The freshly engineered legs adjust and swivel into four different positions. Since the Go-Stix are extremely adjustable, you never have to remove them. Compatible with a variety of Hoyt bow models, the Go-Stix 2.0 are a must-have for archery hunters.

RACK ONE

A major part of summer scouting is establishing mineral sites, and Rack One’s Boost 73 liquid mineral supplement is a great addition to your inventory plan. Coming in a nearly 5-pound jug, Boost 73 is formulated to promote healthy growth and digestion in your local deer herd. Considering boost 73 comes in six different “flavors,” there is an ideal option for every deer hunter. 

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