Scouting Expectations for Buck Numbers in Idaho South Central Mtns

[zach_c]

I would like to get an idea of how many new bucks per day on average you would expect to see in July & August for pre-season scouting?

I am referring the Idaho South Central mountains, OTC general archery/pre-season scouting. I am aware of the winter we just had here.

Assuming:

• I have packed in miles from roads
• Glassing at optimum times and glassing bedding areas throughout the day.
• 8-10k in elevation
• I don't skyline myself and use cover when possible to move and obey the wind

Also, I generally hunt solo and only know one other person who hunts, so I really don't have any other basis to know what constitutes a good number of bucks to see in a day. This is my 3rd year for archery, so I am still relatively new at scouting and archery hunting (I am experienced with rifle). For example this year, I spent a 1.5 days and saw 15 bucks. Another outing was 2.5 days and 2 bucks. Thanks

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[sagebuster]

Zach,

Usually do my scouting from about mid-July to mid-August. Most of my honey holes are further West from where you might be scouting in South central, but from what you say, it looks like you've hit the upper and lower limits on the number of bucks you might see on a typical summer day. I'd call 15 a good day, especially this year after our hard winter. 20 would be a great day, but 2 in two days might have me jumping to the next drainage over. This year I hit one of my honey holes for a two-day stay and saw only 7 bucks. That was in July and I considered that a good day, all things considered. It was hot, and I only glassed early morning and late evening. I went back the next weekend and saw 5 bucks in the same general area. I imagine there were more, but it was hot again and I'm sure the deer were moving mostly at night. It's mid-August now and my advice is...be careful. If you bump a shooter now, you may never see him again. Season opener is two weeks away. Patience. Perseverance. That should be your two-word mantra going forward.