Scouting now for Oct/Nov

[westonhoma]

Hey guys. I am planning to head out to Colorado to scout a unit I have never been to in the Gunnison area next month. I know the deer might not be exactly where I find them come end of Oct for when the 2nd firearm season starts. At the very least I will find access areas, water sources, lay of the land, and just a cool backcountry trip at a minimum.

But anyone have any tips for scouting late summer for a later fall hunt? (versus summer scouting then hunting them right when Sep rolls around) Might be an odd question but was curious everyone's thoughts. I had some extra PTO and wasnt gonna NOT spend it in the mountains so figured might as well make a scouting trip out of it. Will take any tips I can get. Thanks

 

[ianpadron]

Good for you on burning PTO to actually go scout, rare these days!

In summer I like to scout the headwaters of the drainages I plan on hunting come October. Bucks are bachelored up and pretty easy to take inventory of, compared to once a couple rifle seasons have come and gone.

Strong chance that they make their way down the drainage with the weather towards their winter ground, so if you can break things down into summer range, transition area, and winter range, you'll be able to capitalize on any type of weather scenario. On your hike in you'll likely pass through at least 2, maybe all 3 zones. Take notes on likely habitat in all three, especially timber/quakie pockets just below the alpine.

Massive early snow? Hunt low. Unseasonably warm or just a couple inches of snow? Get way up top.

I haven't hunted CO, but during most of my successful October hunts in ID, WA, and MT the deer haven't been any lower than they would have been in July/August, so keep that in mind!

 

[westonhoma]

Good for you on burning PTO to actually go scout, rare these days!

In summer I like to scout the headwaters of the drainages I plan on hunting come October. Bucks are bachelored up and pretty easy to take inventory of, compared to once a couple rifle seasons have come and gone.

Strong chance that they make their way down the drainage with the weather towards their winter ground, so if you can break things down into summer range, transition area, and winter range, you'll be able to capitalize on any type of weather scenario. On your hike in you'll likely pass through at least 2, maybe all 3 zones. Take notes on likely habitat in all three, especially timber/quakie pockets just below the alpine.

Massive early snow? Hunt low. Unseasonably warm or just a couple inches of snow? Get way up top.

I haven't hunted CO, but during most of my successful October hunts in ID, WA, and MT the deer haven't been any lower than they would have been in July/August, so keep that in mind!

Awesome tips thank you! I do plan to do a little more research on summer/winter zones in the area prior to the hunt. Definitely plan to take a lot of notes while I am there as well.