Early Season Scouting Factor

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I'd like to take some time to shed some light on a recent incident I noticed while scouting for deer bedding areas. Since the first time I started driving, I can remember riding along the county roads with my windows down during the late summer months glassing for deer. While traveling the roads at 55 mph, I can distinctly recall feeling a significantly cooler temperature engulf the cab of my truck. Sometimes it felt like a brief wind from the A/C however my truck did not have A/C and the temps would have been in the mid 90s that day. I've had this happen to me several times and it continues to happen. Every time I cant help but think man I bet that would feel good to a deer about this time. It didnt dawn on me then but I've recently began to study thermals and how they relate or dont relate to whitetail deer. Well I got the idea to start taking a thermometer with me in my scouting trips in an attempt to measure these sudden cool spots I tend to come across in the past. On July 14th, I took a trip 3 hours north and scouted a piece of public land for the upcoming season and tested my initial scouting thermometer theory. So I grabbed my handy instant meat thermometer and tossed it in my scouting backpack. I had marked several spots on this map that I thought would hold some great deer bedding. These were going to be my focus spots to make sure I checked out. I got up there around 1230 pm and scouted to 5 pm walking around 4 miles. The spots I picked out indeed were what I predicted they were going to be. I found approximately 15-25 beds in two separate locations that the Google Earth Map led me to. Once I got to these spots I decided to check the temps. In the sun, temps were above 95 degrees (Thermometer was still climbing in the picture). While walking these beds the ambient temp fluctuated from 85-86*. I then decided to check the ground temp of an actual deer bed and it floated between 79-80*. A difference of 15*. I found that to be interesting and it made obvious sense. The deer were #1 finding the best spots of security cover for bedding and within that bed, the beds i had found were in the coolest places according to my not so scientific thermometer. To sum it up, I think I'll continue to carry this thermometer in the future to find those cold spots early season, and find those warm spots come winter/postrut. I have a feeling I will see a correlation between measured temps and bedding.

 

[fairchaser]

Very interesting. Makes me wonder if there are any real time temperature maps out there. That could be a way to scout from the computer.

 

[AT Hiker]

You are TNdeers "hunting beast"! Although I don't hunt your way, due to time constraints, I think your methods are truly unorthodox and will eventually lead to some serious success, particularly on public lands.

I may employee a few of these tactics at LBL this year if time permits.

Keep us posted on this theory of yours come season.


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

You are TNdeers "hunting beast"! Although I don't hunt your way, due to time constraints, I think your methods are truly unorthodox and will eventually lead to some serious success, particularly on public lands.
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Well I was semi successful last year however a stray shot cost me a 150 inch 10 point 60 yds off a bedding area. The deer was spotted a two days later in good standing. There are a couple guys that have similar hunting strategies i believe on this forum.

 

[Snake]

That observation was really logical but perhaps overlooked by alot of hunters . Thanks for the tip . It could be very important during the early season . I always scouted as if I were a deer what would I do and it has worked until they become spooked with the constant human intervention .

 

[Mike Belt]

Interesting but how long do they hang those particular bedding areas into hunting season?

 

[tree_ghost]

Great observation! I know exactly what your talking about with the cool patches but never associated it with potential places a buck would seek out to use to his advantage


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Interesting but how long do they hang those particular bedding areas into hunting season?

That will vary with several different factors. once the leaves fall some spots will become sunny. If the temp his still hot and these beds become sunny. They may only move 10 yards into a blow down. For instance on this same scouting trip I sat down in the north facing bed to get an idea of my limits. I then followed a faint trail 5 yds west then it went dead south for 10 yds into a blowdown. I looked into the blow down and found this deer south facing bed. I assume he switches between the two to keep the wind in his favor. it was a mere 10 yds. Last year the deer i wounded wasnt a buck bedding area at all. it was a doe bedding area and I stayed out of there until the week of thanksgiving because that is the period the majority of does come in. I shot the buck at 4 pm coming from that bedding area. 15 minutes later a stout 8 point comes from the same area. then a 4 pt comes from the same area. each deer checking the does. I can count on this doe bedding area every year. The only factor that would dry it up would be another hunter going in there and blowing it out.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Thanks for sharing! I too, have experienced this. There is one particular spot on our place that it is felt almost every time you go through there. We have always noticed that location to be a natural crossing. We have a salt lick there and always get more bucks there during the summer months than any of our other licks. I'd love to study thermals more in depth, but my free time has been running thin lately.

I have read and thought about using smoke bombs in certain areas to study thermals more in depth to see how the air currents move across the landscape. You may want to give that a shot...or just tell me I'm crazy LOL

 

[Mike Belt]

Are you finding these bedding areas in lower or higher elevation areas? I would assume lower.

 

[Winchester]

Very interesting read and I agree 100% as I too have been walking along many times and when you encounter these cool air places they will be very noticeable. Ive found many of them are in low lying hollows or ditches running through otherwise normal terrain.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

:smash:

Are you finding these bedding areas in lower or higher elevation areas? I would assume lower.

Both

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

:smash:

Are you finding these bedding areas in lower or higher elevation areas? I would assume lower.

Both

The lower spots are going to be twice as thick or more

 

[Heath423]

Thanks for the read and your insight. I think we all have felt those cool spots while walking through the woods. However, I have never thought about it like that. You have just given me a new tool to use in the woods for better success.