Whitetails 365

Whitetails 365: Finding the Perfect Public Land Deer Hunting Spot

By Aaron McKinney

So, you want some more hunting ground, but cannot afford it. This is the case of most of us. However, you should consider using the publica hunting land available. Right now, you can start scouting these public areas in preparation for opening day. In fact, the more scouting you can do right now, the less pressure you will put on the area. The summer season is an excellent time to start scouting for deer, as it provides an opportunity to observe their behavior, patterns, and movements. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to effectively scout for deer during the summer months on public land.

Step 1: Research Public Land
The first step in scouting for deer on public land is to research the area you plan to scout. You can start by using your “Iowa Sportsman’s Atlas” to find areas to potentially hunt. You can also use Google maps, Onyx, and maps on the Iowa DNR website. This will help you find initial areas to potentially hunt. Some areas might have restrictions around hunting and you should check rules and regulations to be up-to-date on the latest changes before you go hunting.

Once you have gathered all the necessary information about the public land, you should identify potential hunting areas. Look for areas with good cover, food sources, and water. You can use maps to identify these areas, but information is best when you can visit the public land to get a firsthand look.

Step 2: Study the Terrain
The next step in scouting for deer is to study the terrain of the potential hunting areas. You should look for natural funnels, pinch points, and travel corridors that deer are likely to use. These areas may include creek bottoms, ravines, and other terrain features that funnel deer movement. It is best to look for areas you can hunt on different wind directions too.

Also, look for areas with elevation changes that may offer good vantage points. The terrain should be studied in detail to identify where deer are likely to be moving, feeding, and bedding. Once, again, maps are useful, but you need to get boots on the ground to explore these areas. Make sure to look for cedar thickets and dense brushy areas where deer will bed. This will help you figure out where to set your stand up. If you are setting up a morning stand, place it on trails bucks will take to return to the bedding areas. If you are setting up a stand for an afternoon hunt, place it so you can view the bedding areas and places that will give you good vantage points of bucks emerging out of the thick bedding and heading out to a food source.

Step 3: Scout with a Purpose
Before heading out to scout, it’s essential to make a plan. Decide which areas you want to check out and what you want to look for. Having a plan will help you stay focused and make the most of your time. Bring either a paper map, or use your phone to drop pins on potential spots. Snap a couple photos of specific trees. I say this because it is so easy to forget and jumble the information. Dropping pins will let you know exactly where you intend to set up.

Make note of funnels and pinch points. Keep in mind you have to be able to enter and exit the area disturbing as little as possible. In the summer, it is not as big of a deal to bump deer. However, once the season opens, you do not want to bump deer entering and exiting your stand. Just a few times and they will avoid your area completely.

Step 4: Look for Deer Sign
Beginning at the parking lot, start looking for deer sign. Look for tracks, scat, old rubs, and old scrapes. These signs can tell you where the deer are traveling, and where they are bedding. If you find a hub scrape, one on the edge of a timber, you will likely want to make note. This can be an awesome place to set a stand or blind during the last half of October, and as the rut approaches. You can mark several spots to set up for early season, rut, and late season.

Early season, bucks will travel rub lines and enter ag fields and food plots. They will also seek out other sources for food. Pre-rut, start hunting scrapes and mast food sources. During the rut, anything can happen, but be sure bucks are covering a lot of area searching for hot does. Locating doe bedding areas and areas where does have been frequenting can be the key to success. You also can set up on pinch points and funnels. These areas you can intercept cursing bucks or bucks dogging does. Late season, whether you are bowhunting or trying to fill a late muzzleloader tag, food is key in the late season. Set up over looking a food plot or ag fields and you will be set for success.

Step 5: Focus on food sources
The first few weeks of bow season food is a powerful attractant. It can be hard to get a deer within bow range during daylight. In Iowa, this often means green soybean fields, corn fields, mast crops, and alfalfa. Mast-producing trees, such as oak or hickory, produce nuts that deer will feed on during the fall months. Identify these areas and mark them, so when fall approaches, you can get your stand set up in the correct location. Mature bucks are still mainly active during the night time hours. This is where watching for cold fronts and taking advantage of high-pressure days can help you hunt these areas.

There are a lot of variables to consider when scouting public land. The best advice I can give you is to just go scout, get boots on the ground, and do it sooner rather than later. Get plenty of spots marked up. You might run into surprises such as too much hunting pressure around your area, you do not see much deer, or you have over-hunted the stand and deterred deer.