Summer scouting for whitetail bucks can pay off huge for you, once bow season begins. This is a deadly tactic for helping you figure out your deer patterns, months before season opens. It can be extremely hot during the summer months but the dedicated hunter will gain valuable Intel to help harvest a mature buck. Listed below are my tips and tactics to help you determine what kind of bucks are in the area, what times they are using the area and how they are using it.

Find the food The typical pattern for deer this time of year is to come out into a field to eat around dusk. Deer tend to gravitate toward crop fields during the growing season, so they can be productive summer scouting locations. Whitetail bucks will be in bachelor groups, so you often see more than one buck in a field at a time. It is a great opportunity to see what bucks are in your area.

Scout location with access in mind It is not wise to walk far from the road to find that velvet buck if you end up alerting him of your presence getting there. Try to use elevation changes to your advantage. It is essential to use a spotting scope or binoculars in order to scout from a distance.

Find entry and exit points Take note of where your target buck enters and exits the field. This is valuable information in setting up your stand location. If a buck has a pattern and comes out into the same field night after night during the summer, you have a very good chance to catch him in that location once season begins.

Use trail cameras I like to set my summer trail cameras at a mineral site located near heavily used trails. I can be in and out to pull the card with very little impact, which is important for letting the deer feel secure. Another place I set my cameras are near water sources with heavy trails. I usually don’t check cameras but every 3-4 weeks to not let my presence be known.

Use these tips to help build the hit list of bucks you will be chasing this fall. It takes some time and effort but the extra work could all be worth it if you find a big buck in full velvet. Scouting your bucks during the summer can pay off early in the season but the deer movement will change with the seasons. Good luck this hunting season my fellow hunters and hunt hard.

Feel free to ask any questions or share what you do differently in the comments below