An effective way to scout an area before the season opens is to visit it within 24 hours of a rain. You'll have a much easier time seeing fresh tracks, whether you're walking a logging road, circling an agricultural field or food plot, or following a creek.
Not only will you be able to judge the size of the deer using a particular trail, but you'll also learn which trails and crossings are getting the most traffic. And depending on how long you wait before visiting the area, you can even deduce travel times.
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