YouTube Series - How I do my E-scouting (Part 1)

[Big Fin]

Sorry it has taken us a while to get this series up on YouTube. It has been a lot of thinking, whiteboarding, and brainstorming about how what to include and how to present it. Even with all the time we have invested in it, I still think we could do better. But, I could still be working on it a year from now and be of the belief it could be better.

So, here is the first of four, possibly five, episodes on E-scouting. This is the overview of how I start and the tools I use. The following segments will be picking your Top Ten spots for the five day hunt. Then, a series of how to find the "Spot on the Spot" that will help you decide where in those spots to focus for finding animals. Following that will be the day-to-day plan of how to execute the strategy. We are considering a fifth episode about "Opening Day versus the rest of your hunt" that explains how the deck gets shuffled once the shooting starts. And we have a lot of other ideas that were considered, but got dropped due to how long the series could have grown.

I picked this hunting unit due to how difficult it is to draw and that I have hunted it twice. Recent feedback tells me I will cause a stir when people see us mapping out a specific unit, even if it is extremely hard to draw. But, not sure how else to do it with the validity and context that I felt was needed.

Many of our past videos have focused on drawing tags. This series now switches our focus to what we do once we have drawn the tag and have five days to go to a unit we likely have never hunted.

I hope this is what people were looking for when they asked us to do videos on E-scouting. None of this is the gospel. I hope the comments give me some ideas that will help me refine who I go about this process.

[video=youtube_share;h0Z_NClt88Q]https://youtu.be/h0Z_NClt88Q[/video]

 

[publichunter1]

Can't wait to watch and see what I'm missing. As always Randy, thanks for the info and videos!

 

[chadholl]

Thanks Big Fin for taking the time to do this. Between your youtube video series, podcasts, and Corey Jacobson's content I've learned quite a bit! You're a great hunter but even better sportsman's advocate and conservationist. Thank you for all you do!

 

[iHunt]

Are these videos going to have an emphasis on elk?

 

[Big Fin]

Are these videos going to have an emphasis on elk?

Yes elk will be the example, as public land bulls are the most challenging animal to locate on public land. That said, the same system of "needs-drives-location" applies to other species. From that system of needs-drives-location you can do this same thing for other species.

 

[jwilkstn]

Great stuff as always! I've really looked forward to this series! Thanks

 

[BlakeA]

This is awesome! Looking forward to the rest of the series. I plan on doing a post rut hunt for the first time this fall and will find these tips very useful. Thanks!

 

[cedahm]

I only wish you made the video last year

Edit: I should have watched past 2:50 - but the comment still stands.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

Looking forward to watching this...thanks Randy!

 

[wa_archer]

I just always get sidetracked when on google earth looking for actual animals. You can waist a day away doing that.

 

[Curvebow]

Great ideas Randy! Looking forward to watching & learning from the rest of them!

 

[02350FC]

Thanks for the info Randy! I was stoked to find this episode today and was hoping to bindge watch them! I'm sure you'll cover it but do you use google earth to get on ridges and find your classing spots or is that just a general area thing and you figure it out when you get there?

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Excellent tips!

I have the same philosophy hunting public land moose in Alaska.

1) Get away from hunting pressure by avoiding any area that a boat can access. I use a canoe dragged overland to small channels, then a plastic sled in marshy areas.

2) Get at least a mile away from the boating rivers, then consider the predominant wind direction. I want a lake or big meadow downwind of the hill I will be calling from because bulls like to circle downwind. Ideally I have 2 close calling locations one for a north wind and one for a south wind so I can relocate if necessary. With bull moose in the rut, I stay at my calling location sunrise to sunset for at least 2 days. A tarp helps if I'm sitting in the rain for 2 days...

Skeeter

 

[Colberjs]

I'm trying to put these tips to use in a unit I have hunted a couple of times in Colorado with few elk sightings. My question is, even if there are areas further from roads and trails, is there going to be landscapes that elk just won't be in. For example open areas with not a lot of cover? I'm looking at a pre-rut going into peak rut hunt.

 

[beginnerhunter]

I just always get sidetracked when on google earth looking for actual animals. You can waist a day away doing that.

Well, there goes my Sunday...