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Trophy Whitetail Deer hunting is what we are all after. It starts with dedicated
scouting as we recognize a true trophy whitetail is
hard to come by. That first part of the self guided hunt, deer scouting, is encouraged pre season as well as just before the hunt itself with a day or two of scouting. And, it is the deer scouting part of the hunt that is most often failed by the new to the Kansas, Missouri, Iowa area trophy hunting Association member. That deer scouting failure centers on the unwillingness of many to identify and concentrate on what is the regional predominate whitetail holding habitat - the wooded creek bottom. When it comes to deer scouting our lease land many non-residents are ill equipped with the right background experience to effectively scout on the habitat most likely to hold trophy bucks. They typically also have the unintended prejudice that frequently degrades accurate habitat analysis involving the preconceived notions of what the right kind of habitat holds whitetails and that notion is frequently an attempt to parallel home state habitat and apply that standard to the mid-west. The premise of this deer scouting section is to overcome what we have found to be the most significant obstacle to central mid west trophy whitetail hunting success and that is this section, a how to conduct deer scouting, on what is the predominate whitetail holding habitat. Trophy whitetail do exist in very specific areas within the north American continent and all that have done their research know the central mid west probably has more trophy whitetail than most other places. Many reasons are offered for why the mid west trophy whitetail has become as popular as it has. One offered explanation has been that the mid-west trophy producing habitat is unfamiliar to most hunters making the potential harvest less likely than it would be in his home state habitat as the very habitat that holds the majority of the trophy whitetail is the same habitat not likely to be hunted. We see this every season as members seek the largest wood patch as the best whitetail habitat rather than the right cover habitat regardless of size as location is far more important. On this page we offer a very rare opportunity to review one trophy quality buck and the habitat it occupied.
This picture was cropped wide to illustrate just how open the terrain is where this whitetail was photographed. The overall area is sparsely covered with small to large trees and low height brush. The pasture and hay areas were mostly open with a few groups of small cedars. Overall sign included trails, rubs and scrapes in sufficient quantity to warrant further scouting and hunting. Many hunters believe that large areas of thick woods are necessary for quality hunting. In the mid-west small thin wooded strips, fence rows, creek bottoms and wood patches are the normal whitetail habitat. This habitat is common at the confluence of the Kansas River, upper Mississippi and lower Missouri River basins where numerous and long running watersheds prevent efficient agriculture and create large wildlife areas. This whitetail was photographed in a pasture that is double boxed managed. The
cattle were pulled off the pasture just before the season. The thinness of the vegetation
and the fact it is pasture did not matter to this buck.
The predominate habitat on and around this farm is open. The wooded areas even in the thickest spot are thin enough to see through on the low rolling hill contour. This farm, as do most of our properties that we lease, has a golden nugget or hot spot. This buck clearly shows us where that spot is. This property is also actively farmed with crop and cattle and a landowner on
site with dogs. The driveways to the east off the road go to three other
occupied farm homes, each with free running dogs, along the 1/2 mile stretch of
road along the east boundary of this property. The level of human activity year
round on this farm and around it further did not stop this buck from daylight
movement. But, where the buck was photographed was not in directly line of sight
of the farm yard, corral/feedlot or road. And that is the point of this deer
scouting section. Find through deer scouting the concealment cover away from
human observation first as prime cover. That is the point of
concentration when deer scouting and not wood patch size.
Many of us do it yourself deer hunters have seen a few whitetail deer near to this standard each year and every couple of years of this same quality up close and distant while deer scouting or hunting. To capture a trophy deer on film is a significant accomplishment. To place such a trophy deer in the back of the truck a greater accomplishment. To do so may begin with aerial photos, but is made possible only through boots on the ground deer scouting. |
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The 160 acre farm the
whitetail above was photographed on. The white arrow (point
tip) is the location and direction of travel of the buck in the picture above.
The trail traveling along when back tracked followed the small tributary at the
tail of the arrow south and dissipated in the hay field to the south.
A larger view of the rack. A 6x5 rack with excellent tine
length, and spread.
