Scouting for deer during the off season is a very important part of hunting. By scouting for deer during the spring and summer you can see the deer that will be in your hunting area during the season. There are many different things to look for when scouting for Whitetails. Deer are very predictable during the summer, as they only eat in the mornings and late evenings and during the day they bed down. Some things to look for when scouting for deer are deer trails, rubs, droppings, and deer beds.
Deer trails are trails in the woods or tall grass that deer use to get from there bedding area to their food source. These are good places to set stands because they are a place where you know deer will travel.
Buck rubs are trees or saplings where a buck rubbed his antlers against the tree to rub off the velvet that covers their antlers during the summer. The bigger the rub generally means the bigger the buck that made it.
Deer beds are where deer bed down during the day. It pays to hang a stand overlooking a bed, because you know that a deer will visit it during the day. Usually beds are found in thick cover like thickets and clear cuts because they offer protection from the elements and hunters. If there is not a tree nearby, hang a stand on the outside of the surrounding thick cover.
Sheds are also a very important find when scouting. Sheds of antlers give a solid indication that the buck made it through the season, and they also give you an indication of what the buck will look like next season.
Scrapes are where the buck will paw the ground to mark their territory and to display dominance. These are good places to hang a stand near.