“Holy cow! I’ve never seen this buck. I wonder where he hangs out?” This is a common question asked when reviewing trail camera images. It’s during these moments that these photos and videos born of SD cards and the wireless ether can seem inadequate, and they often are.
Summertime is a great time to scout for game for many species, and many of the times I’ve relied too heavily on game cameras, I’ve regretted it. There are a variety of reasons, including their inability to provide an animal’s direction of travel and a who’s who of equipment failures. You know, like bad batteries and hit-or-miss cellular signals. Digiscoping is the answer, despite hot summertime temperatures.
Why?
Because this method of photography allows you to see more territory, practice your hunting skills, and yes, get a better idea of where the game animals you hunt travel to and from. It’s also done from a distance, so, along with proper woodsmanship, digiscoping is a low-impact form of scouting.
Here are 3 Game Animals that you should scout during summertime by using your optics, smartphone camera, and a custom Phone Skope adapter kit.
Whitetail Deer
From the red and plaid outfits of yesteryear to today’s slew of camo patterns and technical clothing, whitetail hunting is massive across North America. As America’s number one game animal, whitetails are hunted from almost every state, many heavily. From Texas to Maine, Florida to Minnesota, hunters use the summer to scout for whitetails. But it’s not just for the sake of seeing them, but rather to gather crucial information about their behavior and habitat. Consider using digiscoping instead of (or along with) trail cameras. If you do, you’ll get great intel and a more rewarding experience, despite the sweat and sore muscles. By observing the landscape, you can identify feeding patterns and bedding areas, which helps you predict where deer will move in the fall. Summer scouting also allows hunters to assess antler growth and evaluate overall deer health. This preparation enhances their chances for successful hunts during the Fall and Winter seasons.
Elk
In the summer, a lot of hunters hit the mountains, valleys, and woodlots to scout for elk. Many of this bunch possess an almost masochistic love for scaling mountainsides at altitudes where even birds gasp for air. Make no mistake, elk hunting is a large institution, and many hunters will bend over backwards to enhance their chances of harvesting one, particularly a mature, large-antlered one. As with whitetails, hunters summer scout for elk largely to gather valuable information about their behavior and habitats. With most hunting seasons starting in late August or early September, the summer scouting is particularly effective for elk.
Digiscope scouting puts you right out there with them and can provide a lot of great intel to leverage in support of your hunting efforts and prospects.
In the typical large landscapes that hold these massive creatures, scouting from long distances is natural. It’s also perfect for digiscoping, as the hunter can not only capture great images with their optics but also record them by adding their smartphone camera with a Phone Skope digiscoping adapter kit.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn antelope hunting is a beloved tradition in the American West and Southwest. Characterized by amusing quirks like the unexpected sprint of these speedy creatures, many hunters feel like they need Olympic-level endurance to chase them. With the inherent wide-open spaces and rugged country in which pronghorn call home, summer scouting becomes essential as it allows enthusiasts to, you guessed it, familiarize themselves with their feeding patterns and favorite hangouts. While water sources are good spots to find deer and elk, they’re particularly great places to find Pronghorn antelope. Distance, draws, and ravines are your friends for concealment, as these wily creatures can spot you from long distances and flee. This makes digiscoping a great tool for stacking the odds in your favor, thanks to its ability to capture and record distant animals.
One thing is for sure: understanding these animals’ environments and habits is key to effective hunting strategies for the fall and winter.
If you’re glassing for game, why not take it a step further by actually recording your scouting images with digiscoping.
If nothing else, it closely mirrors hunting itself. Digiscope scouting puts you right out there in game animals’ neighborhood, and you can glean a lot of great intel – intel that can be leveraged in support of your hunting efforts and prospects.
So, whether you are using binoculars or a spotting scope for your scouting, take time to connect them to your smartphone camera. Reach out there and grab images and videos showing the tendencies of the game animals you hunt. Treat it like a hunt. Play the wind, camo up, and seek good concealment. You’ve got a job to do before harvesting your next whitetail buck, bull elk, or pronghorn antelope. Unlock the magic of scouting by putting boots on the ground and utilizing this unique and fruit-bearing scouting method.
If you’re glassing for game, you should take it a step further by actually recording your scouting images and videos with digiscoping.