9/30 Scouting

Sounds like you are considering the important factors. Hard to give advice without knowing the area. I’ve found over the years that I seem to have better success keeping my path to the stand as direct as possible as long as I’m not going through a spot that they are targeting to feed or bed down. I sweat like crazy too, so for me making a big long loop to get to my spot could raise the stink level and defeat the purpose... Walking directly into the wind will limit your scent dispersion, while it sounds like making a big circle will be spreading it over a much larger area. I often jump deer right behind my cabin while walking in to my stand but I try to go in an hour before sunrise. I use a red light and usually can watch them spook and just move off 20 or 30 yards instead of high-tailing it over the ridge toward the next county... I’ve jumped them right at my stand and also had them just move off a short distance and move back in again after I’m in place and quiet for 15 minutes or so. It’s like if they don’t actually see what you are or get your scent then they go about their business.
I used to squirt cover scent on my boots like fox or deer urine, tinks, etc. Over the years ive seen so many deer and the reactions that I no longer use anything. Deer(and other animals) have an immediate reaction when coming across my trail if anything had been on my boots. It very often turns them around, or at the least they are more alert and looking for that other deer, etc. I’ve occasionally watched them follow my trail but much more alert and skittish while doing so. Leather boots with no scent has a worse result with them getting spooked right away from what I’ve seen. Once I switched to rubber bottom boots I watch them feed right over my trail without even blinking or looking up.
In the dark, I put far more effort in to being careful that I don’t touch any branches or brush with my hands or clothes, than I spend trying to keep my steps quiet. I can’t remember if you are hunting public land or not but I think getting in and setup early, well before anyone else that might be near, will be a plus.

 

What zone are you hunting? I was trying to look up the FL calendar and did not realize there are so many zones down here. Will you be out with a bow, muzzleloader or centerfire?
I’m going nuts waiting to get in the woods. I’ve missed most of the bow season but hopefully will get back to N Ga by the end of the week. Maybe I can get a week in before blackpowder opens. Haven't been able to do any real scouting this year which is at least half the fun.

 

Good luck Rich I haven't even been yet this year I've been to busy with other Issues/things going on to even think about hunting. But it is about to get started and things are looking good.

 

Yeah, I can’t even go out in the garage down here for 10 minutes this time of year without sweating
Main reason I haven’t explored my hunting options.
Same in GA regarding public land and getting away from the crowds. Your average hunter wont go 200 yards from their truck and ATVs aren’t allowed on National Forrest or the WMAs. I don't mind a long hike but the few times I did get a deer on public land I soon regretted it once dragging it up and down the mountain sides for a mile or more... I see now they sell portable deer wheelbarrows.
I screwed up big time before changing our residency to FL. I had planned to get a GA lifetime hunting/fishing license which is not all that expensive. Main thing was that it remained valid even if I was no longer a GA resident. I forgot. I remembered the day I went down and got my FL license. I immediately jumped online and found I had to do it by mail so printed the form and sent my check the same day. Too late! States can’t even reliably keep up with citizenship and voting qualifications but they knew right away that I was no longer eligible for a GA hunting license even though I own a house and property in the state...
It’s going to be painful to buy that out-of-state license this month...
Good luck. Anxious to hear about your hunts.

 

Yeah, I feel your pain there almost worth changing it back for a while...

 

Yeah, I’ve been trying to think what would be involved and how I would be able to switch that residency again. Not sure how it would work since I’m dealing with tax issues for the houses and state income tax, etc.

 

I do it all of the time and folks think that I'm crazy. OK maybe a little, Skeeters usually aren't to bad and I've been lucky with snakes.