Chris Ingram for SPLIT REED
Scouting, it’s one of the pivotal components to piecing together a successful hunt. What does scouting mean to you as a waterfowl hunter? Endless tanks of gas, hours behind the windshield, glassing fields, putting birds to bed, etc. Maybe you love it, maybe you hate it, but you can’t get away from it if you want to put birds on your strap. I enjoy scouting for birds and meeting farmers and landowners in my area just as much as I enjoy hunting. There are times it feels like a chore, but then there are times when it has become an epic adventure.
I like to start putting on the miles during the hot summer months, checking the water levels in the beaver ponds and little creeks I enjoy hunting in Vermont. I also find my early endeavors beneficial as I am usually the first hunter to knock on the door long before the season. I familiarize myself with the landowners in the area, which plots have become posted since the last season, which parcels have changed hands and I come into the game with some background knowledge so that when time turns precious, I have a game plan and can focus on hunting.
I enjoy scanning aerial photos to find small water holes that are off the beaten path. There are days I would much prefer the quiet, uninterrupted solitude to scratch out a few ducks than to compete for birds and space in the heavily congested hunting grounds. So, after discovering a small pothole opening along the perimeter of a massive cattail and cedar swamp, I started searching for the property owner to obtain permission to venture out into my new-found respite. With a little leg work, I was able to track down the farmer who resides nearby. After knocking on the front door and disclosing the nature of my visit, I was warmly invited inside to discuss the details of my plans for pursuing ducks at this backwater oasis. The farmer mentioned that there is an overgrown logging road that runs out into the swamp that would get me about a quarter-mile away from my destination, but he had a faster route to scout the area and I was to hop in my truck and follow behind him to go and have a look at the spot.
We drove out to the end of a gravel road that opened up into a large farm connected to an oddly shaped hayfield that eventually took the shape of a very long grass strip. As I parked my truck inside a large pole barn, I quickly realized this weathered structure was actually a modern-day aircraft hanger! Yep, my farmer friend just transformed into a pilot and I was about to become a passenger in his single-prop Cessna and we were going up for a spin! Now I am not one to shy away from a little adventure, but I have to admit, I was slightly apprehensive to board a small plane with my new acquaintance who I had not five minutes sooner just introduced myself to. Now, I am also a man of faith so I put my trust in the Good Lord to get me through this experience unscathed, provided my darling wife would let me live me once she became aware of my little Sunday Funday Scouting escapades!
Well, I ended up with a birds-eye view of the entire swamp as well as the surrounding lakes and streams in the area. There were river setbacks and beaver sloughs I was not aware of previously. Now this may not be a normal or regular way to scout for waterfowl, but I cannot emphasize any more, how important it is to think outside the proverbial box when it comes to scouting and finding new hunting lands and monitoring existing and changing favorite locations. Check out aerial photos and get your boots on the ground. Don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path and explore new and hidden areas. Try something new, dare to be different, be adventurous, and don’t ever doubt the scout!
