Scouting is the most crucial part of successful deer hunting regardless of what time of the year you hunt, and early-season deer hunting is no exception.

As a matter of fact, it is probably more important because deer are less likely to move any more than they need to due to the temperatures associated with early-season hunting and there is no rut tendency to help motivate them. Without the rut or cooler weather deer are content to move from bedding areas late in the evening to the food source and return to their safe havens early in the morning. Knowing where the food source is in relation to the bedding area is the critical information needed to be successful.

Long-range scouting in August and early September is a great way to get a good handle on what early-season deer are doing and is the best time to see what bucks are holding in your hunting area.
Bucks are usually very visible during this time period. They frequent fields, glades and open areas late in the evening in bachelor groups, almost ceremoniously, to display their headgear and to begin establishing the social status within their territory. Primarily, playful sparring or visually sizing one another up does this.

There are no great confrontations or battles. This will come later if two bucks of equal dominance run across each other during the rut.

Spending time late in the evenings with a good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope glassing from long distance is a great way of collect any data on where and how bucks enter a field or come to a food source.

The same technique can also he used at first light to determine what direction deer move out of the open to their bedding areas. A line of travel is important for proper treestand placement. One thing to remember is to maintain a safe distance from these deer to avoid scenting the area. You want to remain undetected until time to hunt.

Tree stand placement is extremely important during early season. I like to hunt near the food source in the evenings and nearer the bedding area in the mornings. I will have several locations set up during the opening day of the season.

Two or three stands will be on or very near the evening food sources I have seen deer frequent during my long-range scouting excursions. I will also have an equal amount of stands on trails nearer the bedding areas for morning hunts, if possible.

Deer will tend to stay in their feeding areas until the first rays of light began to appear. That's when they make for safer cover. If you try and hunt an evening food source early in the morning you will more than likely walk right in on deer trying to get to safety and ruin your chances for success.
The same is true if you try to hunt a morning stand in the evening. You again run the risk of spooking deer that are trying to leave the bedding area and make their way to the food source.
I also like to use stands that offer silent entry. Tree steps offer easy, quiet climbing into and out of your stand. One thing you must also remember is that a hunting area may only offer morning or evening opportunity, depending on the situation.

If either the feeding area or the bedding area is not conducive to an undetected approach, don't risk it. Many areas I hunt only offer a good opportunity either in the morning or in the evening but not both, due to a variety of circumstances. If this is the case in the area you hunt, be patient and hunt only the high-percentage stand.

Calling in the early season can be productive if you match your calling to the mental state of the deer. Remember, early season deer are more interested in survival than anything else. They are very content to move deliberately from food to bed and vice versa. There are no breeding or dominant instincts driving them. Therefore, softer social calls are the rule. Deer are social animals and are also very curious. I utilize soft contact grunts and bleats on my calls to arouse this curiosity and to play upon their social instincts Soft, subtle sounds simply say, "I am a deer come here." They can pull an out-of-range deer into a shooting lane.

Sparring lightly on antlers or a rattle box can also pull curious bucks in. The image you're trying to relay to bucks when using light tickling of the tines is that two bucks are having a push and shove match, which can entice a curious buck to come and see who is involved.

If your early-season plans don't work out, do not become discouraged. Utilize the knowledge you have gained from your early-season scouting and wait for the bucks to be active during the rut. Their increased activity levels should allow you more opportunities during the daylight hours and calling will become much more effective. Hunt smart during the early season, carefully working the area without disturbing the deer.