Every August, I go through the same routine.
Some of it is exciting, looking over maps, checking trail cameras where legal, and planning scouting trips. Some of it isn’t nearly as glamorous, like replacing worn boot laces or making sure my water filter still works.
I’ve learned over the years that successful scouting trips rarely happen by accident. They’re usually the result of taking care of the little things before leaving home.
Here’s the checklist I use before heading into mule deer country.
□ Start With a Plan
Before loading the truck, spend time learning your unit.
Digital mapping tools like onX Hunt have changed the way we scout. Mark glassing points, water sources, likely bedding areas, trailheads, and backup plans before you ever leave your driveway.
The more planning you do at home, the more time you’ll spend finding deer instead of trying to find yourself.
□ Check Your Optics
Your binoculars will spend far more time in your hands than your rifle.
Clean your lenses, inspect tripod mounts, and make sure everything is working properly before the trip. Quality glass, like Vortex Optics, allows you to spend hours behind binoculars without unnecessary eye strain.
If something needs replacing, August is a much better time to discover it than opening morning.
□ Inspect Your Camping Gear
There’s nothing worse than setting camp in the dark only to realize your tent has a broken pole.
Before every scouting trip, I set up my tent in the backyard, inspect stakes and guy lines, and make sure my sleeping bag is clean and ready to go.
Don’t forget your sleeping pad either. A good night’s sleep makes long days behind the glass much more enjoyable.
□ Don’t Forget Water
Whether you’re scouting for an afternoon or several days, water should never be an afterthought.
Carry enough for the day and always bring a dependable water filter in case your plans change. A lightweight filter weighs very little but can become one of the most valuable pieces of gear in your pack.
□ Go Through Your Clothing System
Weather in mule deer country changes quickly.
Lay everything out before your trip. Base layers, insulation, rain gear, gloves, hat, and extra socks all deserve a quick inspection.
A quality layering system, like those offered by Sitka Gear, helps you stay comfortable through cool mornings, warm afternoons, and unexpected storms.
□ Make Sure Your Boots Are Ready
If your boots hurt during scouting, they’ll hurt even more during hunting season.
Inspect the soles, replace worn laces, and make sure they still fit comfortably with the socks you’ll wear this fall.
After long days hiking ridges, I also appreciate having a pair of lightweight Bogs Footwear recovery shoes waiting back at camp. Giving your feet a chance to recover overnight can make a big difference over several days in the mountains. Go ahead, call me an old man!
□ Check Your Pack
Dump everything out.
Seriously.
Go through every pocket of your backpack and make sure it’s stocked with the essentials instead of forgotten snack wrappers and last year’s gear.
Inspect buckles, zippers, and straps while you’re at it. Packs like those from Stone Glacier are built for demanding country, but even the best equipment deserves a preseason once-over.
□ Practice With Your Weapon
Whether you hunt with a rifle or a bow, now is the time to confirm everything is ready.
If you’re carrying a Weatherby rifle this fall, verify your zero with the same ammunition you’ll hunt with. Don’t switch bullet weights at the last minute and expect the same point of impact.
Archery hunters should inspect every arrow, replace damaged fletching, tighten broadheads, and make sure nothing has worked loose over the summer.
Your scouting trip is also a great opportunity to carry your weapon and become comfortable moving through the terrain you’ll hunt.
□ Charge Everything
Rangefinders.
Headlamps.
GPS units.
Satellite communicators.
Camera batteries.
Portable power banks.
Charge them all before leaving home.
□ Leave Room for Flexibility
No checklist can account for every situation you’ll encounter.
Maybe you’ll find deer exactly where you expected.
Maybe you’ll discover a better basin two ridges away.
The point of preseason scouting isn’t to predict every move a buck will make. It’s to learn the country well enough that you’re confident adapting when conditions change.
The more prepared you are in August, the more enjoyable, and successful, your fall season is likely to be.
Check Off Conservation, Too
Every scouting trip is a reminder of why healthy mule deer habitat matters. The places we hike, glass, and hunt today only exist because hunters and conservationists continue investing in their future.
The Mule Deer Foundation’s 2026 campaign, “The Vanishing Icon of the West,” celebrates the iconic animal that brings us together while reminding us of our responsibility to protect it. By becoming a member, you’re helping restore habitat, improve migration corridors, and ensure future generations have the same opportunity to scout these mountains each August.
Join the Mule Deer Foundation today and help conserve the future of the West’s most iconic big game animal.
Learn more and become a member at www.muledeer.org/join.
