The odds of a successful hunt of big game without scouting are extremely long. Even hunting small game and bird hunters can benefit from a quick pass of the prairie or the pond in the days leading up to the hunt. But those hunters taking on deer, elk, bears, and other high-value targets know that scouting is not only helpful but essential. Ideally, pre-scouting trips should take place ahead of hunting season. These give the hunter an idea of where his game would be if they weren’t being hunted.