Due to the recent fire, your chances of busting out that trophy buck are nearly nil. But in two or three seasons, these burn areas will be your go-to hot spots. Burned areas will eliminate most of the impenetrable brush that bucks love to hide in, and also the layers of dry leaves and brush that create a ruckus when you're trying a quiet stalk. New growth will provide the greens that deer focus on for food. And if you did your scouting, you will have mapped where the deer will be.

Their watering spots will be the same. They'll be using their old trails, determined long ago by the terrain and topography. Deer will still travel them while the new growth fills in.

Just because a zone like D11/A31 has a low success rate doesn't mean that your chances of success are lower. All it really means is that if you've done your homework ahead of time, you'll have less competition when filling your tag.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Dolbee is associate editor of Petersen's Hunting.