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To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
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Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger, pea-sized chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Mix in the pecans.
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In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla until homogeneous.
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Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until most of the flour is moistened. (A bowl scraper is a handy tool here.) The dough will not be cohesive, and some dry bits are OK.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat or roll it into a rough 12" x 6" rectangle.
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Divide the dough into thirds, about 4" x 6" each. Stack the pieces of dough on top of one another, tucking any dry bits or stray pecans between the layers.
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Once again, pat or roll the dough into a rough 12" x 6" rectangle, divide it into thirds, and stack the pieces.
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Pat or roll the dough into a rough 8" x 5" rectangle. By now, the dough should have come together with almost no loose bits.
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Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or your favorite reusable wrap and refrigerate it for 15 to 30 minutes.
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While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease.
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To bake the sourdough scones: Unwrap the dough and use a bench knife or chef’s knife to divide it in half crosswise, yielding 2 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half again crosswise to make 4 smaller rectangles. Then cut each smaller rectangle in half diagonally to make 8 triangular scones.
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Transfer the shaped scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches between each, and brush the tops with buttermilk.
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Bake the scones for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 375°F and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the scones are light golden brown.
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Remove the scones from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let cool slightly, about 15 minutes, while you make the glaze.
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To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, melted butter, and salt. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar to form a thick, smooth icing.
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While the scones are still slightly warm, spread about 2 teaspoons of glaze on top of each. Set aside briefly for glaze to set.
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Storage information: Sourdough scones are best enjoyed the day they’re baked. Store any leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
