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It's not against the rules, and it's your game. If you would have fun keeping notes, then by all means, keep notes. If you try it and it turns out to be less fun for you, then stop.
I can definitely say that I've thought of doing the same, 'cause I'm almost ALWAYS wrong about what's left in the deck. I'm surprised that a tracker app hasn't appeared on the Android/iOS app stores.
I don't think many people have a problem with counting cards in the deck. In some cases its almost impossible not to. The card counts are printed on the location card, which is open information, and every revealed/encountered card is open information, so there's really no ethical issue there, since you aren't cheating in any way.
Thematically it makes sense to pick the Academy for your Wizard because you know there are a number of spells to be had there; the card counts are really a balance of risk and reward. So going one step further and keeping track of the remaining cards isn't a crazy idea.
Furthermore, the upcoming Pathfinder Adventures game counts the cards for you so it doesn't seem like Paizo has an issue with this strategy either.
FWIW, I don't actively count cards, but I'll make notes if I leave a location open after a henchman is defeated, of if I know a Villain is in a group of possible locations. But at the same time, its not hard to recall when you've seen the one monster from a location, or something similar.
In the end, its your game/experience so you can do whatever you'd like!
Is it acceptable to keep track of the cards that have been removed from a location deck? Sometimes I don't want to close a location because the location deck still contains a number of boons. Would keeping notes on the cards that have been removed be contrary to the spirit of the game? I'm having a hard time justifying the ethics of such a thing. Thematically, a hero can't really know exactly what kinds of dangers a location contains, so why should the player be able to make decisions based on deck structure. It seems contrived and too "mechanicy".
Still, is something I'd really like to do.
It is not only acceptable, it IS part of the game strategy. Ip Paizo didn't want you knowing what's in a location deck - they would've printed the card list on the back of the location, instead of occupying real estate on the colorful art face. Which is also confirmed by Obsidian's app adaptation, where (if I'm not mistaken) not only do you have a card list, but it's also updated as you encounter stuff in the location.
Keeping notes is too cumbersome, but I put all the banished cards from a location beneath the Location card, so I can also check them. I don't have a proper solution for acquired boons - we just have to remember those, but it's usually not an issue to recall, and it certainly doesn't justify the overhead of writing stuff down. (Also, note that many people play by putting examined cards face-up on the deck, or even recharging face-up, as this is not a game of memory... unless you want it to be so).
Sure, if you want more 'challenge' ('challenge' seems to never be in enough supply for some people) you can try NOT to remember what you've encountered, and you can even cover the card lists on the location. I should again stress however, that knowing what's in a Location and deciding who and when to send there is BIG part of the strategy, so I'd rather play the game as intended.
'Thematically', if it'll make it easier on your conscience, you can assume the heroes have done their homework: reconnaissance, rumor gathering, high-level magical scrying...
Well actually, the digital version of the gae that will sooooonish be avaiable tracks it for you.
So indeed it's part of the game to memorize cards already encountered.
Typical example, say in a location A there are only 2 blessings and I know we already encountered them.
Now the villain escapes from whatever location B.
If when I keep on scouting/exploring location A I spot a blessing... then I know the villain isn't here. Very important piece of news.
I've taken those wooden cubes you find at craft stores, coloured them appropriately and we lay them out next to each location deck so we know what's left in the deck. When we encounter a card, the cube goes back in its bin. If a location spews barriers into the other locations, out come the yellow cubes and we add to the count. A fair bit of work at the front end, but really easy.
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Which is also confirmed by Obsidian's app adaptation, where (if I'm not mistaken) not only do you have a card list, but it's also updated as you encounter stuff in the location.
Yep. And if something creates mystery (such as an escaping villain adding either a blessing or itself to each open location), there's even a "?" category.