Well, I went out this morning. didn't see anything from the stand but I realized that what I thought was a stupid hunter walking by without a flashlight after legal shooting last nightcould not have been a hunter. it came from a swamp that you cannot cross with even rubber boots. must have been a deer. most years, no big deal but jeez, i had been out so many times without even seeing a deer.

anyway, after loading my stand on my back i decided to take the long way in (i was about a mile in the woods, there really is no 'short' way) and do some scouting. about 100 yards down from my stand i look up and there isa buck running full steam DIRECTLY at me. i started to knock an arrow and looked up as I was pulling the arrow off the quiver and he was getting really close, still heading on the exact narrow trail i was on. as i get an arrow nocked he veers off to his left. i tried to stop him, which would have given me a 30 yard broadside shot but he was not going to stop. had he kept going straight he would have went right by my stand. ugh. i would have stayed up there but nature called. hehe. anyway, it's nice to see a live deer in the wild again. the one's at cabelas are nice but it's just not the same. later alll...