Just got home a bit ago and had quite the night. The seek and chase phase appears to be on...

I saw 3-4 bucks (not sure if some were duplicate) and they were all shooters, which is a mature whitetail in my book (heavy 8 or better). They were walking quickly all evening. I had one buck who was very nice, follow a doe to 35 yards of my stand, but out of my shooting lanes. She continued her zig zagging walking and went the other direction. I could hear dear running in the ravine behind me. It was like being in a zoo.

Right after sunset, I had two mature bucks within 90 yards of my stand. One was thrashing a tree and the other was drinking from a spring. The one by the spring came within 45 yards and I think he caught some scent and turned around and trotted off. The wind had died and he was downhill and I think the thermals might have gotten me.

I only work one day in the next ten and what a way to start! I had some mixed emotions as the one very nice buck following the doe came so close to my stand. I almost didn't want to shoot, but he would have been very close to the nicest buck I have taken. He appeared to be a heavy, wide ten.

If you can go, this is the time.