I hunt in the NIshnabotna river bottom and hunt the ground too. I love those river trees that have several trees connected together leaning out because you can crawl into the middle of them and have a natural blind. I'm seeing lots of deer and have passed up several small bucks, had a 5x5 not 7 yards away but he came in on my only blind spot, and watched several very nice bucks just out of range come into a cut corn field. Only a matter of time before one follows the thicket and has to pass me. The timber tapers to just 10 yards where my stand is so they have to reveal themselves to get past. Can only hunt north winds though. Really good story you posted

THWACK!