Here's the layout.
-I've got a trip planned to the midwest for Nov 4-13th.
-11 hour drive
-Private land that hasn't been hunted yet this year
-Spotted a 170+ last Nov 12 (after i was tagged out with the buck in my avatar)
- He moved through a crp field and then section of hardwoods every morning last year ( i was tagged out already ) We had him at 45 yards one morning, 60 yards and 120 yards on other mornings. Never got a shot ( i was filming )
-I feel confident nobody got him, as this is very low pressure land
- He took a different trail into the hardwoods every morning, but always seemed to funnel to one spot about 200 yards deep in the woods. (this is where i want to be)

Here's the question.
Would you go up now (2 weeks ahead) and set up so glow tac trails or gps trails and to mark trees for each possible wind and do a little bit of soft scouting.
OR
Just walk in and climb a tree in the dark in the general area he was spotted last year and mark a glow tac trail out that morning and maybe adjust the stand location as needed as you hunt him that week?

I certainly want to do zero on the feet scouting that week. Only glassing.

Its wide open hardwoods these deer move through in the morning.Never hunted it in theevening, but I'm sure they move back through the opposite way headedtowards the fields.Theres a couple funnels coming out of the crp just due to ditches, but no major funnels.

Help me nail this guy. I bet he's 180+ this year. Last year he looked to be about 5-6 years old, around 240lbs. Typical 12 with at least a couple kickers, solid mass and about a 20 inch spread. The land was shotgun hunted pretty hard and thats it since I saw him. I would know if they got him with a shot gun.