RE: hunting before the rut
During the weeks prior to the opener you need to drive your hunting area near dark, or head to a vantage point in your off the road spots and try to locate a bachelor group that contains 1 or more shooter bucks. Hopefully you can find a couple different bachelor groups that have shooters in different areas. After you have found some shooters you need to head to the woods in Sept. What you are looking for are the first rubs of the year. The largest bucks will generally be the first to begin rubbing trees. Try to locate a rub line. Lots of times the rub lines will be on less used trails that often times run along the edge of ridges. Follow these rub lines as far as you can towards the thickest cover that they head to. During the early season you want to set up as close as you feel comfortable to the bedding area. Find a stand location along the rub line that will keep the prevailing winds of the early season in your favor. All you can do know is hit the woods with bow in hand and hope it all comes together. Don't be discouraged if you don't see many deer as mainly bucks will be using these trails. Again it is best if you can locate several rub lines like this in different places. This way you can alternate stand sights to keep your areas fresh.