GregH, I agree with you. On a farm I hunt, I do a bit of preseason scouting (from a distance) to try to get a feel for where the bucks might be concentrated. I don't focus on does until later in October; where I too love to hunt funnel areas. Although I will hunt a funnel area on & offall season, I also like to find those places off the beatin trail to try and find those bucks that seperate themselves from the herd early in the year. I've had just as much luck in getting close to big bucks early in the year, as I have during the peak action. The only thing I've done wrong is miss.On more than one occasion due to over confidence and stupidity.