Each year I try to advance myself and the methods I use to improve from the years past. Some hunters are happy with hunting the same stands and the same properties, using the same methods and shooting the deer that present themselves. Kudos to them, but for me I try to change something each year to challenge myself further. Whether it be taking on tactics I've never used before, raising the standards of the bucks I will take, finding brand new properties and hunting them, or adding elements such as filming into the equation I always try to take a step forward to make myself a better hunter.

Well, I'm wondering why I even bother. Today I went to check on the stand I will be hunting Saturday morning for the PA opener and hang my camera arm to minimize the noise I make in the morning. What do I find? A pile of feces at the base of my tree. This is the second time I've found this in less than a month and I found another pile on the path that I walk in on covered with brush.

Obviously frustrated I went to the land manager and told him about it. He asked if the ladder stand that is about 100 yards from where I am is mine and I told him no. He said that he thinks he knows whose it is and that the guy does not have permission. Being that there are no other stands in the vicinity and I have a good relationship with the other hunters on the property I'm betting it was him. The land manager told me to throw him out if I see him.

It's bad enough that I have to share the property with other hunters that do not take the same care as I do to be a low impact hunter knowing that the least bit of pressure will send the bucks onto a nocturnal pattern, but now I have to deal with this?[&:] I'm not in a position to purchase my own land, and in this economy I couldn't get a mortgage to do so anyway, so I have to rely on hunting property owned by others and likely sharing it. I can deal with that as I always have since I started hunting, but this is a bit much.

I do know this, come Saturday I will make a special point to check on that ladder stand at some point during the day. If there is anyone in it they will be confronted and I will be direct in asking about the feces since nobody else is in that area but he and I. I will also be clear that he does not have permission and have 911 dialed in my phone before I get there so all I have to do is hit talk to get the police there should he give me any trouble.

I have read horror stories like this before here and always felt for those going through them, but now I have my own to tell and it really makes me wonder why I try so hard to hunt around here when there is so much to overcome.

Thanks for letting me vent and I truly hope that nobody else has to deal with what I am dealing with because it really takes the fun out of what we love to do.