I was so disgusted I just left and the landowner or his son have never given me permission to talk to anyone, as I have asked several times, each year. I don't want to sound like an ass to them either so I let it go.

So today got even better. My Dad's coming out for an all day hunt tomorrow with me. With all the activity, I decided at lunch to spray down my clothes, and take a quick walk into mark a couple of trees just so I could get him there in the dark. Here's what I encountered.

1. The gas company working on a new right of way that was put in in Sept. Stopped and asked, they'll be there all week. Now it's on the very edge of the property but it is the funnel that gets them to my property.

2. A brand new ladder stand, sticking out like a sore thumb. Brand new shooting lanes cleared and everything.

3. So as I am standing there dumbfounded, I get a whiff of air and damn if theres not a doe feeding down the hillside. I hunkered down best I could and nocked an arrow. She fed to within 25yds of me and then picked me out (I was in the open as I didn't have any time to hide.) She eventually walked over the hill not alarmed, just knew something wasn't right.

4. A new scrape so fresh it didn't even have leaves in it and still had a damp spot in it.

so the good news is the deer are still there. the bad news is, I have no idea where to go.