Rule of thumb to go buy is to never let the deer know your there. Sounds like a duh right? Well, I'm hunting next week at my honey hole or was that in the past. However, about 4 years ago a park ranger also gained access to the property and since then has screwed it all up. You ask, how did he do that? Very simple. Just by the way the deer now act and the fact of what I no longer see, tells me what he has done. You may think I'm guessing here, however, I make my adjustments, and I'm doing ok.

Number one, he's shooting deer that shouldn't be shot early season. Plain and simple, number one mistake if you want a honey hole. If your not going to mount it, don't shoot it until after the rut. I saw 120 class eight pointer every hunt. No longer the norm. I saw at least two huge bucks every year. No longer the norm. I can tell you, it's not because he has dropped anything huge.

Number two, his stand placement is very very wrong. He has two stands exposed out in the open and then not high enough in the tree. If your going to hang a stand in an open tree, get the frick up there. 30'. Deer now come in looking for hunters up 20 and 25'.

Number 3 Arrive early and leave late. I'm not talking about staying all day but if your morning hunting, get there at least 45 mins before legal shooting hours and pay attention to where the deer are when you arrrive and don't sppok them. Arrive to your stand from another direction from where they are hanging out. I come in from the park land side because I know the deer are grazing in the field early morning. However, the field is an easier walk. At night, the deer are in the park so the field approach is the one to make. When you leave samething. Don't get down when deer are around you. Wait them out as long as you can. Let them move on. Last week I was very pissed because I had to leave and it was an hour after dark. My problem was, it wasn't my stand and deer this night were all around me. Usually they are gone and all is quiet after about 30 mins. I put a strike on my friend's stand and I know it. Is it the end of the world no, but now that stand needs more resting time before anyone goes back.

I hope this helps you. It's taken me years to get to this point but today, I love having deer around me from almost the beginning of my hunt along with bucks I can say "I passed you up last week".