dmounts, one of the best advice I have ever gotten this time of the year and if you hunt a climber. If you see a hot doe with bucks on her tail off in the distance on a different trail, get down right away and move over there. Don't wait and watch, move. If you don't you'll be left sitting there watching all the action. It happened to me and then I was told this advice.
Team, I had planned to hunt this week and so I was going fishing today. However, I've got a lot of deadlines that I'm up against. I have my airline award level, still need two more trips. I have my bonuses, still need to book some more stuff. I have my surgery that couldn't arrive soon enough but I still have the other stuff to do. With all that, I still need to drop a buck for the team before the surgery. That date is Dec 10 and my hunting is done atleast until late Jan if I'm lucky to even get out that fast. So anyway, I need to shoot something in the next few weeks.
Any how, I didn't go fishing, instead I imposed on my good friend and sent my son today. They had a ball. I went hunting. For the bad news, it was extremely slow. I had a small 6 show up arounf 7:30 in the morning. I decided to play with him and try to grunt him in but he didn't respond. So I rattled a little and pulled in a small but bigger 6 in the process. Still too small to to shoot right now. Those two were the last deer I saw all morning which is very unusual for where I was hunting. Normally the deer are running back and forth all day in the thickets 50 yrds away in the park. Not today though. I got down at noon and scouted on my way out. First time since last season. The good news is that down by the school house, a buck is going to town this year. I counted 8 scrapes in a small area (ie all shootable from the center spot). There were several trees 6" or greater in diameter all tore up. I hunted this are a few times 2 years ago but never saw a deer. I know the ranger isn't hunting it but I will be next week.
Tonights hunt, nothing moved until 4:50. I had to be on a conference call. LOL That's when a buck began chasing the does off the ridge. For the last two years they avoided that area and were in the little trough, where I set up. I saw a nice buch however, I have no idea where he went to. Never mind, I will slide up the ridge for my evening hunts since they seem to want that area or at least this hunt they did.
Bottom line, I have a few more hunts. Something will happen. If not I will drop one of these small guys because 3 or 4 more of them, should put us on top. 2 decent 8's will put us close. 1 more big one and 2 small ones will do it. Guy's if you haven't shot anything yet, think about it. Plan out what you need to do. I like bragging rights. I was on Team Elite 8, the first winning team ever.
So good luck guys. Let's bring it home!