Well guys,

Yesterday was a disaster! I got set-up in the morning at around 5:30a.m. and sat there until it got light enough to shoot at about 6:40 a.m. It looked like the absolute perfect day! The temp was in the low to mid 20's when I left and there was a slight wind from the northwest! I sat there with great anticipation as to what would be moving. Well, at 7:00 a.m. I heard some loud talking on the other side of the woods and I didn't think anything of it. After about 5 minutes I heard a pack of beagels just let out. Two rabbit hunters with 9 beagels were working the brush on the other side of the woods. This got me excited as it is a major bedding area for deer and I was set-up right at a major escape route! Well, then my luck turned for the worse as the hunters set the dogs out through a cut powerline in the middle of the woods right towards me! They were working the brush no more than 100 yards from me! I sat for awhile and saw a bunch of deer bust out of the woods and head through the golden rod field and up over the hill! I knew that one was a buck and a nice one at that, but I couldn't tell much about him!

That afternoon I went and set-up my blind in a clearing that is surrounded by x-mas trees! The clearing was planted in wheat and usually gets a good bit of deer moving through it! Well, I got my blind set up at about 2:25 p.m and at about 4:00 p.m. (when deer activity starts), I had a guy on a dirt bike come down the old logging road about 80 yards to my left! I sat there till dark and didn't see a thing!

Well, I went spotting last night where I saw the deer run in the morning and I saw the group! There were 8 does and a buck. The buck was a BIG 8 point. He had probablly a 20-21" outside spread, his brow tines were probablly 6", his G-2's were probablly in the 10" range and his G-3's were probablly in the 7" range. Great mass and HUGE main beams! He was running all the does back into that patch of woods!

I guess that the only positive thing is that I know another big buck has moved into my honey hole (where my best-friend shot his buck). I actually think that the buck I saw last night was related to the buck my bestfriend shot! He had the same style anters, but the buck I saw last night was a good bit bigger! Rifle season starts Nov.29th and I will be set-up in there with my bow in hand! I will be sitting in the stand where I shot my doe this year (which is the same stand my best-friend got his buck from this year). It is probablly the best spot to be! It is on a old 4-wheeler trail running through the woods that is surrounded on 3 sides by bedding area! To the east, the woods lead out into a golden rod field. That trail is a major travel area for deer, especially when the woods surrounding this area get pressure!