But nowhere near my stands. I was out this morning, hunting, up early at 4:30am, get everything together and ready to go. Leave and set up in my stand at 5:30am, get into my stand and fold down the seat, 6 spiders about qurater size are there, I grab my knife to kill them, which took longer than I hoped. I spot a couple of small does at 7:10am, and that was it. The stand is on a standing corn field, this year all I have seen from stand are does. I knew by this time last year I had seen a decent amount of rubs and scrapes.

So at 11am I get down, have had enough, in the front of the 81 acres I hunt there is a a low area with tall grass. I decide to walk on down there, I find it to be a bedding area, lots of droppings, and a rub on a small tree. Problem is, this low spot is surrounded by corn, the nearest tree is atop the hill. The low spot is about 50yds from the road, which is unhuntable, but the tree at the hill is over 200yds away from the road, making to where I could draw a buck out of there.It is an Acorn Bearing Oak, which has Poison Ivy with vines up and down the tree, so no stand there. But I could mak e a ground blind. Or I could just wait until the corn comes out, which is not that long.

You guys tell me what you would do, it seems like the bucks and does hit this area more right now, than where my stands are, but I think use that corn very well and can sneak by me without me detecting them.

**Half of the 81 acres is soybeans and the other half is standing corn.**

Here is a pic of my land:

Green: Oak on hill
Blue: Rub in tall grass
Red: Current stands

http://www.illinoiswaters.net/photos/large/12999

hey try that pic one more time. And just wondering but how come the low spot is unhuntable?

from one lincoln-lander to another, this time of year bucks will make scrapes, but not really visit them, it's kind of a warm up. but it does mean that at least bucks are using the area. deer trafic will pick up when the corn is out.

The link lead to the pic, thats all I could do.Well if I am sure, the IL law states that you must huntno closer than 100yds from a main highway or road, thats the problem, and there is no trees around the low spot, and I would like to stay out of the bedding area, and hunt somwhere, where I have view of the area, and can call the bucks out, thats why the hill seems like a good idea, stand or blind not sure.

sounds to me that the stand that you have now might be hot when the farmer cuts the corn, and the does come into rut. Id play with some scents and maybe the buck will come up out of that low spot. I wouldnt venture to much into that bedding area or they will relocate. patience and persistance !

The current stands are not near the low spot, they are probably a good 1/4mile down the field. I am thinking of setting up that blind right by the oak, so I can glass that whole area, but I just wanted to gets some opinions on whether I should hunt the oak on hill or just wait till the farmer cuts the corn.

Last season I shot a 12pt during the rut, so I know the cruise the area a lot more when it heads into Pre Rut and Rut, but I would like to figure out early season hunting too.

Sounds like you have a plan to me Jeff. Sounds like that low area is a natural funnel. Where is it heading to? Can you hunt there? Good luck.

Just be patient ,still early. Wow hundred yards from the road. I think it is 25 yards here in Pa. And 50 yards from a srtucture in bow and 150 in gun unless you have permission from owner of structure,

The low area does act as a funnel, there is a small pond there, with tall grass all around, really leads to nothing, there is a hill behind it, to the east and west, the only visible opening is in the front of it, where I found tons of prints leading to it. Not included in the picture was an area across the road, it is all woods and a soybean field they cross into the standing corn since it is one of the only corn fields around this year. The next thing I am worried about is sneaking in and out, I think it will be a good evening outlook, not sure about morning, but maybe later morning it might be good again.

I know it is early, but I would like to see more than does, a small buck I would take over a doe.