When scouting on Aug, 31, I located about 10 fresh rubs on decent sized trees that formed a rubline from a thick bottom of willows (leading to a pond), to a single bed on the side of a oak ridge. If I can get in position while it is still dark, do you think this is a good spot, or should I ignore the sign and continue to hunt feeding patterns the first few days. The season starts on Oct 12, and I'm undecided what I want to do opening morning. I have not been in the area since Aug 31, for fear of contaminating the area. Please suggest what you would do in my situation. Thanks.

If you are like me you will have many sleepless nights thinking aobut where to hunt, we are two weeks into the season here and I still lie there at night and try to decide which stand location to hunt. If it is still warm I would hunt the trail leading to water, if its cool I would try hunting over the food....

Sounds to me like you found the bedding area of a mature buck. If you can slip in undetected (wind, sound, etc), I would do it now. Before long, he will be traveling looking for love.

If it was me, I'd pick a day when the wind will be right, slip in at least 2 hours before the first hint of light (big bucks are notorious for bedding early) and plan to stay all day. This way if he gets by you somehow going in, perhaps you can get a crack at him coming out.

But your best chance is now, before he changes his routine. Good Luck.

Always go with your FIRST instinct!JMHO.

I would most definitely hunt that line, especially early in the season. don't set up near the bed. I would put my stand up right in the middle of the afternoon. Then set there until it got dark. Leave and then come back in the morning. I would not use any type of scent. You already know where he is and how he is traveling. You just don't know if it is only at night.

Good luck.