I had a plan with one of my spots this year. I hunted it sparingly early in the season, and once November hit I didn't set foot in it. The idea being, create a place for the deer to feel safe once the firearms season rolled around. They get pressured pretty good around here.

The thought was, by my staying out of there and returning on a favorable wind AFTER the firearms season, I may be able to catch one in an area he feels safe.

Well, I had that wind this evening so I went in. The neighbor lady was walking her dog around an adjacent field, so I didn't see any deer....BUT...

This hill always has a well used trail at the bottom, and a slightly less used trail across the top. Well this evening there was a brand new trail cutting diagonally across it, and it was trampled to mud! This is a HOT trail, and this hill is between 2 doe bedding areas. There is also some browse on that hill I've seen them munching on before....

I've gotten out of the habit of hunting sign, but this was just too hot to pass up.....I'll be back in there in the morning.

Good luck to all this weekend!

In my mind, that is one of the most important things to have in your hunting area, a santuary.

Good job.

Ihope that is the home of the droptine buck you are talking about. You wouldn't get 2 bucks in one year, would ya?

Thanks Greg, and yes John, that's the area of the big droptine buck....

Man, I've thought that....How ridiculously awsome would it be to shoot not 1......but 2 this year!!??? Man, I hope that doesn't sound greedy....

One thing is for sure....whatever buck shows up, he'll have to be bigger than my 8 ......IF the droptine shows up....he'll fit that bill by a LARGE margin...I bet that sucker is in the 160's easy....I'm excited, I know that for sure....

>........to be continued......

I need another tag you guys are killin me with all this hunting talk []look for a drag mark from the drop tine in the mud