Useing my sixth sense( I think I keep track of wind involuntarily) I slipped into an edge of apine thicket. The leaves were nice and damp(no noise). I noticed a few openings around me and decided to stand still for a while. Well after about a half hour a deer appeared 10 feet(actually it was 20ft)away from me. I turned my scope to three power anddrawed my muzzleloader. It was a buck tearing up a tree right in front of me! I sized him up, a nice eight(at least one side was four). I hesitated, he wasn't as big as my other one so I waited. I lowered my rifle and he was gone in a blink. Next year I'll be looking for that guy, I hope he makes it, he will be a wall hanger.
Just wanted to share, thanks for looking!!
Big Buck Dave

It will only get better cause it has not peeked yet. Hope you are out there when all hell breaks loose cause no one works on scrapes or rubs when a doe is ready to breed. The dominant buck will tend to her and all his budies will be running around going beserk!

some of the things those bucks do, when the rut is on, you'd think man he's crazy

Find the does during the rut and the big boys come in. The does are spooky as usual and the buck doesn't even think about you usually but if you spook the doe, the buck is going after her. At this time of the year it seems like the does are more alert than the bucks.
Signs here are there but it hasn't peaked here yet, but its happening within the next two weeks and you can bet I'll be there everyday till then.
Good luck.

Bobby