Did a little scouting....

[SAMCRO]

...found a couple places I'll hang a stand, and found the marks left by a buck or two I know, and a buck or two I'd like to know.

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[SAMCRO]

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This scrape was odd in that it had a worked branch above it, and what appeared to be fresh tracks in it. I don't typically find scrapes that look worked this time of year, but with all the recent snow and moisture, it's tough to say.

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[SAMCRO]

This first picture - you can see my house at the top of the ridge, through the cover.

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[SAMCRO]

Some of these bear the unmistakable marks of a mature buck, some may not. Either way, I lost track of the rubs and scrapes I came across. I don't scout past the edges here during season, so didn't know the sheer amount of sign. This was the third season I've hunted this, and this is by far the most buck sign I've seen. Gives me hope for next year.

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[RB]

Looks like a rub factory in your backyard. You must look out over the river. There are some gooduns down there for sure and they like to hide behind the houses because most of those folks don't hunt there, at least they didn't when I lived over there.

[SAMCRO]

I don't overlook the river, it's a good half mile or so away. I don't see evidence that they run and hide behind houses all the time - they find the largest chunks of ground that can sustain them. Sure, they probably hide here and there, but for consistency, it's safe to say you need a chunk of ground if you're going to consistently see deer or have any chance of holding deer.

This is a fairly large chunk for where it is, and that's what it has going for it. There's far more cover and food closer to the river, and thousands of acres of crops. It's also safe to say there are many more deer there, and although they rifle hunt it quite a bit, they only scrape the surface of the herd.

I am slowly working towards gaining access to some of that ground. I have an in, and we'll see where it goes.

[RB]

Good luck on getting in the bottoms. There are some hogs there. Are you on the bluff? I know the river is a ways off from the bluff and the trail. I used to have an in for dove hunting on the bottoms and we always killed birds. Lots of game and not much pressure on all that ground.

[PoisonSnake]

Looking positive there CRO.

[SAMCRO]

My next-door neighbor - his daughter is married to a guy who owns some of the bottom land. The neighbor knows I like to hunt, and told me he was going to arrange for permission. I haven't pursued it, so we'll see how it goes. It's not like it's instantly going to be better than places I have now. I'm not a "grass is always greener" kind of guy, but I would like to expand a bit in this area.

[RB]

SC, it will give you more choices depending on what you want to do. I would pursue getting it set up if I was you.

[SAMCRO]

The CRO doesn't hunt well with others, no matter the potential payout. Generally, if I cannot have free run, I don't participate. Being that this is my neighbor and I like him, I don't want to demand or even ask for this. If it comes with the offer, that's great. If it doesn't, I end up obligated to hunt someone else's ground, and under their direction. That's not a good recipe for the other guy.

This is the kind of thing I just let flow and see what happens. I'm in the process of locking up a farm in northern Missouri I already received permission for, and there's about 1000 acres in St. James I've already walked I have permission on, too.

SAMCRO has to spend his energy and time wisely. Meanwhile, there's pretty good hunting a short walk from the house.

[PoisonSnake]

I'm not a "grass is greener" fellow either. But, I do like the idea of owning the 50 or 100 acres next to me so that I can completely control it. I have full confidence that I'm going to get my chance. But, it is the selfish fellow in me that doesn't wish for my neighbor to kill my deer.

[RB]

Sounds like you are set no matter where you want to hunt. The peasant landowners are fortunate to have the great Samcro to hunt their property.

Snake you have been blessed with the HFA which has to be one of the most consistent places to hunt I have ever seen.

[SAMCRO]

I'm not sure I would refer to them as peasant landowners. Instead, I just know myself well enough to know that if I can't hunt a place when I want, and where I want, with freedom to wander, it takes away from the experience of the thing for me. So, instead of wasting my hunting time trying to adapt to someone else's wishes and style, I instead focus on those areas where I know I can get the most enjoyment out of.

Landowners are free to do what they wish, as is the CRO. I don't much like the kind of hunts where large groups gather, hunt the property, report back in to each other, that kind of thing. You know, the social, friendly chit that some consider part of the experience. SAMCRO is a killer, and killers need their freedom in order to focus on the killing at hand.

You know, right about now I'm realizing I'm rationalizing my hunting choices to an internet forum, which ranks right up there with hunting with a big group of d-bags. So, how about instead I just keep doing what I do.

[PoisonSnake]

I don't like that comradery chit either CRO. I'm a lone wolf when it comes to deer hunting. If something gets screwed up, I want to be the person that does it.