Well, I had an interesting day for my short deer hunt. My normal stand being unvisited for the last couple of days I thought that perhaps the deer had been thinned out (I suspect a particular local of poaching). Perhaps, it is the warm days combined with full moon most of the night that has kept the deer from moving past. Anyway, today I moved to a 3 year old clearcut about ¼-mile away and quietly moved into the wind and up onto the broad flat of the ridgeline in the clearcut. I could "feel" the deer but couldn't see them. I looked and looked, eased down a trail and then back up to where I'd started. I looked some more. I just knew they were right there. I looked and looked some more. This must have taken about ½-hour with me standing in one place and looking. I didn't dare try the Primus can as I was afraid they would connect me to the sound. Finally, I took a single step forward....

THAT did IT! Three large, brown and white, deer-shaped forms busted out through the briars which nearly cover the flat towards the opposite side of the thicket and were gone. I tried to double back and around but now the wind has shifted and is blowing my scent down the length of this side of the ridge line. Rather than really push them, I decided to ease out and leave them for another day. On the way out I stopped by Mom's pond and yes, they've been in and all around the pond since last night. However, it doesn't seem to be more than 3 or 4 deer and NO fawns. Oh, well, there's always next week! Regular gun season. We'll see. I have to work the next 2 days.