I've been thinking about my situation a bit, and was curious as to how everyone approaches this (since I'm trying to be even more cautious this year early on). I have a spot that is pretty heavily doe laden. I've seen as many as 15 different doe/fawns feeding together in this one spot, and I have yet to be blanked in a sit here in two seasons. Needless to say, there are does here, and they are relatively predictable. This location is also the spot I shot my buck from about this time last year (Oct. 20). I've shot AT an 8 point here (most of you know this) on the third day of the season, and I hunted the stand pretty hard the following week (with the right wind of course) with nothing but scrap 1.5yr olds and doe's for sightings. I've since backed off and haven't been back for almost a week. I'm considering (again considering) laying off this spot all this week EVEN if a favorable wind exists in the hopes (and partially a gamble) that once the bucks are cruising and on their feet, that this spot SHOULD produce at least one potential shooter buck, EVENTUALLY. Essentially, I'm resisting the urge to sit a stand that is very active and productive in terms of sightings, even during the time frame in which I shot my buck out of the same stand in fall with the intentions of hunting at a later date when my likelihood of getting a shot opportunity at a good buck MIGHT be higher. I know this time of year, if you're seeing does, you are most likely in the wrong spot (if you're after bucks), but again, I DID shoot mine this time of year in this spot. The major question I suppose is whether or not last year's buck was coincidental, or a signal of the beginning time frame in which I should start to hunt this spot again. How do you guys treat your doe areas this time of year IF (here's the kicker for me) you have already seen bucks in the spot earlier this season, or you've seen them in previous seasons around this time frame?
