hunted South today in one of my favorite spots. last 2 times i have saw 7 does. all were either coming from or going to a couple fields that i walk through to get to my stands. i KNEW i had to change things up but man do i hate sitting in hedge rows watching fields, i am a Northern hunter at heart! there are 2 scrapes in the first field and ya just know with that many does in the area, this time of year and cool mornings it is JUST A MATTER OF TIME before the big boy shows up. i could just feel it ya know! well i got there this morning and cleared a space about 3 feet deep in the hedge row with my Buffalo knife. i could look right and left to see if anything was coming and i had the scrapes in sight. i would have to wait untill the deer cleared the open area i made in the hedge row, this would give me a long shot of 15 yards accros to the other hedge row or a point bland 3 yard shot on my side. about 40 minutes after i had set up i hear a deer in the brush above me, i am bracing myself for the sight of 5 does when all i see is antlers! a big bodied, basket rack 8 point is walking down the oppisite side of the hedge row, he stops to repeatedly rub trees, lip curl and scent the air. i watch him paw the ground, straddle and pee down his leg and the small scrape. reminds me of my dog Norman as he is old and can not help it. he continues towards me, 3 more steps and i will have the 15 yard shot! he turns to walk accros to my side, still no shot. i can see the snott and slobber running down his nose and mouth. he is now on my side and paws the ground again, here he comes!!!! i have NEVER been this close to a buck before IN MY LIFE!!! 3 more steps and he will be right in the opening i cleared and 3 yards away. so close yet NO POSSIBLE way to shoot through the hedge row untill he hits the opening. he stands and smells the air, takes a hard right and goes to the other side again to hit the branches again!!! no shot, still has the hedge row between us dammmmm!!!!!! he no proceeds to walk back up the trail away from me and wouldn't ya know it i do not have a deer call! i grountwith my mouth and it stops him for a secound untill he moves again, i grount again and he stops looks back for a secound and continues on, not spooked at all as the wind is in my favor. i consider trying to stalk him but i figure it is only a matter of time untill the does show up and he is on them!!! well no such luck as he was the only deer i saw this morning but ohhhhhhh baby what a time! i will DEFINITLY be on the ground more often!!!! made my year!