To have the best chance at seeing a buck, you must stay in step with the rut's three basic phases when choosing where to place your stands and which days to hunt them.
In typical whitetail country much of the debate over where to hang a stand revolves around wind direction. However, once a likely stand location is chosen predominate wind direction will most likely be the only thing left to ponder. Not so if you happen to be hunting the rugged mountains of the east.
Your typical “Mountain” buck is different than most of the deer you see on television or read about in magazines. The variables surrounding what they eat and where they sleep are countless. As a result, getting close to one can be tough. Getting close enough to consistently kill a mature one can seem nearly impossible. But it isn’t.
A summer spent scouting a buck takes you only so far this time of year. To hunt and kill him you must first find him, now that he’s abandoned his bachelor group, then learn about his fall haunts and habits.