A new waypoint on my GPS is called Deerville. Aptly named because of the deer holding potential this particular forest location has. Unfortunately, we won’t really know until next year.

On the second to last day of this year’s deer hunt, I was walking through a section of bush below The Pines. The Pines is a deer watch where I have had brief and exciting encounters with the ghost buck. The goal was to push some deer up up to dad who was waiting quietly at my favorite watch.

While walking this lower area (which parallels a creek and swamp bed) I came across a small grassy clearing which overlooked the swamp and creek. It was littered with deer tracks, deer trails, and deer beds. There were also several deer rubs on small balsams (see photo).

The deer had quite the operation here. The clearing was surrounded with thick evergreens. Trails to and from this spot led from the swamp. The trail network was so obvious it looked like someone had cleared them out. The grassy beds were fresh and numerous and the whole clearing had a diameter or around 15 feet.

I found myself wondering if this spot was responsible for swallowing up the deer the week of our hunt? If they heard us coming while pushing through the evergreens, they would just have to take a few steps into the maze of swamp trails and disappear.

It’s where I would go.

That’s why I was not surprised to see the Ghost Buck’s track in one of the beds before I left the refuge. I tipped my hat to the mayor of Deerville.

Apparently, we think alike.

My question to our visitors how would I hunt this spot now? Put a tree stand right in it? Pick one of the trails leading to it and hope I get lucky? Now, that I walked through it, will it be abandoned?

Thoughts?

Hunting Stories