nephews said there weren't enough deer on the mountain anymore to make hunting worthwhile. Regardless, I wanted to be there. Yes, there are fewer deer on this tract than there used to be. But back then, there were too many deer for the habitat to support. The new growth and abundance of food now on the mountain was evident. And promising. The mountain has never been known for having big bucks, but I've taken a couple that now are on my walls. So I knew there always is a chance. But I was just happy to be in the 22 place I love, doing what I enjoy most. At the edge of the clearcut, I followed a deer trail into some thick briars and soon flushed three grouse - a pleasant surprise. I was almost to the area I wanted to stand for a couple of hours when a nice buck took off, running out ahead of me. He hit the flat above me, then turned and ran up a hollow in the direction I was heading. Knowing this area well, I thought there was a chance he'd loop back. I'd seen them do that a lot over the years. I