Late Season Blacktail Buck - Archery

November 22, 2017. Temperature 45-55F, rain. 

First day of late season archery, boots on the ground at 0700. From the E, wind was blowing up the clear cut from the basin, so I had to ascend the ridge from the NW, up a draw to stay up wind of the AOR. 

Lots of fresh scat and random rubs were found walking up the draw. On a little bench that let to a saddle, on top of the ridge, I found a hot rub line. I walked the ridge and around 1100 I encountered 2 big mature blackmail does. They were walking down the draw on the W face of the ridge. They didn't spook, but stood there staring awkwardly for at least 5 minutes. I didn't try to alarm them, and they didn't seem worry too much. Both does kept looking down the draw as if there was another deer, but I never saw anything. Before I knew it, both vanished into thin air without a sound. I continued on my way and met the clear cut, then worked my way down its edge about 20 yards in the timber. All the way down, I found bright orange new rubs. Some of the trees that were rubbed were broken violently broken in half. I don't know if this is the same buck that rubbed all those trees on top of the ridge or not, but hopefully I can get different targets on trail cam. 

Trail cams set, now to let them marinate and hopefully something good for the next operation. Next Op: Hang stand & check cams.