The last day in 2D ended with me hunting by myself for the first time in at least a year.  Maybe 2.  Really can't remember the last time I hunted deer without my best hunting buddy/son, who was away for the weekend.  
 
Only instructions I had from him were:
 
1.  No crossbows in his tree stand
2.  Don't shoot the 10 or 7 point bucks he had seen out of it
 
Hunted in the AM on a property we hadn't been to since the first morning.  It's a hard one to hunt - a long, skinny 13 acres at the southern end of a couple hundred acres of timber, with some man made impediments to deer movement.  Never see a whole lot there, but usually a couple, and that held true.  
 
Hunted in the PM about 250 yards from my son's stand.  With a mostly NNE wind, I took up a position in the southwest corner of a still-standing cornfield, where some succulent greens are growing where the corn didn't quite take hold for whatever reason.  Wasn't real confident in my concealment, standing next to a choke cherry tree surrounded by crabapple trees a couple steps into the woods, but it turned out to be pretty good.  
 
I've never been a fan of antler restrictions, and would happily shoot any buck.  A little after 5, I could see a deer walking directly towards me a couple rows into the corn.  At 75 yards, I could see his right antler was a fork with no brow.  When he finally emerged and turned broadside at 25 yards, by the time I could see he actually had three up with no brow on the left and register in my brain that I could shoot, he calmly turned north and and continued on back into the corn.  
 
2 does and their 3 fawns came from almost the same direction in which he headed, and pretty much reversed his course.  I gave 'em a pass, in the hopes that he might have bumped into them and would be joining them for a little evening romance, but it wasn't to be.  
 
Had a lone, year old doe walk up to within 5 yards of me as I stood on the ground.  
 
A bigger, lone doe stepped out of the corn right on the edge of shooting time, but she was at about 46 yards, which is beyond my comfort zone, even with a cross bow.  
 
It was pretty fun to have that many deer that close and not get busted by any, while I actually had a weapon in my hand, instead of just sitting and watching my son.  Good to feel the tightness in the chest of some buck fever when your blood pressure gets up to about 200/130.
 
We've got 3 spots in 2B we can hunt, none of which we've been on since last year.  Imagine we'll hit one or two of 'em sometime in the next couple of weeks as my son continues his quest to take a buck with his compound.    

Enjoyed the story rsquared, no problem seeing the hunt in my minds eye. No doubt this one is for the memory books. Thanks for sharing, lessons the sting of the toopid cabin fever.

Checked cams yesterday had an 8 pt go thru my stand yesterday not once but twice how did he know season was over.Also found out theres another real nice big 8pt around aint over yet still got 2 seasons WCW

I'm definitely not and expert but many guys over hunt a stand. You put too much people scent in the area,results no deer show up. Stop putting scent in the area and they return. Best results having more stands, that are for different winds. You can blow a big buck out of and area real quick,you can get away with more stuff in the rut,because anything can happen. My son got his nice buck last week on his only sit of the year in that stand. It also can only be hunted on a south wind. Last Thursday was perfect and he got it done. I'm just saying deer are not as dumb as you think. Hunt smart and get more deer,believe me I love to be out every day but some days it's better to leave your spot rest.

I definetly overhunt my funnel but I know it and I still see plenty.
I hunted 3 spots 2 properties early but towards the end I always sit on that funnel because it has paid off in the past.Didnt work this year but thats alright I enjoyed all the activity I did see.I agree with what your saying BT but sometimes I just go with my gut feeling.My 2nd property had a neighbors dog showing up at scrape site I was hunting all the bucks stopped using area or I would have sat there half the time.WCW

I walk my dogs almost daily in the area I hunt, so they are accustomed to people and dog scent.

Big Tuna
I'm definitely not and expert but many guys over hunt a stand. You put too much people scent in the area,results no deer show up. Stop putting scent in the area and they return. Best results having more stands, that are for different winds. You can blow a big buck out of and area real quick,you can get away with more stuff in the rut,because anything can happen. My son got his nice buck last week on his only sit of the year in that stand. It also can only be hunted on a south wind. Last Thursday was perfect and he got it done. I'm just saying deer are not as dumb as you think. Hunt smart and get more deer,believe me I love to be out every day but some days it's better to leave your spot rest.

 
Good info there BT.  
 
The property my son and I hunt most often is only 30 acres, but there's pretty high human impact on it.  Property owner walks part of his property almost every day, on the edges.  The neighbors walk their property several times a week on the edges.  Deer hear noise from several houses and yards - people, vehicles, pets, farm equipment - on a regular basis.  
 
Most of the does and their young, and little bucks seem really unaffected by our presence there when we hunt the edges.  Despite that we try to not hunt it more than twice a week, trying to leave at least 2 or 3 days between hunts.  Even then, when we see a bigger buck - 2.5 year old or bigger/older - and it knows we're there, we usually don't see it again during daylight hours the rest of the season.  
 
My humble opinion is that deer react differently to the presence of hunters than they do to every day activity on a piece of property.  They're used to noises from people, animals and machines that they hear every day.  They're used to seeing people walking around houses and barns, and maybe through fields once in awhile.  It seems that when we "surprise" them by being in just a little bit different place than what they're used to, and not moving around making noise, it throws them off their routine for awhile.  
 
 
 

When you take  look at the Ct hunting boards- bow in particular- houses and roads are commonplace on trail cams as well as photos from tree stands.
Urban hunting for urban deer that have generally acclimated to people.
Likey not like that in big woods but many deer have been close to people for generations.

I got my last buck, 8 pt. sitting on a log smoking a cigarette, drinking coffee and talking to my cousin who was 5feet away drinking his hot chocolate. I firmly believe 90% of hunting is LUCK, all that other nonsense like cover scents, camo and calls are to bag the hunter not the deer! Same with fishing it's all to hook the fisherman. Hunting is a sport to be enjoyed so don't over think it just have fun and IF you're lucky you'll get your deer. Either way you'll have your memories!

First day last year two came in about 30 ft away and looked at me with one barking like a beagle.
Then they walked off and I lit up.
They were down wind and came right back to about 30 feet with their noses high- then blabby barked at me aqain for a while.
A few days before in the same area while bow hunting turkey two came in while I sat on a rock calling and smoking- they bed down just out of range.
Next time they might all bust out 100 yards away- deers can be odd--lol