To some 20 acres isn't much. Truth be told at a good stride one could cover it in 15 minutes, despite the hills. But if it's the right 20 acres, located between prime habitat and water/food, those 20 might as well be 2000. Add to the fact that the area is in the heart of California wine country, in the Sonoma watershed, where there is absolutely minimal hunting pressure, and chances are good for encounters with very nice blacktail bucks!
Last weekend my brother and I executed a drive perfectly, but to save his dignity I'll save the details pertaining to how he missed on two trophy size blacktail bucks inside of 1 minutes time and within 25 yards with his compound bow because he took off the stabilizer just before the hunt to "save some weight" only to find out later that indeed it made a point of impact difference for him of 8 inches or the difference between top of lungs and tree trunk. Oh yeah, and did I mention that I went to the exact spot he was standing at and snap shot a judo point to the exact distance he pointed the deer to have been at? :p
Nah, I better not hurt his feelings anymore than they already are. :smileystooges:
I'm sure he'll sleep just fine. :banghead:
So tomorrow I'll go for the last hurrah before the general season starts on Saturday, which God willing will see my nephew Alex tag his first deer, albeit with a rifle. He is, indeed STOKED. :D
But before then, I hope to bag one of the three brothers before a rifle (Alex's) scares the rest of them off until next year. If I miss or don't find them, I hope to build a blind from brush to improve my nephew's odds. :pray:
Best of luck to you!
Sounds like a nice spot.