A 10-point white-tailed deer walks through the woods in Freeport on Nov. 10, 2015. Studying the habits of deer can help make your hunt successful. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press

Slipping along through the local woodlot your eye catches something, a narrow patch of light brown standing out starkly against an otherwise dark background of grays and greens. Moving closer confirms your suspicions as you examine the lighter exposed wood where a buck has recently rubbed the bark off a sapling.

For some hunters, that might be enough to declare this a good spot to plop down and await the return of the tree vandal. It’s very likely they’ll wait a long time. That buck may not return for several days, if at all. Even then it might be at night. Finding a bit of good sign is a start, one small piece of a very big puzzle. In order to solve it, you need to put more pieces together.

Rather than posting up on the aforementioned rub, it might be more productive to keep going along the trail it’s on. You might find more rubs, indicating a travel route, and possibly find a more strategic ambush location. Note which side of the tree those rubs are on as it will indicate direction of travel. Then take a look at the landscape and speculate why that deer is going that way. What lies ahead? If it’s dense bedding cover, this might be a route that buck takes in the morning. If it’s a food source, the deer might be moving toward it in the afternoon.

Putting up a trail camera will help answer some of those questions, and add a few more pieces to the puzzle. Sign won’t tell you the size of the buck that made that rub, but a camera could. Results might be discouraging at first: doe, doe, doe, small buck… then, big buck. That’s the one you’re after, and now you know to be patient, and selective.

Look closely. Did you notice one of his tines is broken? Fighting is a dangerous last resort for rival bucks, and they don’t usually engage in it unless they’re evenly matched. That means there’s another buck in the area that’s at least as big. You might want to keep an eye out for him as well.

Tracks in the mud along a heavy trail quicken the pulse of every deer hunter. You envision a procession the deer passing by in single file and reason, “This is a good spot to set up.” Be honest. How many times have you actually seen deer walking on a well-worn trail? Far more often they’re meandering randomly along, maybe near a trail, maybe not. Like rubs, trails give you an idea of where deer travel more often, but if you step back and look at the big picture, you might find a more suitable stand site.

As you continue your hunt you’re startled by a commotion in the cover ahead and catch a fleeting glimpse of a fleeing white tail. You curse yourself for losing concentration and are about to continue on when you stop, and ask yourself, “Why was that deer bedded there?” You’re learning, and just might find another important piece of the puzzle by pausing to investigate more closely. The game goes on but as you pick up more pieces the picture gradually becomes clearer. You’ll never solve it, but in time might learn enough to win this round.

Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and Registered Maine Guide who lives in Pownal. He can be reached at: [email protected]