You spend the afternoon planting new flowers. The soil is fresh. The mulch is perfectly spread. Everything looks exactly how you pictured it.

Then you wake up the next morning and notice something is different. A section of mulch has been scattered. Fresh holes have appeared. A few flowers have been destroyed.

You look around the yard, hoping to find a clue. But the visitor is already gone. And now you're left with a question.

What happened while I was away?

You fill the bird feeder in the morning. The seed is fresh. The feeder is hanging exactly where you want it. You sit back and wait for the familiar visitors to arrive.

The cardinals. The chickadees. The finches. Then, a day or two later, you notice something strange. The feeder is empty. Again. You refill it and start wondering.

Who keeps getting here before the birds do?

Every mystery has clues. The challenge is being there to see them.

You know you latched it. Before heading back to the house, you gave the gate one last pull to make sure it was secure.

Then, a day or two later, you drive by, and there it is.

Standing open.

Summer is a great time to start scouting for the upcoming deer season. The type and amount of trail cameras you use, camera settings, and camera location are just a few things to consider when beginning your summer scouting.

I can recall, with great vividness, two memories that have defined my pursuits in the woods: the first buck I ever shot, and the first time I heard the thunderous gobble of a wild turkey. (Click blog title to view complete blog post.)