Building on hunting site goes smooth

I recently wrote about the significance of preparing for deer season early. Having joined a lease late in the fall, I had little time prior to opening day. Scouting was minimal, and I did not benefit from the luxury of building a stand.

My friend Billy Amos graciously showed me a couple of locations where one might experience success. And I would grow even more acquainted while roaming around during the season.

As planned, the muzzle-loading hunt was dedicated to mostly traipsing through the woods and making mental notes of locations that I might revisit when the modern-gun season rolled around.

I cinched an old lean-up stand I had owned for years to a tree overlooking a saddle a couple weeks before modern-gun season started. I cleared a couple of shooting lanes at another location where I could scale a tree with my climber and easily see across a large flat located at the base of a steep hill.

There simply was not enough time to get much more done. Luck, however, certainly proved on my side. I bagged a huge buck on the third day, put another buck on the ground during the second week and filled my tags by season’s end.

Although I certainly have no complaints about last year’s harvest, the anticipation for the upcoming season is far greater.. I certainly have a better understanding of how the land lays. And as a result of recent labors, I’ll ease into the woods on the opening morning of season with an assurance that I didn’t experience a year ago.

Why this herald of good things to come? It began last February when a friend and I doodled armloads of building materials over a ridge. When the project was complete, I could effectively hunt a large flat from my new stand.

I saw slews of deer from this spot the year prior while sitting on the ground. It only

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After just two drives, Aaron Rodgers is ready to begin the season for the Green Bay Packers. San Francisco coach Chip Kelly still needs a bit more time to figure out who his starting quarterback will be once the games count next month.

Rodgers made the most of his only appearance of the preseason, throwing a touchdown pass to Randall Cobb in the Green Bay Packers’ 21-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Friday night.

“I feel good about the work we put in tonight,” he said. “We had two good, sustained drives. We ran a bunch of plays in those two drives and it was up-tempo and that’s important.”

Colin Kaepernick did not fare as well as he looked extremely rusty in his first game action since last November. He completed 2 of 6 passes and generated one first down on three drives.

“I wish we had done a little bit more but it was good to get out there and get my feet wet,” Kaepernick said.

Even though Kaepernick struggled after sitting out the past two weeks with a tired shoulder and Blaine Gabbert led the Niners to a touchdown on one of his two drives, Kelly said he’s not ready to pick a starter for the season opener against the Rams on Sept. 12.

“You’re never going to make any decisions walking off the field,” Kelly said. “We’ll sit down as a staff and see where we are.”

After a three-and-out on the opening drive, Gabbert led the Niners to a score on his final series. He had a nice run and two short completions before Carlos Hyde busted a 27-yard run. Quinton Patton then took a lateral from Gabbert and scampered into the end zone on a 3-yard run.

Kaepernick entered to applause on the next series, but did little to show he deserves the starting job. He was quick to leave the pocket when his first option was covered, and three of his passes were broken up by defenders. He finished 2 for 6 for 14 yards and added 18 yards on four runs.

After being held out of the first two preseason games despite being healthy, Rodgers played two drives against the 49ers, going 6 for 9 for 60 yards.

After the first drive stalled because of penalties, Rodgers led a 14-play, 87-yard drive the next possession. He drew a 12-men-on-the-field penalty when he operated out of the hurry-up offense and capped the drive with a quick pass to Cobb, who juked Chris Davis and got into the end zone for a 6-yard score.

NEW ORLEANS — Ben Roethlisberger has played only two series this preseason, which might be all he needs.

Roethlisberger torched New Orleans for 148 yards and two touchdown passes in his first action this preseason, then got the rest of the game off.

“We were looking for some production and he gave us some production,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Roethlisberger, who completed 12 of 17 passes. “Thankfully he did it in a small number of (snaps), so we got him in and got him out.”

Roethlisberger, who sat out of the first two preseason games, opened by leading a 14-play, 76-yard drive on which he converted two third downs and found tight end Jesse James for a 5-yard score. His next series was highlighted by his 57-yard scoring pass down the left sideline to Antonio Brown, also playing for the first time this preseason.

Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell also made his preseason debut, gaining 21 yards on three carries, but his lost fumble in the second quarter led to Drew Brees’ only TD pass. Brees’ strike went to Willie Snead, who made a difficult juggling catch as he landed on his back following a collision near the back of the end zone.

LANDOVER, Md. — In their first real chance to play together this preseason, Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins’ offensive starters showed plenty of rust and then progress in a victory against the Buffalo Bills.

With the Bills (1-2) resting almost their entire starting defense, Cousins overcame a rough start to finish 12 of 23 for 188 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Despite coming mostly against Buffalo’s second- and third-stringers, it was an important recovery for Cousins, who had thrown only five passes in the preseason and was rested last week.

“We’re going to have slow moments or slow quarters at times, and the key is going to be to find a way to circle the wagons and regroup,” said Cousins, who started 3 of 9. “The body of work overall was pretty productive, but there were moments where it wasn’t as good as it needs to be, and we know that.”

Undrafted rookie running back Robert Kelley was the brightest spot for Washington (2-1), especially given the previous injuries to Matt Jones and Chris Thompson, and that seventh-round pick Keith Marshall sprained his left elbow on his only carry of the game.

“I definitely got some work in today, and I think it helped me out,” said Kelley, who ran for 51 yards on 12 carries. “Every time I get up there I try to put myself in a better situation to make the team, take advantage of the opportunity.”

Bills starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor played only two series, by coach Rex Ryan’s design, going 2 of 5 for 11 yards before being replaced by E.J. Manuel, who was 21 of 39 for 221 yards and an interception.

TAMPA, Fla. — Josh Gordon showed why the Cleveland Browns are so happy to have him back on the field.

The talented receiver with a history of suspensions for drug violations caught everything thrown his way in his preseason debut Friday night, scoring on a 43-yard reception and also hauling in another pass from Robert Griffin III for a 44-yard gain that led to a first quarter field goal in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“It feels great,” said the third-year pro, a former college teammate of RG III. “I feel really good to be out there with my teammates, my brothers. It was uplifting.”

Jameis Winston threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns in one half of work for the Bucs, who achieved an objective of starting faster on offense than they did the previous two weeks.

Griffin completed 8 of 14 passes for 119 yards, one TD and no interceptions before being replaced by Josh McCown at the start of the third quarter. Gordon was only targeted twice and finished with 87 yards receiving, both his catches coming when he beat cornerback Brent Grimes, one of Tampa Bay’s key offseason acquisitions.

Gordon, whose preseason debut was delayed by a quadriceps injury, hadn’t played since December 2014. He was suspended all of last season for violating the NFL’s policy on substance abuse, and won’t be eligible for the first four games of this regular season.

“I played with Josh before. It’s just good to see him out there making plays, getting an opportunity to get back in the league,” Griffin said. “We’re looking forward to him making the most of that. I’m really excited for him.”