Sam and the Ring

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Selmo

What Sam felt, through the Ring, was Sauron's power constantly watching over Mordor.

However, I doubt that Sauron constantly watches around Mordor; the quote mentions greater "urgency", which is more indicative of Sauron's intent, although, he remains in the 'dark'.

Originally Posted by Selmo

The vague reports of a spy in that area would not have concerned him.

Debatable

Originally Posted by The Choices of Master Samwise, TTT

- Now, now, growled Shagrat. I have my orders. And it s more than my belly’s worth, or yours, to break ‘em. _Any_ trespasser found by the guard is to be held at the tower. Prisoner is to be stripped. Full description of every article, garment, weapon, letter, ring, or trinket is to be sent to Lugburz at once, and to Lugburz _only_. And the prisoner is to be kept safe and intact, under pain of death for every member of the guard, until He sends or comes Himself.

[MatthewM]

Thanks guys, good answers. So pretty much we gather that Sauron had little knowledge of where his Ring lay, until Aragorn revealed himself through the Palantir, which made Sauron believe it was in Aragorn's possession. I guess after all the years seperated from it, Sauron really didn't have much "mental" power to "feel out" the Ring and its presence, even when it is right on his borders.

[Raynor]

Sauron really didn't have much "mental" power to "feel out" the Ring and its presence, even when it is right on his borders.

I believe he does have it, he was able to feel Frodo from very far away, at Amon Hen; he would have pinpointed him, if Gandalf hadn't stepped in (as he later recounts):

Originally Posted by The Breaking of the Fellowship, FotR

And suddenly he felt the Eye. There was an eye in the Dark Tower that did not sleep. He knew that it had become aware of his gaze. A fierce eager will was there. It leaped towards him; almost like a finger he felt it, searching for him. Very soon it would nail him down, know just exactly where he was. Amon Lhaw it touched. It glanced upon Tol Brandir; he threw himself from the seat, crouching, covering his head with his grey hood.