Help me decide where to hunt tonight.
There is a north-south running creek 5-10 yds inside the edge of a field planted with soybeans. To the east 30-40 yds is a small oak flat, that hits a hillside that funnels up a hollow with a bedding area at the top. Towards the northern end of this area is a secondary bedding area (very thick but small). The bean field (to the west), is being hit by the deer. Across the road from the field (150-200 yds from the woods edge) are some houses. I don’t know if the deer come to the field before dark or not. Last night they didn’t. I don’t believe there is any other hunting pressure.

Other factors
I am hunting from the ground with my longbow. I need shots less than 15 yds, preferably 8-10 yds.
The weather for today is hot- 80 degrees but the evenings cool nicely. The creek bottom area is noticeably cooler. Winds are ‘light & variable’. The property line only allows me to reach the bottom of the hollow.

Here are my options
1. Hunt where I did last night which was just inside the woods on a highway of a trail leading to the field. I had a perfect ambush spot where the deer cross the small creek, giving me a 6 yd shot and great ability to hide & shoot. (had a gray fox walk within 5 ft of me) I can also shoot a deer walking the field edge, about 10 yds.

2. Venture in a little deeper and find a spot in the oaks. More open, more shot lanes, less ability to hide.

3. Venture in even further, risk bumping deer from the cool thicket area to try and catch them at the bottom of the hollow. Little thicker area, couple nice trails though.

well i dont want to be the bad guy, and tell you wrong but if you were here in kansas where im at, and your situation was mine (i know this sounds absolutly nuts) but i would say hit the thicket, and puposfully bump the deer because (just because you bump them doesnt mean theyre gone forever, use a very light doe call to make them think your another deer - use the wind!) if not you probably wont see any until the sun has been down a while. the reason i say this is because of the 1st quarter moon doesnt usually rise until later in the evening/after shooting hrs. meaning the deer can just laze around and wait for the moon to come up a couple hrs after the sun goes down to go out and feed in peace. so like i said i dont want to tell you wrong but i think youd have a better chance hunting tommorow am ambushing them on the way back to bed.

thats my guess

I would go back to the same spot where you know you could take one if it came through. Also your at the edge closer the feeding area for an evening hunt.

Rybo, i would hunt the same spot you did last night. It seems like the deer are really using the trail that leads to and from that crossing and im sure that they are feeding in the beans. Another reason that i would hunt that same spot is it is early in the season. Give it another night or two and see what you see. If you dont see anything, you could always move alittle further towards the bedding area, but if you move up in there now, you might end up spooking the deer and changing their patterns. Good luck with whatever you do, let us know how you make out.

What does the oak flat look like? They have been hitting the acorns pretty hard around here. I have a stand in a spot were there is an oak flat running next to a soy bean field. They usually have been feeding on the flat until sun goes down and then they come out into the soy beans. Been watching a good bit of deer come out of the flat. That will be my opening morning stand.

If not the oaks, I would sit where you have been sitting. Sounds like a good spot also. Good Luck!

I don't know where I would hunt, but I do know where I wouldn't hunt this early in the season. I'd be away from that thicket if that is where they are bedding. No sense pushing the deer out of there and screwing the whole area up when you know later in the season that will end up being aa hot spot if pressure is kept to a minimum.

Hey Ryan - been thinking this one over - good and bad for each of the three options - I would hunt where you did last night - good place to hide and shoot - with more than one place to shoot. It is still early in the season and you have plenty of time.

Best of luck!

you know what, i like your answer better than mine. your right hes got all the time in the world. hunting the bedding/thicket wouldnt be a very good idea this early in the season (as some previous people posted). but if you still didnt have a deer by the last week of the season (god forbid) then i would hit up my "plan"