Field edge luck during the rut?
 

For years I hunted exclusively in the county forests of Wisconsin. During the rut I would always set up on the pinch points.
Well, this year I got permission to hunt some property close to home that is 95% field. Roughly 20% corn and 80% hay.(there is a lot of woods surrounding this property that I don't have permission to hunt) I have seen a lot of deer, and a couple good bucks.
I have never sat on the edge of a field during the early stages of the rut so I am hoping for some feedback from you guys?? Here are a few Questions? 1)Where have you had your best luck? (inside corner ect??) 2)Do you use scents or lures?(drag line ect.?) 3)Do you use a decoy? 4)All day sit? 5)Let's hear your field edge scenario?

Field edges next to good cover can be really good during the rut.... Dragging a line is also a good idea. I've had bucks follow my line drag with their nose down across the middle of cut corn field....

If you have a decoy, I'd bring it along. Wouldn't necessarily put it out right away, but if the deer keep skirting you, may be nice to be able to set it out....

I love hunting feild edges. Deer love corners and often stage there before dark, This could be a good chance to catch a decent buck coming out to feed or start checking out does.

In bow season, I LOVE setting up on inside corners of fields. I've found plenty of deer like " cutting those corners ", and when I'm searching/scouting for sign, that's one of the first spots I check, where available. Seems to draw scrape and rub activity.

My strategy when I was younger, and could do it, was to try to find a spot such as this where a mature buck was being seen near dark, and set up there before daylight. Made for a long day, but payed off on more than a few occasions.:rock:

Hey thanks to the three guys that took the time to comment, I really appreciate it. I have a really hard time believing that you three are the only hunters to sit on the edge of a field during rut though? I am hoping for more comments. I would like to pick up some ideas from the rest of us.
I think I am going to take "Crokits" advice and try it in the morning. My brother called me tonite and said his girlfriend seen a big buck chasing a doe right in front of my driveway at 4:15 this morning, so why not give it a try.

I shot my personal best 130+" last Nov. hunting a field edge.

How about some details. I want to know every step you made on that successful day because maybe I can make it work for me too. Did you lure him in with scents? Was he moving naturally, what?

It was during the rut, after about an hour after shooting light I did a 3 call sequence of buck growls with the M.A.D Buck Growl, and repeated it every 5-6 minutes...3 growls every 5-6 min. after the 2nd round, he came running on a string, try to get downwind of me, but it was to late ...already had my 30 yard pin behind his shoulder.

I know there are skeptics about the buck growl, but I have called in 4 bucks in the 2 years I have had it. I suggest the M.A.D one and look for the one that includes the DVD, it'll show it in action and actuall bucks making this "new" sound. It works best in the peak of the rut when a few bucks are locked up with Doe's.

I am not a big fan of using scents, when I 1st started deer hunting I used Tinks and other stuff, with no success at all. But if you like using it, thats all that matters.

This is him.

Thanks alot solocamcan. I appreciate. I am going to have to look into the Madcall.

Nobody else wants to reply????????? Don't want to give up your secrets???????

During the pre-rut and early part of the rut, I'll hunt 20-30 yards into the hardwood on the inside corner of fields downwind of the hardwood (especially effective in the early afternoon/evening). I don't use scents but I do rattle and hit the grunt call (more rattle than call). If I see a nice buck that is on the trail of a doe I'll snort-wheeze at him and that usually gets his attention. Never used a decoy so can't talk about their effectiveness.

I have basically hunted nothing but field edges for the last 13 years. Find yourself a good looking inside corner set up for the wind and you can't go wrong on these sets.

i hunt field edges often..and i dont own a decoy but i think it would be nice to have one... many times you see many deer... big deer.. but alot of the time they are out of range so scents, antlers and other calls... and a decoy would probably be good things to bring along.

Hunting a field edge last year I saw 6 or 7 different bucks during one day. I was just inside the trees and had a large bedding area of heavy cover starting about thirty yards inside the woods. The wind was blowing from the bedding area towards the field, and the bucks would walk just inside the security of the trees scent checking for estrous does in the bedding area. I didn't shoot a deer, but it was one of those days in the woods you don't soon forget.

Since you brought it up...
 

Great thread WIbuckchaser! I don't mean to highjack your post but I have a related question. I am going to be putting up a stand on Sunday that I'll be using for a 4 day hunting excursion next week. I have an untouched 80 acre piece of property (see attached pic) that I'm thinking about trying out. As you all can see, it is a soybean field that is basically cut in half by line of timber. Where would you guys suggest I place my stand for hunting the pre-rut next week? The inside corner? Double inside corner? Maybe in the timber? It looks like there will be a south wind (according to weather.com anyway) so I was thinking on the North side of the timber in the middle of the field near a well used deer trail. Any thoughts? Thanks!

great thre man i have started hunting the fields this year and have had great success..missed one acually a nice 8...just set up in some cover... i prefer a ditch and WAIT you can not wait long enof sit all day if u can...i liek to rattle alot then when they step out, hit them with the grunt! MO-KS hunter hunt the inside double corner...beddign area near by, catch them to anf from it, and it is just a natural funnel over all i think thats ur best bet! good luck to u all

good news to me i hunt a bean field the deer seem to like. It is next to a thicket and i mean one you would think deer could not get into but they do. I plan on draging a line down the edge because they walk it and come down toward me i am hopeing the drag will bring them to me

Don't worry about hijacking any of my post. I love to hear everyones thoughts on this stuff. The more the merrier. I am out to get ideas from everyone as I mentioned before.
I too would be trying an all day sit in your double inside corner if I were you. Good luck and let us know what you decided and how it turned out.