Fields or Woods
 

With opening day in New York only a few days away, its time to pick your location. What does everyone perfer, watching fields or sitting near trails in the woods? Opening day deer are pushed all over the place and it seems as if the fields would be a good spot. The last few years where I hunt in 5n I have watched these fields and have had no luck. I found some good rubs located on a ridge and I think that is where I will set up shop for opening day. What is your preference?

RE: Fields or Woods
 

I'll be over looking a standing corn field with some bare areas and low spots.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

I'd prefer woods soley due to the popularity of field-hunting versus the woods. There will be more guns pointing in the field than a good trail in the thicket.

I think deer will head for cover once the World War starts and they will be flying across open fields anyway.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

Forget the fields and trails. If your hunting area gets opening day pressure then hunt the funnels and edges of thick cover.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

Well, where I hunt in the Catskills, there aren't many fields anyway, and the few that are there aren't the type that has much nutritional value to the deer anyway, so obviously I'll be hunting in the woods. In all honesty, I've have hunted farms and fields many times, and I just get more enjoyment out of hunting in the woods anyway.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

Do deer actually hang out in fields in the daylight where you guys are? If I want to shoot a deer in a field, is has to be an hour before dark in early October.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

In the woods near some thick cover

RE: Fields or Woods
 

If there are woods adjacent to the field...I would be about 20 yards into the woods.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

In my neck of the woods deer go busting out across fields much more often than you'd think. They could easily take a path keeping them in cover, but they'll end up busting right across the fields. Hardest problem there is hitting them. They almost always stop right before they enter the woods again.

RE: Fields or Woods
 

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Thanks thought I was the only one who had a spot deer crossed fields when pressured.Maybe cause everyone else is hunting them in the woods!

RE: Fields or Woods
 

Look for the thicker cover and where the other hunters will be pushing the deer from. Thats what I do..... Good luck

RE: Fields or Woods
 

It depends on your terrain.

Farmland is usually broken woodlots. Mine is, and I will be in an 11 acre woodlot. Deer begin to get pushed around, and I hunt the edge cover. When they move from woodlot to woodlot, many times it is not because they are getting shot at, but actually moving in an effort to not get shot at.
Example three woodlots in a row. The right one has a hunter in it, and sees a deer. He shoots. Irregardless of the outcome, the deer in the middle get jumped. The deer in the center lot will move away from the right lot and go to the left one. They are trying to precede getting shot at.
One recent magazine talked about forced exposure lanes. This is when those deer will have to break out into the open, and are exposed getting to another lot.

I try to cut them off here. Not when in the open, but right when they enter the new lot. Deer will always slow down as soon as they get into the lot unless they are physically being threatened close to the entry point. They slow down for several reasons, security (harder to see a deer that is not running:D), looking for a location to bed, food, etc.

Edge cover is where it is at on gun opener in farmland. Only exception to this would be aiming for a particular large buck that may stay in the woods (Taking into consideration you have patterned him) and try to ambush him as he gets up to feed or pick up any late estrous does. He certainly wont move with gunshots around unless he is kicked.