How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I have obtained about 3,000 acs in very rich peanut and soybean country here in SE Va. I went out the other night and saw 9 bucks in one field and 3 were shooters for sure. One was about 20" wide and had a very thick solid 12 pt frame. Anyway, this field is off the beaten path in the woods it's about 80 acs surrounded by mixed oaks and pines. I don't usually hunt fields at all, and if I hunt this one, it will be in the early season in the afternoon. How should I go about it? I hat e the field edge thing, but Im not going to make it hard if it's that easy. Help me guys. BTW, thanks for being a quiet place to come and learn the real stuff.

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

im not todd or walt but congrats on getting to hunt that land, 3000 acres is a ton of ground!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Thanks Steven!!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

There can be alot of variables when hunting field edges. This article goes over some of them:

http://www.buckhuntersblog.com/tacti...and-food-plots

Todd and Walt may have some more input but this article goes over different situations fairly well. I would watch where the majority of them come out and then set up inside the field edge and not right on it. I usually set up so i can see into the field but I am far enough back to be in cover. Bucks tend to hang back and scan fields before coming into them. Then play the wind and you should have a good chance.

Stan

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

great article and I think it will help me! Thanks!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Va if it were me I would watch the wind and my first 4 hunts would be as far away from where the deer are entering the feilds, We like to call them obervation sits. That way you could start to make a pattern of the buck or bucks you really want to target see what runways they are useing and what the wind was doing? I then wouldhunt the feild edge If it is a early season hunt I would stay out of the woods as much as possible surprise them while they are still in there feeding and bachalor modes, because if you are seeing them in the open right now they feel real safe with there set up. Pleasae"DO NOT" get talked into useing scents and all that crap go in as scent free as you can only hunt when the wind is perfect and the first day or two could be real promicing for you!! Good luck with it it and let us know how it goes!! Walt

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Yeah VA Walters right. Id got outand watch them the whole weekBEFOREseason opens and watch from a stand far off to see what areas they are using to access the field and then go in set up a stand using the prodominant wind and wait for that wind and hit them as early in the season as you can.

Jason

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

This is great info guys!! Here is what I have seen from just one observation. The deer were in three different places in this field. The biggest bucks kind of stayed in the middle of the field. So when I find where the biggest bucks are entering from, do I just sit close to where they come out and then move in when all is perfect or do I go directly to where they come out and into the woods 50 yds or so find the trails and go in early afternoon and wait it out??

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I would stay out of the woods, Mainly because early season the bucks are really at ease and usally bed pretty close to there food sources. I would see where they are entering the field at and move as right to that spot if the wind is correct and hopefully you will get a shot as they come to feed. Now this is hard to explain but for me you don't want the wind blowing directly into the woods but you don't want it blowing out to the field either.. If you have an idea from looking at a topo where they are bedding a wind blowing into the woods but away from where they would be coming to the field would be best! Or a wind blowing down the field edge away from where the deer are feeding.. Walt

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Ok I hear ya Walt. I usually do not hunt fields and the times I have only resulted in does, but this is different, this field is not out on the road or where people can see it's surrounded by woods. I will try and get a topo of it and put it up here. Thanks guys!!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Here is the field, notice the island of trees in the field, I can all the way around this field as well. BTW it's the big field!!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Ok not knowing the property but looking at the topo there seems to be a valley off the west side of the filed back in the woods and if I was a big buck I would be entering the field off the left hand side of the point justnorth of the island. Now when the rut starts that pinch point between the two fields looks awesome!!! Where have you seen the big boys entering at??

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I watched them enter from the point on the right, the little field on the far right the lower left hand corner and simply from the island of trees.

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Set-up or glass from a distance the first night, possibly before season. Move in and set-up for the next night based on where you saw the buck enter the field. I recommend doing a run & gun set based on the exact conditions when you plan on hunting.

Field edge hunting is tough, but we have a new property this year that has a TON of CRP - so I'm going to be forced to do the same thing as yourself. I will wait to hang most of the field edge stuff until the day I plan on hunting - or based on movement that I see.

I'm not a big fan of field edge hunting except for early season. There are exceptions, but with a bow in your hand, it's tough to kill a mature deer on a field edge.

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I know Todd it is going to be a challenge for sure. I usually don't hunt fields either, but in this situation during the early season, I might just be able to do it on a big buck.

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Va with the early season and the long range scouting I would give you a great chance at putting one on the ground!! Walt

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I hope so Walt!! Thanks for the help!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

If you know of a pinch point in the timber that you believe a certain buck may be using - don't be afraid to move in and set-up. Most of how / why I choose to hunt in the timber has alot to do with access. For example, in Illinois last opening day (the beginning of "The Grind", I chose to set-up just on the inside corner of a section of timber that was SHREDDED with buck sign. If I see a section of Timber that contains a ton of sign, that tells me that a buck is living very close, and likely moves through this area everyday. Also, look what I decided to do (where I killed my buck) in "Beyond the Kill". If I would have stayed out on the field edge, I would have never seen any of those deer or bucks. Falling acorns and buck sign the first week of October will get as close to a "map" of a whitetails habbits as you will ever get! Don't be afraid to take advantage of it!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

That's what I plan to do. I have always hunted acorns bar none hands down every year. Even if there are fields with beans in them, I stick with the dropped acorns. The deal is with this field, there are very few oak trees that are around, it seems it's all pine that has recently been select cut. I know there are some acorns about but I don't know how far in they are. I will get some leg work in soon, but if I go in and see sign within 50 yds of the field, should I set up there?? I mean rubs and droppings and maybe even an acorn drop...trail that is being used etc...

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Moving alittle ways back in the timber may also halp you exit your stand locations as being right on the edge will or could cause problems getting down and out when there are deer feeding in the field. This is one reason I hate to hunt foodplots as you can really put alot of pressure on deer getting out. They figure it out real quick what is going on. I would rather hunt an access trail heading to the food source50 yardsor more back in the timber. Just something to consider. Hunting the field edge might only allow you one or two hunts before the bucks put 2 and 2 together.

Jay

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I know that's what I fear. I will more than likely find some trails coming in to the field and hunt them at a distance. This field hunting thing will only be for a short time I think.

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Yep a couple of great shots at them and move!!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I just hope I can get a shot at just one of the 4 shooters I saw.

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Good luck man. When does your season open?

Jay

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Pass Thru, that's just it, our season doesn't open til Oct 4th!! I don't even know if they will be using that field by then. I know they will still be in those woods, but locating and active dropping oak my be difficult. I don't see many oaks so far, but it has been my experience that when there are few oaks, if you find one that drops em and I mean drops em, you golden!!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Well Like I said I wish you the best of luck. You look to have a great piece of ground with lots of timber to hold em. Keep us posted!!!!!

Jay

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

well it's a total of 3,000 acs, it's a club I joined for 600$, and Im the only bowhunter in the club!!! Yeh I got lucky! Thanks guys for the info and the encouragement. I also have another 600 acs not 5 min from the house and there are big bucks there too, just not enough time!!

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

Not enought time? I guess there never is enough time unless you have a job likeTodd. hehehe....... I can only wish!!!!!

Jay

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

You have to make time - with four kids and a wife, that's probably not as simple as my life. Anyone can do what I do, you just have to be willing to work 14 hours a day, drive 30k miles a year, and spend every spare second in thefield - year around. It's pretty easy to do if you follow my simple guidelines.... he he he...

RE: How would you hunt fields Todd or Walt?
 

I hear ya Todd!! It's just so much land to try and hunt in one season. I had to back off 5,000 additional acs this yr. I will gun hunt it some, but it cost a little extra to bow hunt it, but i just wouldn't have time to hunt over 8,000 acs. So I cut it back to about 3500 acs and about 600 of it is really close to the house, in fact it is what's left of our old farm. So I wont scout that too much, been hunting it for 20+ years. I got it pretty staked out!! The 3000 acs is new and I have never hunted it, this eat up my time mostly just scouting it.