Vabowman

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.

Steven McBee

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

Vabowman

Thanks Steven!!

sdeland

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

Vabowman

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

stikbow26

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

Pass_Thru

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

Vabowman

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??

stikbow26

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

Vabowman

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!!