Hunting Fields with a bow

powdergun

powdergun

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I looking for some creative suggestions. This is the third year that I have hunted an alphafa field through archery, muzzle loader, and rifle season. I've filled tags there but with the muzzle loader or rifle. This year I would really like to tag one with the bow.

My set up is 100M back from the field on some solid trails and there is a lot of sign of deer passing through. My work schedule only allows me to hunt evenings but because I'm with a bow I have to allow myself tracking time in case I arrow one. The deer never seem to pass my stand early enough to get a shot. This evening nothing moved by me but when I was walking out I always sit the last half hour just to watch the field. As usual deer were moving in the field feeding. No chance with my bow.

Should I set up at the edges on the ground in a blind ? No real places to hang a stand there. How do some of you bowhunt in these situations ?
 
Do you know where they are bedding, feeding, drinking and at what times???

I would be inclined to try find the daytime bedding area and work backwards from there to a spot where they will move past at an appropriate time.

Not sure where you are hunting but some if you are into baiting it may also direct the animals in a more predictable pattern.

I hunt normally just off of a large pasture which funnels into feeding areas. I am only about 50 yards off of a cut line that they frequent.It seems to be the place to be for now.I also notice that they travel along the lower area of an old creek bed that is grown in, they seem to like the side hill and low spots for protection.

This of course is just my experience and opinion.
 
I am baiting and they are hitting it regularly. They bed in two large tracks of bush one south and one north of the field. The travel corridor is along the east end by some sloughs.

It is almost comic. I set up south they come out north. I set up north they come out south. With the muzzle loader I could of easily taken at least three deer while I sat at the edge of the field and I know I can tag one with the rifles but that last move of this chess game eludes me. The buck in my avatar was last years. It was the first day of BP season and he thought I still had my bow LOL... Perhaps I could try some of my other spots but this place is just too much fun.

Maybe I should dress up like a big fat a** doe and walk around in the middle of the field and just walk up to one. ( but not in rifle season because some of those PA road warriors are a little trigger happy :D)
 
Ghillie suit. Lay in the field and wait. It works. I did this a couple years ago when my buddy couldn't tag out. Went in at 4ish pm waited till the last 1/2 hour of light. Played the wind and sat still. Took a doe at 17 yards and a fawn a few minutes later in the same spot. Neither made it out of the field. Easton 3 blade mechanical 100gr broadhead on a 23.5" 2219 arrow. They went 50 and 65 yards. Good luck
 
brybenn said:
Ghillie suit. Lay in the field and wait. It works. I did this a couple years ago when my buddy couldn't tag out. Went in at 4ish pm waited till the last 1/2 hour of light. Played the wind and sat still. Took a doe at 17 yards and a fawn a few minutes later in the same spot. Neither made it out of the field. Easton 3 blade mechanical 100gr broadhead on a 23.5" 2219 arrow. They went 50 and 65 yards. Good luck
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That sounds like something to try. The field has some rolling hills that would work perfect.

How did you set up for the shot ?

Did you lay flat then get up on you knees for the shot or did you shoot from a sitting position ? In other words how did you minimize your movement to avoid being busted.
 
I use a crossbow. Full ghillie suit sitting on pack with bow resting on my knees. If the ghillie blends in I've crawled to within 30 yards of early season deer. There's no silhouette and if you have the wind and go slow they never notice
 
Yup. I'm thinking it might be time for some field ninja action. Good camo a decoy and some stealth in the middle of the field.

What the hell the season is young and I'vr got nothing to lose. If they spook all I need to do is slink away and come back in a couple of days.

Maybe a big pile of apples in the middle of the field might help too. If things go like last year by the time I figure it out it will be muzzle loader season then odds shift in my favour. If we could use a crossbow in archery season other than the Buckland district it would be awesome. A fellow could just lie flat in the alphala in camo and snipe from a prone position.
 
Buckland district??

Where are you from?

powdergun said:
Yup. I'm thinking it might be time for some field ninja action. Good camo a decoy and some stealth in the middle of the field.

What the hell the season is young and I'vr got nothing to lose. If they spook all I need to do is slink away and come back in a couple of days.

Maybe a big pile of apples in the middle of the field might help too. If things go like last year by the time I figure it out it will be muzzle loader season then odds shift in my favour. If we could use a crossbow in archery season other than the Buckland district it would be awesome. A fellow could just lie flat in the alphala in camo and snipe from a prone position.
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