Whitetails in the open

[Possumjon]

Saw a big boy and have been scouting and trying to think of how to hunt him. It's an all open grassy field on public land. He's got a very well worn trail from private land to the corn field on public land. The grass is a little under chest high, how would you guys go about setting this up? I was thinking of just finding an opening along the trail and sitting just inside of the grass for cover but not sure how it'd work.

[J. Holden]

That's what I'd try.  Course, I haven't killed many deer...  If the wind is in your face and you move slowly I don't see why it wouldn't work.  Let us know if it does!

-Jeremy    

[NY Yankee]

Does he come and go on the same trail or does he eat and keep on going through the field into public land? I would try to be in the woods wherever he comes out to go bed down.

[Sam McMichael]

Where does woods and field come together? If possible, I would try to set up in the woods close to the wood line?

[ChuckC]

Heck, slap on that ghillie suit and clear a spot in that field.  Nobody else will be there if there are no trees.

[Stump73]

I agree with chuck

[Bobaru]

Very similar situation with me last year.  Tell you how I set up last year.  After attempting to hunt a tree that was "sort of close," and no success, I hunted the weeds.

They were goldenrod.  

I cut an area to the ground big enough so I didn't twang any stalks with my equipment.  Then I cut a path to the trail that was about 24 to 30 inches off the ground.  The path to the trail was such that the deer would have to pass me going to the soybeans.  In fact, I made it so I could shoot where the deer would naturally stop: right at the field opening (your case will be different with corn).

Yearling came through at 25 yards and started eating soy beans.  Twenty minutes later, a mature doe came through at 6 yards and angled toward the field, stopping to observe the yearling.  That was 11 yards where I made the shot.  (I wondered why I'd bothered with trees in the first place).

I have no problem with natural ground blinds.  But, make sure you have plenty of cover.  If not enough cover, then be creative with creating extra.

[Possumjon]

He's bedding on private land I'm guessing. The public land field meets a private land field.  He's taking a mowed trail to a private dike to cross over to the other land. Further down that dikes public where I have a treestand but can only hunt it when the winds blowing opposite if what it normally does. I made it as a back up stand but saw him two mornings now. Where I could set up with the wind normally in my favor us all fields. I'll give it my best shot, he's a wide 10+ Point. No one hunts there really, 2 mile walk in and for my treestand I use a canoe to get to. Thanks for the tips !