Help me kill a Deer please.

[Wildschwein]

This will be my first year hunting Whitetails with a longbow, so I figured I would start doing my homework now. Below is a rough doodle of the situation I find myself in.

   

To give an idea of scale I will point out that the fence line going West/East along the alphalfa field is about 1/2 KM. The red lines are the travel trails the Deer use. The trail going West/East is a grown over cutline, and the ones going North/South being Deer created. The vast majority of the Deer I see enter the alphalfa field around 7PM from any and all of the North/South trails, but predominantly the first three. The winds in this area come from the NW about 80% of the time, W 10%, and any other direction for the other 10%. The Deer water at two cattle ponds that are not visible but lie along the far NW corner of the pasture depicted. I have never seen Deer drink from it in the daylight.
I plan on hunting from groundblinds, but don't really know where to begin. When I rifle hunted I would just sit in the brush along the South pointing fence line and shoot the Deer at ranges from 75 to 300 yards. But since I have yet to master the 100 yard bow shot (kidding) I don't see this as an option. So what do you figure  this rookie longbowman should do?

[kodiakkid]

I would be able to give better advice after I hunt the property for a couple years.  

[Earthdog]

Go to the exact spot or spots were you shot most of your deer with your rifle,,,I mean where they hit the ground dead after never taking a step after bullet impact.
Then back off down wind an set up within your comfortable bowshot range.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

That corner looks awful tempting

[Bonebuster]

Earthdog said it.

Your longbow is the same as your rifle. It does the same thing, except your ears will ring from your blood pressure instead of muzzle blast.

[bornagainbowhunter]

Really you would need a topo map to make this decision easier.  You need to realize that deer are creatures of habbit.  They follow ridges and draws like they are highways.  If you could find where the deer are most comfortable traveling you would be in good shape.  

I like to be a couple hundred yards from a food source and hunt in the evening... Thats just me though.  Hunt it, then hunt it more, then hunt it some more.  Each time adjusting your stand to get into the best location.  Pretty soon you will have it licked.

[buckeye_hunter]

Can't read the word on the green area. Is that hardwoods?

Can you make your own low spot or crossing spot in the fence? If so, ziptie one of the strands of barbwire down or two of them together so they can slip under/through easy. Then you can funnel them right where you want and set up downwind.j

If not, glass from a distance, take notes, and see where they cross the fence most often. Then set up downwind of that spot back in the woods 30-40 meters.

I also have to agree that the corner where the fences and fields come together looks awfully tempting...... I would want to set up 5-10 meters or so into the green area(if it is woods)and watch that corner. It looks like a highway junction and the deer might use it that way!

[gregg dudley]

What is the thick brown line?  road?  Is it paved or dirt?  How much use does it get?  

What is the pasture like?  mowed or overgrown?  I am constantly amazed at how much deer use pastures that have a bit of tall grass in them.

I would start somewhere in that corner (NW alfalfa.  You have at least three different edges right there and the road(?) is bordered by woods that look like they might servre as a travel cooridor.  

Good luck!  Post pics.

[Wildschwein]

Thanks for the replies thus far, I will go into a bit more detail of the doodle. All green portions are bush and the word in the far North of my doodle says bedding area. There is a solid patch of Black Spruce just North of the old cutline and I often have spooked bedded Deer from there when still hunting with a rifle in horrible weather. The brown is a dirt trail that allows the landowner access with tractors and other such equipment. All fields except for the timothy field are used as cattle graze till about mid-August, then the beef move out and the Deer move in.
There are no ridges just flat land covered in Aspen, Alder and Willow in the bush, and by hunting season about ankle high growth in all the fields.
The Deer come out of every trail but do so out of the three furthest West most often. The fence is single strand electric and only bout hip high, and the Deer never have troubles with it.
As far as setting up where I have killed Deer in the past, all Deer were shot in the field. Perhaps a pop-up blind? But I am not sure where to put it as once the Deer enter the field they become quite random.

[Terry Green]

What Gregg said....

What is the big 'S'?

 

[Wildschwein]

The big "S" is a dirt path Mr Green. Don't usually see much traffic along it during daylight hours, that is until the rut. Then the Deer are running everywhere and I could probably get a shot by wearing a ghillie and plonkin my butt bout anywhere.

[Arwin]

The two points where the pasture and alfalfa fields meet make a bottle neck via the fence. See any sign in that area?

 If not, then I'd opt to get downwind of that bedding area since the deer will scent check the field before entering.

 If the wind in your area mainly comes from the west, then I would place myself in the N.E. corner off that alfalfa and about 75 yds in.

 I wouldn't try a morning hunt since you run the risk of blowing the deer out of the fields, unless you can make a trail parallel to the bedding area but not walking through it.

 Stay on the fringes and downwind of the bedding and you should get one, just don't go in that bedding area. I know it's tempting, but if you don't connect on the first couple hunts then the bedding area will be blown out the rest of the season.

[Arwin]

Ha! Terry and I were thinking the same thing,  BOTTLENECK!!

[Wildschwein]

Actually there usually is a fair bit of traffic along the path from the pasture to the alphalfa field. Would you recommend a blind in the brush just South of the path?

[Arwin]

You could try it if the wind is right but I'm betting the big boys stick tight to the thickest cover you have.

 Here is what I was thinking. Red dots are locations. Blue trail for the morning, red trail in the evening to get to your spots. Where is the closest water?

   

[Wildschwein]

Arwin thats looks good. I'll plot out some suitable blinds in those spots next time I head up North. But I have another question. How far from the travel routes do I set up the blinds? Is 20 yards better than 15, or 25 yards better than either? Or does it matter much?

[Arwin]

I don't like to be right on top of the trails so it allows the deer a little space should they stray of the path a little. If your ground hunting then I'd say 20-25 since you can pull them a little closer with a grunt or scent lure.

 If ground blinds is your only means, then have a ton of spots ready way before season starts. If you have a couple trees that allow some sort of treestand, try to use them.

 A ladder stand like Terry posted will fit into most any tree and you can add brush to conceal yourself. I've killed deer out of trees with a 12 inch diameter trunk

 If your using a pop up blind, get that baby out now and brush it in! Lay the brush on top, on the sides, really get creative. Try to disrupt the square look of your blinds windows.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

If the wind is right you could be right on the trail, But I wouldn't go farther then 20 yards away.

[Bob Morrison]

Google Earth maps can be helpful.

[Arwin]

Originally posted by Bowbldr:
Google Earth maps can be helpful.

Most definitely!!!  It saves you from going in and messing things up. You know right where to go(funnels, pinch points, etc.)when doing your scouting.

 Google Earth has saved my buns a ton of walking on public land and usually points me to the right locations.