If there's does, are there bucks?

sneeky

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I went scouting yesterday in a new area and a new situation for me. Typical mountain side with thick drainages, sparse finger ridges, transition areas, scrub oak, sage, pinions etc., but at the base it fed into planted fields. I've never hunted around fields before. Betweem 6:15 and 6:45 82 deer came out and started feeding in the fields. Holy Cow. Only 4 were two points and 5 were spikes. So, with this many deer, are there mature bucks up in the cover just waiting for it to get dark. If so, how would you hunt them. Would appreciate any experience with hunting around planted fields. Thanks.
Todd
 
I would say yes, Get there early in the AM (5) and start glassing in the dark so you can see if dark blobs are moving off the field before light, as the days get closer to the rut they will stay out later and later.
 
I don't know where you are but in my hay fields there won't be any decent bucks show up until the rut and even then not great bucks. here in Oregon our deer herds are in bad shape but I don't think just because you're finding does means there's any good bucks around no matter where you are. if the area you're in is known for big bucks there probably are some good ones if it's not then I wouldn't hold my breath just because of some does.
 
I rarely find that biggest bucks around hay feids. they are just too easy to hunt and bucks with top gentics are shot the first year with a nice set of antlers. In the late rut after most of the does have been bread is the best time to find a truly big deer in the hay feilds. The chance at one last doe may bring him out of the hills. Even though I own a place with hundreds of deer on my hay feilds my best bucks have all been taken on public land where you see only a small number of deer. The best buck on the feilds right now is less than 170.

Antlerradar
 
Thanks for the input. I spent some intense scouting time and couldn't find any rubs or decent size tracks like I normally do when mature bucks are in the area. So I'm thinking they might be up higher, a few miles away.
Todd
 
I hunt some high country wheat fields and always see a ton of does. The particular field I hunt is about 300 acres. The area around it is choked with oak brush draws on three sides and a nice sagebrush/oakbrush draw on the other. We hunt colorado's second season (Oct. 21 this year) and always see 25-30 younger (2-3)year old bucks. We also see about 4 big ones every year. The young ones are either in larger bachelor groups or with the does, but the big ones are usually by themselves or with one other big buck. The big ones only skirt the field in the oak and sage brush and we rarely get a shot. I have seen some monsters. When we go back to hunt elk in the same field in the middle of November, during the deer rut, we always see the big boys with the does. Naturally when we can't shoot them. But I don't know if they are always there and we don't see them, or if they migrate down like the elk do from the national forest. I think a little bit of both. It also makes a difference if the field is stubble or just planted. We usually see more deer cross the field out in the open when it is stubble and not freshly planted. I don't know why. Maybe they safer when there is stubble? You would think they would come out in mass to eat the new growth wheat.
 

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