Bow hunting and open field hunting professionals

Look guys,

Here is the deal. One of the spots I hunt is an 130 acre open field (used to be a crop field, now just grazing for cattle - roughly 60-75 head). It backs up to wooded acreage, that I do not really have access to. I rifle hunted this spot last year. I have a feeder 200 yards off the wooded fence line, and 225 yards past that a box blind. I did harvest 1 buck and 2 doe from this spot last year.

So. There was a great buck that I had on camera, during the morning and evening hours, from the time I put the camera out - till rifle season started. But he was there all through bow season - but I was not set up to bow hunt then.

Now I am, I have a nice brushed in popup securely staked in just outside the feeder pen. Pen is a 3 strand barbed wire, with 1 wire cut out where I have my blind. I have a Ten Point Wicked Ridge Warrior G3 crossbow, but have not yet choosed a broadhead. This thing shoots spot on with the field tips, every single time.

So help me.

Now for you field experts:::: First thing, this buck last year loved the moring hours about sunrise to 30 minutes past. To get to this this spot, the only enterance is close to the far south west side of the field, and the set up is on the far north east side. So I have to drive down the road in this field for close to a mile - open field. I could walk it, but im not sure that would make much of a difference, or would it. Plus walking in the dark, in a cattle pasture, and possibly freaking out cattle in the dark seems like not a great idea. I park behind an old barn between my setup to hide my truck. Any suggestions on how early (god please do say 3 or 4 in the morning and wait till sunup - but it is what it is), or should I walk....or f' it maybe sleep in the popup blind and hope I dont snore. Any thoughts? I know driving in 30 minutes before sun up is not a good idea with headlights blazing across an open field.

Now for you broadhead experts. Man, I am just scared of a mechanical broadhead, that it will not open/penetrate, etc. I need a perfectly reliable broadhead, likely a fixed blade, that will fly absolutely true as it shoots now with field tips, that will inflict maximum carnage - because it will be sketchy if he makes it 200 yard and jumps the fence. I can get permission to cross - but the guy is always hard to find - it would be best if the deer expired before he got to the fence if he runs that way. So, recommendations on broad heads? Oh, and why would I choose a 100g vs 125g? is there a difference? A reason to choose one over the other?

Below I made a diagram.
Red boarder will will call the property lines. Green arrow is the dirt road from the gate of the property to the old barn. Orange box is old barn I park behind. From the gate to the turn to the barn is about 1 mileish. Red box is my box blind. Blue box is my feeder pen. Purple box is my popup blind set up. Black area is the wooded area that the deer come from.

Any input anyone has to any of the above is seriously appreciated.

Thank you.

Not really how you approach, it’s about the wind and which way it’s rolling.

If the wind is in your face from your truck to your blind, will be a good hunt. If the wind is at your back or worse your right ear as you walk to the blind, turn around and go back to bed.

I agree with BOBO, wind is huge here. I wouldn’t mind driving in behind the barn, just do it with parking lights or no light if you can. Walking in with the wind in your face is important, and deal breaker if the wind is coming from behind you.

Broadhead is a crap shoot, any mechanical is gonna be good from a crossbow, you will have plenty of energy to open that thing, but a fixed is always open. Either way you go, make sure the xbow shoots and you practice and make adjustments based on what you will use.

I use grim reaper mechanicals in my xbow, they fly like field tips and have not failed me inside 30 yards. Most deer don’t make it 40 yards. But, any archery shot deer can travel over 200 yards, so be ready to call the neighbor.

Good luck. Any pics from last year?

Is your drawing correct as to north and south? What is your prevailing morning wind and afternoon wind? I grew up hunting open farm land and it is difficult to hunt. We rifle hunted and we used to get to the blind at least 1 hour before first light. Early in the general season the deer were only there for a few minutes after daylight then headed for cover. I would set my feeder to feed 10 minutes after daylight at the latest. Like posted above I would make sure I had the wind in my favor on the approach. If it were me, I would concentrate on hunting afternoons only so that I could get to the blind without disturbing the pasture I was walking across. I would try this the first 2-4 or more hunts to see how things change. If I was not seeing much I would then try to hunt in the mornings but get into the blind as early as I could. I would also carry in a lot more corn to put out in or even around the pen and might even consider feeding a longer run time in the afternoon setting. I would try to feed 45 minutes before dark and not to early when it was to hot. The extra corn would hold deer longer and to give more deer a chance to feed. The longer they feed the better chance you have for success.
For my crossbow(Excalibur) the manufacture recommended a 150 grain fixed blade broadhead. I am happy with the way they shoot and have performed for me so far.

not sure about the field question. but on the boradheads...
my pse fang shoots fixpandable mechanicals at the exact same poi of target tips.
my cam x shoots fixpandable mechanicals 1" high at 30 yds so close enough for a bloody arrow in my mind.
my excalibur absolutely will not shoot a mechanical consistently enough for me to ever fling one at a live animal. however slick trick crossbow 150gr broadheads hit hole for hole as the target tips.
and you talk about sharp! they will slice everything they touch, including 8 stitches in your thumb.

you may have to play with a couple different heads to see which one your setup likes.
but if you are leaning towards fixed I highly recommend the slick tricks