BOWHUNTING BUCKS WHERE THERE ARE FEW OR NO TREES REQUIRES OUT-OF-THE-BOX WHITETAIL TACTICS.

While glassing Walk-In Areas from the road, I spotted a deer feeding along a fence line about 200 yards away around mid-afternoon. I pulled over for a closer look, and a heavy-beamed 10-pointer soon filled my binoculars. I also noticed the backs of several other deer just beyond him. With no cover and minimal topography, I’d have to make something out of nothing.

I drove to the next road, parked, and then began backtracking towards the deer, the wind in my face and a slight rise disguising my approach. When I reached the rise, I slowly peeked above it. The deer were still 175 yards away, and the only thing separating us was shin-high grass and a water tank. The deer fed behind the tank, so I hunched over and ran towards the tank, then dropped down and crawled the final 30 yards.

At the tank, I poked my head just high enough to see; the deer were still feeding my way, now only 65 yards out. I also noticed a second shooter buck — a tall 8-pointer — in the herd. There were also a few does and fawns, a younger buck, and three mule deer does. All were feeding on a course that would put them broadside in a gate opening 25-40 yards away.

When the younger buck walked past the gate opening, the mature buck displayed some dominance towards him, framing himself perfectly in the opening at exactly 37 yards. The shot distance was slightly farther than ideal given the high winds that afternoon, but I held long enough and made sure I was confident that I could hit my target. And I did.

That buck is one of several mature bucks that I’ve bow-killed in wide-open plains/prairie habitat. Having grown up in Wisconsin where I hunted almost exclusively from treestands, I eventually tired of waiting for deer to come to me. So, I naturally gravitated towards regions where tree cover is sparse to nonexistent; places where I can easily spot deer and devise creative ways to orchestrate shot opportunities. I’ve had immense fun and also consistent success with hunting this way.

If you’re interested in giving it a go, let’s discuss some of the ground-game tips that I’ve used to anchor several big public-land bucks in the wide open.

WHERE TO LOOK

Whitetails and mule deer overlap on the Great Plains and in some western states such as Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Most hunters will tell you to hunt river bottoms for whitetails and the rolling hills for mule deer. While that is the general rule of thumb, I’ve found plenty of whitetails and fewer hunters in the wide-open away from the trees, especially during the rut

Once I have a tag for a state with open habitat, my hunt begins with extensive online mapping. If there are small thickets in the vicinity, I assume that bucks will bed in them, but I also look for steep banks, ditches, and other terrain features (even without trees) in otherwise flat to rolling terrain. HuntStand’s Hybrid and Terrain maps can help with this.

Some type of water source in the vicinity is also important. While a whitetail’s diet is broad, agriculture (beans, corn, or hay) in the neighborhood also helps. Crop History layers can help you locate agriculture. Sometimes, it’s on private land adjacent to public land, which is just fine because deer often float back and forth between private and public ground.

USE YOUR OPTICS

Optics are central to success when hunting whitetail in open country. I can’t count how many times I’ve studied wide-open ground and thought, “There aren’t any deer here,” only to raise my binos and start spotting deer. When you’re doing your e-scouting, it’s important to identify glassing knobs. I like the 3D map because it allows me to tilt the map as if I were actually sitting on top of a hill, which allows me to gauge my visibility from that location. It’s pretty sweet.

I typically carry a 10x42mm rangefinding binocular and a spotting scope mounted to a lightweight carbon tripod. The binoculars can help with spotting deer, but then I can size up a buck from a great distance using the spotting scope.

PUT ON MILES AND STAY ALERT

While optics are great, never assume that you can see everything for miles from the road. I’ve encountered and even shot bucks less than one-fourth of a mile from roads, but sometimes you just have to dive in. Even if the ground appears to be flat and open, there are almost always subtle ditches and ravines that aren’t visible from the road that can hide deer. Be prepared to hike at least a few miles daily.

Also, deer can appear instantly — especially during the rut — so be constantly attentive. Try not to linger too long on skylines and other places where you’re highly visible. When I killed a buck last December more than a mile from trees, my wife and I were just beneath a hilltop and glassing when he suddenly appeared. Had we been skylined, he would’ve caught us immediately.

That isn’t the only time that a deer has surprised us in the wide open. Once, a huge 9-pointer was locked down with a doe, and I didn’t notice him. Fortunately, my wife did, and we were able to get beneath the skyline before he turned and saw us. Be on your toes, as things can happen fast and when you least expect it.

MOVE WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT

A whitetail in the wide-open is typically dead meat if you’re toting a rifle, but getting within 40 yards is another story. Often, there is a way to do it, but sometimes you have to wait until the buck moves into a suitable location before moving in. If you feel that there is no approach, get creative and look closer. Then, if you still feel that it will be impossible, you’re probably correct; wait him out. This entails great patience.

When the time is right and you know it, sometimes you must run to get into position as I did towards the water tank in the aforementioned hunt. If you go too slowly, you could be caught in the open.

THE LOCKDOWN CHALLENGE

One of the most unique things about hunting in wide-open habitats is that the rut’s lockdown phase can be dynamite. When bucks hit peak breeding in the timber where folks hunt from treestands, mature buck sightings usually diminish. But, on the prairies and plains, bucks tend to lock down with does on flat, wide-open ground where they can see danger and address satellite bucks. An aggressive ground hunter can have tons of action while treestand sitters might be playing Solitaire on their phones to pass the time.

Using any cover available, whether tall grass or a slight rise, getting within 80-100 yards of a locked-down buck puts you within his comfort zone. Now, you can challenge him with a grunt and snort-wheeze. That alone can lure him closer, but a 2-D decoy can really bring life to your challenge. Of course, if you use one, it’s 100 percent at your own risk. Not only are you attracting a wild, unpredictable animal right to you, but other hunters could mistake you for a deer.

A FEW MORE THINGS

While many treestand shots are 25 yards and in, expect and be prepared for longer shots when hunting on the ground in the wide open. Also, conditions are rarely calm, so incorporate longer practice into your shooting routine, and intentionally shoot on windy days. That type of practice is absolutely necessary for this hunting style.

Also, hunting in the wide open is frustrating, and it certainly isn’t for everyone (emphasis on that). There will be times when you see a buck you want to shoot but are unable to approach him. Or, you’ll make a move at the wrong time and be busted. If that doesn’t happen, you might be caught in the open when a buck unsuspectingly appears. Dozens of things can go wrong, and you’ll most likely face a learning curve and make many mistakes. A lot of people drop off the boat and go back to their treestands or ground blinds, which is perfectly fine. This hunting style requires astute attention to the details and tons of decision-making, and if that’s not you, that’s OK.

Finally, the beauty of this hunting style is that you can hunt every single day no matter the wind direction as long as you have enough public land to hunt. A treestand hunter has to wait for certain wind directions to hunt their favorite stand, but a ground hunter can head into the best spots any day by simply tweaking our access. I like to carry a wind checker, but I also utilize HuntStand’s HuntZone feature to see how my scent will disperse.

If I’ve plucked the right chord and you’re interested in giving this whitetails-in-the-wide-open thing a whirl, add the tips I’ve presented here into your memory bank to boost your odds for some great encounters.