Ground Hunting

[24on48hunting]

Pretty sure way more people fall from stands and die/gravely injured than are shot through carelessness and accidentally but that’s not the point of the post. I thought you had to be in a tree too but started hunting from the ground in 2001, now my bow success greatly diminished but had I been rifle hunting I would’ve had quite a wall full of antler! Also have less areas to see from many ground set ups but I’ve enjoyed it. Unlike you though, I seem to carry more food, coffee, sometimes a blanket and my pack weighs maybe 25lb early in year to near 40 later.

Bowhunting from the ground is tough.
I try to focus on spots where the deer will be somewhat focused on where they’re placing their feet, such as a creek crossing, gulley, etc.
Next time you watch one cross a terrain feature like that pay attention to where they fix their gaze.

 

[Boot71]

Bowhunting from the ground is tough.
I try to focus on spots where the deer will be somewhat focused on where they’re placing their feet, such as a creek crossing, gulley, etc.
Next time you watch one cross a terrain feature like that pay attention to where they fix their gaze.

Great observation.

 

[Stuckon22]

Bowhunting from the ground is tough.
I try to focus on spots where the deer will be somewhat focused on where they’re placing their feet, such as a creek crossing, gulley, etc.
Next time you watch one cross a terrain feature like that pay attention to where they fix their gaze.

True, some of my deer walk around looking up in trees, that's when I shank them from the ground. Last 4 bowhunting kills for me have been from ground.

 

[gh1950]

I've killed more deer than probably 90% of the people on this forum.

The vast majority of them have been killed sitting on a log or a stump, taking advantage of natural cover and terrain.

As I've gotten older, I have wimped out and use a stool or chair, but no blind,

Last Sat. I killed a nice 8 pointer, sitting on a stool in a creek bottom, no real blind other than a two trunked tree. Shot was about 45 yds. Through thick brush.

I am very sensitive to wind direction, patterns of the deer,

I have hunted stands, but I really enjoy the up close and personal nature of being on the ground, eye to eye with deer so to speak.

 

[militaryrednek]

a good setup is what ya need to be comfy on the ground. i can be there all day in mine.


i only have access to public land, so no stands for me

 

[Stuckon22]

I've killed more deer than probably 90% of the people on this forum.

The vast majority of them have been killed sitting on a log or a stump, taking advantage of natural cover and terrain.

As I've gotten older, I have wimped out and use a stool or chair, but no blind,

Last Sat. I killed a nice 8 pointer, sitting on a stool in a creek bottom, no real blind other than a two trunked tree. Shot was about 45 yds. Through thick brush.

I am very sensitive to wind direction, patterns of the deer,

I have hunted stands, but I really enjoy the up close and personal nature of being on the ground, eye to eye with deer so to speak.

I watch a lot of the deer hunting shows since I retired and the last few years a majority of their bowhunts are from ground level via a manufactured or natural blind. Even the Elk and mule deer hunts are majority from the ground. Just have to be stealth mode with wind, sound....etc. Plus shot angles are better than from an elevated platform.

 

[gh1950]

I watch a lot of the deer hunting shows since I retired and the last few years a majority of their bowhunts are from ground level via a manufactured or natural blind. Even the Elk and mule deer hunts are majority from the ground. Just have to be stealth mode with wind, sound....etc. Plus shot angles are better than from an elevated platform.

I always felt that I had an advantage spotting deer that were slipping through the woods, and generally, i had nearly a 360 degree field of view.

i wouldn't have been able to shoot my last deer from an elevated stand.

 

[Stuckon22]

I always felt that I had an advantage spotting deer that were slipping through the woods, and generally, i had nearly a 360 degree field of view.

i wouldn't have been able to shoot my last deer from an elevated stand.

I think both methods work well and have advantages and disadvantages but I was just sharing in the original op that this year I had taken everything from the ground. The elevated stands are great, sometimes I like a little more freedom to move around while hunting a particular spot.

 

[gh1950]

I think both methods work well and have advantages and disadvantages but I was just sharing in the original op that this year I had taken everything from the ground. The elevated stands are great, sometimes I like a little more freedom to move around while hunting a particular spot.

I'm not trying to be preachy. I'm fortunate in having good year round access to my hunting property, and I'm on it a lot, and always looking for good setups.

i think just like fishing, the flood of televised TV shows have emphasized equipment over basic technique and knowledge.

I hunt open 2nd cut pine woods on rolling ridges, and an elevated stand is clearly an advantage.

It's just that no one wants to make a 30 minute TV program of a guy sitting on a fallen log with some good ground cover for 3 or 4 hours, maybe 3 or 4 days. Hard to sell fallen logs

 

[Howard Shadix]

Both have their advantages but overall I’ve enjoyed the ground time. With the actual hours I’ve been in the woods I feel pretty good about how it’s gone. A gun in hand would certainly have increased the kill rate though! To 24’s point about terrain features, I agree, I try to use deadfall and other features to my advantage.