Ground Hunting/Scouting with Gun on Back and No Stand

[Swampbuck]

Bucky's post about hunting on the ground got me wandering about ground hunting... I know its pretty common for us all to scout with stand on back and setup on fresh sign, but during gun season how many have success without the stand just hunting from the ground?

[Spysar]

I have success both gun and bow hunting from the ground. Gun especially. With snow even better. But plain ole still hunting is awesome.

[Bowhunter4life]

I have killed 3 pretty good bucks with a gun and one 2.5 year old with a bow from the ground. It works really well with a rifle but a bow can be tricky. I would rather be in a stand any day but sometimes that's not an option.

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[christian1]

What would you say your keys to success are with a gun using this method?

chris

[yungbuck]

6000th thread!

i have still hunted in snow but I need to learn when to move fast and when to slow down...the deer have a big head start and thats caused me to bump deer or even worse...never reach them- interested to see what wisdoms people have in this style of hunting for the forum!

[Bowhunter4life]

What would you say your keys to success are with a gun using this method?

chris

I like to still hunt when the forest floor is wet. I take my time and never get in a hurry. Always paying very close attention to my surroundings. I put the wind in my face and I have almost always spotted deer on these day before they spot me. It's very effective if done properly, patients being the biggest key I would have to say.

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[christian1]

Would you say there is a particular type of area or terrain that you look for or avoid?

chris

[Bowhunter4life]

Would you say there is a particular type of area or terrain that you look for or avoid?

chris

I hunt hill country so I try to avoid the bottoms (hollows/valleys) I've never had any luck still hunting low... My most successful still hunting has came from walking just on the inside of the woods near a large clear cut. I have seen a lot of deer walking that transition line during gun season and killed one of my best bucks doing this. What type of terrain do you hunt? Hills or flatland?

[ Post made via Android ]

[christian1]

Would you say there is a particular type of area or terrain that you look for or avoid?

chris

I hunt hill country so I try to avoid the bottoms (hollows/valleys) I've never had any luck still hunting low... My most successful still hunting has came from walking just on the inside of the woods near a large clear cut. I have seen a lot of deer walking that transition line during gun season and killed one of my best bucks doing this. What type of terrain do you hunt? Hills or flatland?

[ Post made via Android ]

Flat and marshy with some big stands of mature trees. There are several 1-2 year old clear cuts in the area.

chris

[Bowhunter4life]

Would you say there is a particular type of area or terrain that you look for or avoid?

chris

I hunt hill country so I try to avoid the bottoms (hollows/valleys) I've never had any luck still hunting low... My most successful still hunting has came from walking just on the inside of the woods near a large clear cut. I have seen a lot of deer walking that transition line during gun season and killed one of my best bucks doing this. What type of terrain do you hunt? Hills or flatland?

[ Post made via Android ]

Flat and marshy with some big stands of mature trees. There are several 1-2 year old clear cuts in the area.

chris

I've had great success with the clear cut edge here in MO. I would definitely give it a shot and it's a little change for me once rifle season starts cause typically I've already been sitting in a stand a ton with a bow in my hand. Kinda breaks that up for me and I have a lot of confidence in it.

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

a couple of my biggest bucks have come from sneaking into the bedding area or even crawling an inch at a time and shooting the buck in his bed, or as he exits it.

[Swampbuck]

Rather than slip hunting, what about stoppping and setting on the ground once you find the spot?

Much of the swamp i hunt is a flooded bog and scouting with a stand on back is not feasible so i often have to go back on a seperate trip with a stand. Rather than make that 2nd trip, it may be better just to sit on the ground in many cases?

[JoeRE]

Probably a third of my late season muzzleloader season bucks have come from doing this - the rest have come from doing small scale nudges. I rarely use a stand, just cover a lot of territory cutting sign. To be really effective I think you need to know the area very well. I hunt hills, generally know where the deer bed given the conditions, and come up on those areas trying to either spot a buck bedded or have a clear shot at him when he gets up. Ive done both many times. Something that might help my success is I move a lot faster than your average still hunter (because in late season you have to cover a lot of ground to get into deer), but you need to know when to slow way down...I might travel 400 yards in a few minutes, then take 30 minutes to cover the next 100.

[dan]

Rather than slip hunting, what about stoppping and setting on the ground once you find the spot?

Much of the swamp i hunt is a flooded bog and scouting with a stand on back is not feasible so i often have to go back on a seperate trip with a stand. Rather than make that 2nd trip, it may be better just to sit on the ground in many cases?

You should see the crap I go thru with my stand... Its such a huge advantage to be in a tree when gun hunting that I only leave it behind if I plan to keep moving. If I plan to eventually stop and wait for a buck the stand is with me, don't matter if its a 1/4 mile or 3 miles of nasty swanp, stand comes with... My only comprimise is sometimes I take the hand climber cause its lighter.
I usually even wear the alpha and 5 sticks when we are are out doing public land drives all day. Huge advatage in shooting distance, wind/scent, etc.

[Swampbuck]

Rather than slip hunting, what about stoppping and setting on the ground once you find the spot?

Much of the swamp i hunt is a flooded bog and scouting with a stand on back is not feasible so i often have to go back on a seperate trip with a stand. Rather than make that 2nd trip, it may be better just to sit on the ground in many cases?

You should see the crap I go thru with my stand... Its such a huge advantage to be in a tree when gun hunting that I only leave it behind if I plan to keep moving. If I plan to eventually stop and wait for a buck the stand is with me, don't matter if its a 1/4 mile or 3 miles of nasty swanp, stand comes with... My only comprimise is sometimes I take the hand climber cause its lighter.
I usually even wear the alpha and 5 sticks when we are are out doing public land drives all day. Huge advatage in shooting distance, wind/scent, etc.

yeah that's always been my view on the advantage of the stand so i never hunt from the ground but I've just been unable to cover any ground scouting with the stand on back, so i have to go grab it once i decide where to hunt... covering a 1/4 mile is an all day affair in this stuff..... It probably has alot to with the low deer density and most spots being unproductive that i feel im better off without the stand but I Probably should spend more post season scouting so i dont have to scout from sctratch as much and can afford the stand on back in more localized areas