Success from the ground

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
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Country
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Country » Wed Sep 08, 2021 8:26 am

Going 4 Broke Outdoors Podcast brought me here. Excellent thread. Enjoyed the podcast too.


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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Mon May 29, 2023 10:22 am

I have had good sucess with ground hunting and attribute that to trial and error and time in the woods. I believe for a bowhunter to be successful you need to develop a system. Regardless if your hunting from the ground or a tree, you need a "system". I follow my "system" both on my land and on public land. I will admit both age and medical issues and physical limitations has "grounded" me from my run and hang and hunt routine. However from what I have learned the last few years, I should have implemented my system years earlier.

We have all heard the mantra you can not kill a big buck over bait. Yes you can. Its not the bait that makes deer nocturnal or bucks being shy from it. Its the pressure, the amount of bait in the area, and environmental conditions. " You can not kill a big buck on the ground". Yes you can. Its not because your on the ground, its because of "movement", lack of patience, and the hunters lack of concealment and noise.

"The System". First of all drawing the vertical bow on the ground is the challenge. It forces "movement" one element that most deer and especially mature does and bucks do not miss. The crossbow is a game changer in that regard. I have played with them thru the years. Yet when I had to get serious this past fall and use one full time, I put it in my "system". A 3 state 5 tags filled season showed me how deadly this weapon is. Both my xbows are 6lbs. They shoot from 350 to 400 fps, are short and easy to use. I have to admit if I was a younger hunter, say in his 40s I might have gone to an xbow.

I own recurves, longbows, and just sold my last compound. I never considered myself an "archer". I am a deer hunter, first and foremost. The weapon to me is the tool. I know the tool, but 98 percent of my time is to learn and know my quarry, big deer.

To be continued
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Mon May 29, 2023 10:37 am

" The System". Noise. I believe in complete silence when I enter my hunting world. Not one item I use makes any noise.. Hockey tape, and Stealth Strips and some injection foam, silents alot. From clothing, my pack (minimal), guille suit top, and tree seat, I want no noise. All noise is unacceptable. Hydration is a must for me. So I have a back camel system, like western hunters use. I can draw water from my mouthpiece, and there is no "movement" and no "noise". Unlike a canteen as water is drawn down, it stays silent. I have Stealth Stripped my xbows, so any normal contact is quiet. Both xbows have internal cranks that work in silence mode. With water comes urination which causes "movement". I try to adjust my diet and drink so I dont have "to go" when hunting. Not always easy but I try for as little "movement" as possible.

I am selective in foot wear. Not as critical in big woods damp conditions, but is so in "hill country". Currently like Lacrosse and Danner hikers, but have slipped on an oversized wool sock over my boot when trying to put on a sneak or traversing gravel areas, that rare, and extreme, but I have done it.
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Mon May 29, 2023 11:02 am

"Lack of Concealment" I looked at a stump one day and said to myself, the stump never moves. It is part of the woods that all creatures accept. I need to become that stump. I need to become my own blind. I got more serious on my clothing. I was never a big camo guy, finding most camo too dark and too pricey. Plus I needed clothing that could take the wear and tear because ground hunting is tougher on outerwear. For pants I chose semi tan grouse hunting pants. Soft and quiet, plus fend off burrs and buckthorn well. Top wear does not matter, flannel or a hoodie, since I wear a 3/4 guille. I looked long and hard. Most were too heavy and too long. In Fond du Lac Wis at the Military Surplus store, for $69.00 I found what I wanted. A 3/4 guille that was light, and had snap buttons and military specs. It had a hood and veil system. It is easy to roll up, bungee and put on back when moving on. it is not used late season (my favorite time) since then I wear a HBS in fall predator grey.

You are not getting away without face covering, on the ground. My hunting partner has modeled me enough examples in real woods testing, that I can pick out his uncovered face all the time. Imagine what a mature buck can see. Its like turning on a flashlight. I use a full face covering, and use a product called Spandoflauge. A tight knit weave you can cut eyeholes out of. I dont cut out the mouth area. Some hunters use face paint or other options. Point is expossure of the face is critical. Gloves are self evident. If you shoot vertical bow with a guille, the jute material on the suit could interfere with the bow arm. Quick fix is a compression sock in black grey or oden green. Put it on the bow arm and keep area clear.

Head gear is regulated by season, although my every day hat is a wool knit radar cap with visor, my own signature hat. CAUTION...... There is a safety factor in all of this. Last fall outside of Hillsboro Wis 2 squirrel hunters came by. In retrospect I should have stood up to make myself known. They were shooting 22s at chipmunks and stumps. They stopped for a smoke and pee, 30 feet from me. They never knew I was there. It was unnerving as they walked on. I was also on another favorite set up, on the North Branch of the Milwaukee River. Water set ups have been a long time favorite thru the years.

A farmer gave me permission and I was on a heavy crossing. My chair was in a downfall, and I was wearing hip boots and sitting tight. 15 deer had crossed within 25 yards of me, untill the duck hunters floated. This time I stood up, so they knew I was there. One guy was so startled he about fell out of his canoe. You could get shot on public land.
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Mon May 29, 2023 11:11 am

"Lack of Patience" I realize I am a little extreme. Ground hunting for mature bucks is not for everyone. My military and long work experience was centered on patience and long tedious hours. I grew up with no computers, social media or phones, so my DNA has me more calmly wired. If you can not sit still for long periods your better going in the last 20 minutes of shooting hours then going in hours earlier and fidgeting. The "movement" should be your eyes. Head movement should be at slow speed, and then slower. Body movment, forget about it. Cell phones should be packed away and in off and silent mode. they are for emergency use and after the hunt. This game is not for you if you need to text, play games, read books etc. If so stay in a tree. Meals and snacks, forget it. Causes "movement and lack of "concentration. Be ready at all times to make that shot. Believe at all times you will make that shot. I do have a watch taped to the but of the xbow so I know legal shooting times.

You can rewire yourself to be patient. May be several seasons and a little at a time, but you can slow yourself down.
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Mon May 29, 2023 11:28 am

Closing thoughts...... Ditch and unnecessary equipment that enhances movement or creates noise, like binoculars etc, you dont need it. Blind set ups. I have built natural material blinds, but prefer natural bloclass wdowns. I use to do this in the spring. However I have recently shyed away from this. Conditions change too much today. Logging, human pressure, etc. I am too mobile.
90 percent of my time is in "in season" scouting and 10 percent is hunting. You have to stay on top of your areas, and know the intel.

Pop Up Blinds..... I have a love hate relationship with them. I have been gifted 2. My original DB was stolen off private land by my house. Yes for light to moderate snowfall or steady soft rains, both deadly times to hunt, they are comfortable and allow the luxury of some "movement". When I use one I have a blanket on the floor, so equipment stays clean and keeps "noise" out. But my experience has been no matter how early you set them up, big bucks have a "sixth sense" about them, on pressured land. My hunting partner has 3 of them on our land. Its the only place he hunts and will wait days for the wind to be right, both for entry and exit. His logs records some nice bruisers cruising threw, but they stare or give a wide berth to his set up. He usually shoots nice 120 ish bucks. and is more than happy......Vernon County Wis

I hunt the same land, but more of it, and on the higher bluffs. I find my "system" is more effective and accepted by deer unless winded, which happens alot. Two years ago I missed a nice 170 class buck. We all remember our misses ha ha. Movement on the draw was the issue. the shot went low. Had I had this xbow, like now, I think I would have got him, but who knows.

In the UP I have a pop up blind I will set up in Sept. Its for late season only and gets baited. It is in a very large track of the Ottawa NF, with very few deer per square mile. Less deer equals less pressure. Near a large swamp on a "drainage", low hardwood area, the blind does not bother the deer much. Iron County MI
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Mon May 29, 2023 11:44 am

Wind is King.... That comment I attribute to Thomas Misna, Hillsboros Wis, a great, and above average hill country bowhunter. One of the best..... Focus on ground hunting now I, I not only focus on thermals, but in hill country "drafts". Studying my areas using smoke, I learned each area has a steady "draft", that stays constant at certain times of day. I have proved this to myself, by watching my millpod weed floating in various directions (thermals), at the same time by smoke shows a definite "draft" direction. This discovery and belief by myself of course, has changed my set ups.

In hill country I usually set up lower and am looking upward for a shot. I am catching bucks that travel parallel to the ridge tops. They can see downward and smell from whats on top. I am just below as they pass. I hunt below the scrape and rub lines, in areas they exist. Case in point. Buck comes thru, and stops. He is looking down into the valley. You could be 40 feet up anywhere in a tree in that area, and he would have you. the shot was 35 yards. The bolt entered into the heart area, and going up and thru lungs, and exiting, high up and out of right shoulder. He never knew I was below him. Of course the "draft" was correct coming downward, even though the thermal check was sketchy, rising up and then down..........
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Mon May 29, 2023 2:11 pm

Good info Groundhunter@1 8-)


I've got a lot of new ground setups in the marsh for this season...looking forward to hunting them.
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby Huntress13 » Tue May 30, 2023 12:49 am

Good stuff! The hunting below the trail on a hill gives me an idea for a spot I hunt.
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby G-Patt » Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:00 am

Like you, I hunt with an xbow on the ground. Yes, it is a deadly combo. You are correct, the movement is the main issue. You really have to work at not moving an inch, no fidgeting. You have to become that stump like you said, and it's like entering a meditative, trance-like state to be any good at it. You can't move your head when a deer comes in or squirrels scratching that sounds like deer movement. It can become nerve racking. But man, when you kill one, it's the most exhilarating experience. I'm actually hunting with a traditional recurve this year and will try my hand at hunting from the ground most of the time. Gonna be much different than with an xbow, but I have no issues entering into that trance-like state with no movement. I personally don't have issues making "natural" noises while walking or setting up a natural blind, and have actually caused deer to come in to investigate. It is an issue if there's any metal clanging. Good pointers on quieting your gear to avoid those types of noises. Thanks for posting your method. Good stuff!
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Re: Success from the ground

Unread postby deerhunterdon » Thu Jun 15, 2023 10:17 am

I enjoy hunting from the ground after the first couple frosts and the mosquitos are gone. lol


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