Ground hunting thermal tunnel

[osage]

I'm a newbie when it comes to hunting BEAST style. I'm hunting a new public area close to home this year and will be hunting from the ground. Last weekend I tried to hunt the leeward side of a hill by going in blind. I found some great sign and even heard a buck rubbing a sapling before first light. My question is this, is it possible to hunt the thermal tunnel from the ground? I found it to be challenging because my scent was continuously swirling (I guess that's why the bucks love to cruise here). Was I too high or low on the slope? I can definitely see the advantage of getting up high in a stand here. Any help would be appreciated, I'm used to flat land hunting.

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[mauser06]

You nailed it...its called the thermal tunnel because that's just it...wind comes off the hill and meets the thermals and swirls..they can smell above and below..

Sit above them and they smell you...sit below and they smell you...

From a stand I like to get above it and climb about even with the top of the hill or higher..could have deer completely "down wind" of me and never know I'm there...my scent blows over them...


Don't know that ground hunting can be effective with a bow anyways...a rifle sure...get em killed before they get to you..


Maybe someone has more advice but I don't know its a good tactic..

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[wiscbowhntr]

You nailed it...its called the thermal tunnel because that's just it...wind comes off the hill and meets the thermals and swirls..they can smell above and below..

Sit above them and they smell you...sit below and they smell you...

From a stand I like to get above it and climb about even with the top of the hill or higher..could have deer completely "down wind" of me and never know I'm there...my scent blows over them...


Don't know that ground hunting can be effective with a bow anyways...a rifle sure...get em killed before they get to you..


Maybe someone has more advice but I don't know its a good tactic..

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X2

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[john1984]

I remember on Dan's hill country video a guy shot a buck from the ground with a bow.

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[dan]

You can do it, but its certainly putting yourself at a distinct disadvantage. If it were me, I would be in a stand, but if by some rule I couldn't, I would try to find a gap on the ridge that funneled air current one direction and hunt the bucks crossing over the spot...

[JoeRE]

Its not easy to setup on leeward slopes on the ground. I look for a couple of things for a ground setup. I might set up upslope of where a buck will come through and shoot before he gets downwind below me, that's high impact, you are gonna get busted if you don't shoot, and can mean a tough quartering shot but pretty straight forward. Preferably, I find a ditch/ravine/cut whatever you want to call it that pushes the deer to cross either higher or lower than that thermal tunnel elevation and set up right next to it, because ditches typically have consistent up or down thermals depending on time of day. I also have had a couple spots over the years where I climb up on a big rock outcropping on the slope, sometimes that's enough to get a more consistent current that carries out over the valley.

Most of the time if I see a great leeward slope cruising location...I start looking for a tree. All the above are sort of unusual circumstances that worked. I do set up on the ground whenever possible because it is quieter and faster than climbing a tree but leeward slopes are best hunted from above.

[osage]

Thanks for the help guys. Your responses are exactly what I feared. Looks like I'm in the market for a new LW and sticks.

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[Singing Bridge]

Looks like ground hunting has been pretty well covered. Another possibility, especially at this time of the year, is a bench that is above or below the thermal tunnel. Set up on the ground accordingly based on thermals or wind, depending on if you are above or below the thermal tunnel.