Ground hunting

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
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jwetzel52
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Ground hunting

Unread postby jwetzel52 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:26 am

Hey beasts. Looking to get into ground hunting to become even more mobile. What tips do you guys have to as successful as possible? When do you choose to hunting from the ground and what tools do you use for your setup?


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Lockdown
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby Lockdown » Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:08 am

You need to hunt the best SPOT. I never choose ahead of time... let the sign dictate if a ground blind or stand is best.

The best advice I can give for a beginning ground hunter is try to keep it simple. Don’t put yourself in the middle of a bunch of trails where you need to watch all around you and potentially have shots in 3-4 directions. If that’s you’re only option then fine, but you’ll be much better off trying to watch a trail or two on one side of you. If the situation allows, there’s nothing wrong with only covering one trail. (If its THE trail you need to be watching)

Look for things to break up your outline if your in cattails, shatter cane, or tall grass. Big trunks or shrubs that grow in a clump help hide movement. Breaking up your outline is the name of the game. Do whatever you can to keep from being sky-lined. If there’s nothing to break up your outline just do the best you can and keep your lanes small. I’ve killed from nothing but cattails before.

Also, clear the ground down to black dirt so you can move freely without making any noise.

Go through every scenario in your head ahead of time. “If he takes trail “A” in this direction I’m going to draw when he steps behind that tree and shoot him right there. If he comes the opposite direction I’m going to do...” and do that for every scenario you can conjure up in your head.

POSITION YOUR BODY WHERE YOU NEED IT TO BE FOR THE SHOT TO HAPPEN. If you’re right handed and the buck enters from your left side, the shot will likely be on your right side (or strait ahead), so DO NOT be facing left as he walks toward you. Position appropriately. Rotate your head, scan with you eyes, use your peripheral vision.

Practice drawing VERY slowly. Sometimes you can get away with drawing if they’re browsing broadside and you take 15+ seconds to draw. Fast movements grab their attention. You’d be surprised what you can do when you move super slow. I once drew my bow with a nice mulie looking directly at me at 38 yards. Tuck your elbow ;)

Hunting from the ground is tougher, but can be surprisingly easy. The more you do it the easier it gets.
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Marshbuster89
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby Marshbuster89 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:07 am

How bad do you want it?
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may21581
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby may21581 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:29 am

Hunting off the ground at any point in the season can be productive. I've shot bucks from early season to late season. An early season setup for me would be on a quality food source or even closer to bedding if I had one that was consistantly showing up still in the first week or two. I would conceal myself in some brush or cut some limbs out of a shrub and get inside it and use it as a blind.
During the rut I would set up in a known cruising route between buck bedding and does. My preferred setup would be if they were cruising and coming over a hill and I could get some brush or pine to conceal myself. It would be sense enough that I could still see them but they couldn't make me out. I would wait till they moved along and gave me a quartering away shot and then I would draw and shoot.
Late season I like corn. I like to watch it fora day or so when it gets bitter cold and get a pattern on which way their coming from. Then with the right wind I would move into the corn several rows back and position myself for a good shot.
Hunting off the ground brings new challanges and opportunities. Shot angles can be tough and you have to be extra still and quiet. However I found hunting off the ground gets you closer and intensifies the rush making it all worth your while. It's almost an even playing field when you hunt like this minus the compound bow and it really gets your heart pounding.
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tgreeno
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:40 pm

Here's a great thread about ground hunting 8-)

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29460
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It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt
tundra@1
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby tundra@1 » Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:13 am

As usual, good advice on the posts. Ground Hunting is an effective tool, that has been in my for a long time. I have messed up more times, than I can count, but always learned something, and after now 50 years of bowhunting, I know a few tricks.....

There are so many good areas, that are not hunted,, because someone figures, no place to put in a stand. There are many reasons that young bowhunters, do not hunt on the ground, but mostly they have be shoveled a mantra of manure, from tree stand companies , writers etc, that , its the only way to kill a buck.....

My advice is you do what ever it takes. From a step ladder, to a pit blind, do not hunt an area, based on how you hunt, hunt an area based, on that is where the bucks are, I need to figure out how to do it.......This might sound simple, but it can be as easy as slipping in, and just standing, in a good spot, yes it can be that easy.

Before I get too heavily involved, in this discussion, my advice to younger hunters, is use all methods, to get at them bucks. Ground hunting can be so effective, at the right time, and places, so do not disregard it. Its another tool on the belt. I am coming to a time in my life, that I might be forced to it all the time,,,,, but if that day comes, I will not feel, that I am not part of the game....

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Moose
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby Moose » Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:46 am

I hunt from the ground during late muzzleloader season. If you put your time in you will be very successful just as if you were in a stand. With that said your shot opportunities will be alot different on the ground as will your vision. I try to set up where i have good field of view and can be concealed. You should go do some scouting if you havent already to try and figure out your setups.You will do just fine on the ground. Good luck!
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:11 pm

My best advice for hunting on the ground is use a firearm! If not and using a vertical bow be prepared for a ungodly failure rate. Sometimes that’s the only option but if there’s a option to just get me 1 stick high in a tree I will take it over the ground for a trad bow
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby tundra@1 » Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:32 am

Boogieman , I completely agree with you, when it comes to the use of the stick bow. Although I still love my long bow, it just is not that effective, for serious ground hunting. I call the one stick and stand method, a elevated ground blind, and use that set up, in a lot of swamps.

I went to a compound with 75 percent left off, and also now a crossbow. With the proper use of the guile and the crossbow, its scary how effective in the last 2 years I have become, with the ground game. The crossbow, its use, pros and cons, could be a whole other post. But I am out to kill bucks. I am not out in the woods, for the romance of archery. I will admit, what I am out there for is to kill a nice buck, and from the ground its quite a rush.

We all know about the issues, noise, movement, and scent control, when it comes to the ground game. This may go against general thinking, but I am convinced, that I put out less scent, for the most part, on that ground, than someone in the tree stand. I have done my own tests, mostly using smoke, to watch, the thermals. I believe a hunter needs to be up 30 feet or more, to really be effective in scent control. Sitting in a tree, which I do all the time, at 10 to 18 feet, lets me see, but my scent is dispersed even more over the area, as the hours go by. while sitting on the ground, my scent has a short window, to go where all scent goes, and that is downward.

Noise and movement, is the issue on the ground. Drawing a stick bow, from the ground position, puts in a lot of movement, which a deer can easily pick up, and I have had many a frustration on that. The compound, changed all that for me, with the let off. The crossbow, well, that turned it into a gun, in many ways. But it helps with the movement. I am a noise freak, so everything I use is dead silent.

I like the use of the guile suit. I do not one that is heavy, or expensive, or is too long. I bought one at the Military Surplus shop in Fond du lac Wis for 59.00. Its a 3/4 top, with an inside veil, and attached hood, and has snap buttons to close. I do not wear it, as I move in the woods, but its on my back, and I slip it on, in my set up. On public land I have had other hunters get scary close, not even knowing I was there. Uusally I just let them pass by, but if they set up , I will stand up, to let them know where I am at, and yes its that effective. It will pick up every piece of debris, on its material, and that is the reason, its not worn during moving thru an area, for a long ways. I use this system to hunt turkeys.

Serious ground hunting is like anything else. It gives you a great advantage, in going into great areas, and being on your game, while at the same time, allowing you to stay on top of changing conditions, and the best and freshest sign. I have come back and hung stands on areas, I found while ground hunting.

I have one pop up blind, but I am not a big fan. Too bulky, restricts movement, etc. Great if you have a good spot, and am willing to leave it there for awhile, etc. One advantage to the pop up blind, is for morning hunting. I like to go in and hunt out of the pop up in the afternoon, if I can. However, to be effective for a morning hunt, I will stay in the blind over night, yes I just camp out, So in the am, I am there, and its been hours for scent control, and deer, move in the area, never knowing I am there. For that, its highly effective.

Water set ups, is another overlooked advantage of ground hunting. I set up on a lot of rivers and creeks, especially in the UP. This drainage system, is where the deer are. Lots of feed for big wood bucks, good cover, by the water, covering both noise and scent. I have sat in some great blowdowns, etc, along the water. The best spots, are either a chair I have in the water, in a snag, overlooking heavy trail crossings, or on small islands, that are never hunted. Deer are less cautious I find in these spots. They are far more cautious coming into a water hole, lets say in the woods, compared to following their patterns on rivers and creeks.

These drainages do not get hunted much, or I never see anyone. Most are hunting hardwoods. Most tree stand hunters are in hardwoods. I find thru my experience, not many bucks, walking thru daylight hours, in hardwoods, unless its very unpressured and underhunted land, or its a few days of the prime rut.........

All of our areas are different. As well as our experiences. You can always learn from someone, so you have to keep an open mind, when it comes to tactics for the bucks. Ground Hunting is just another option. I like the advantage of being mobile, being able to change up when needed. I like the less hassle of equipment, which equals weight and noise. I like the ability to go and simply hunt, no matter how short of time I have, instead of planning on all the stuff, I have to have with me. I like to cover ground, and find new spots, at the same time, as I have a weapon with me. I have found some outstanding tree stand set ups, from being a ground hunter, covering ground..........
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby tundra@1 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:25 am

Another option is the "Pit Blind". This is done on private land, since our blinds are extreme. My deer mentor has hung up his recurve for the xbow. He is amazed of its effectiveness. He hunts great private land, only 77 acres in Crawford Co Wis, and now with generous doe tags, for meat, he only shoots a buck from 160 and up. He has the time, experience, area, etc. 2 years ago he shot a 176, at 8 steps out of the "Pit Blind".

Once the spot is set, this is how we build it. It is dug out, for one hunter. It is only wide enough to move the shoulders. It is only high enough, once your in it, that only the head is peering out, and he can rest the xbow, in front of him, on the ground. We use a typical plastic summer chair, with back, you see at the stores. Using a sawzall, we cut the legs, to fit the depth of the blind, so when you sit, you can just see out.

2 4x4 posts are put in the corners of the front, and top angle cut. A small sheet of rough plywood is drilled in for the top, angled off the back, for drainage from the rain. The entire blind, is then brushed in. Entry is made, by sliding in from the front.

It is like a machine gun nest, you would see, on the war movies, the Japs used. But it is dynamite set up, if you have the right spot.
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G-Patt
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Re: Ground hunting

Unread postby G-Patt » Wed Apr 22, 2020 5:02 am

Hunting from the ground is my preferred method, and once you hone some skills doing it, you'll likely prefer this method over tree hunting. Finding a good location where you'll see deer is the same as hunting from a tree, but instead you'll need to be concealed on the ground. Think of ground depressions, fall downs, heads of ditches, heavy bush, pine cover and thick stuff in general with very small shooting lanes. I generally won't do more than 2 lanes, but most of the time I utilize just one lane. Doing pre-season ambush set ups where you pile up fall downs and other debris at an ambush location will save you time; plus it gives the deer time to adjust to your"pile up" and get comfortable with it before the season begins. You'll need to be able to stop them on a dime in front of your shooting lane. Saying "meh" is not enough. I actually yell "Hey You!" Stops them right in their tracks for 5 seconds. It took me 3 failures of saying "meh" before coming up with "Hey You!" It works every time.

Another bonus of ground hunting is not lugging around a tree stand. Setting up on hot sign during in-season scouting can be versatile too with limited drawbacks. Plus you have the option of moving if the setup is not looking promising or if the deer movement is 50 yards away from where you are. More options I guess. Good luck! I hope you enjoy hunting from the ground.
On my deathbed, I will receive total consciousness. So I have that going for me, which is nice!


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