ground tactics

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mcmidc
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ground tactics

Unread postby mcmidc » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:14 am

I've seen from some of the other posts that there are a fair amount of people that hunt from the ground atleast some of the time. What are some of the tactics your using? Are using a pop up, or a brush blind or just kind of using terrain to your advantage? I had a close encounter with an 11 pointer a couple years back with the bow just hiding behind a tree,on the down wind side of a funnel during prerut. One of the most rewarding hunts I've ever had even though he got away. I think I'd like to add some ground bowhunting to the , where the opportunity presents itself this year. Plus it gets rid of the 25 lbs worth of stand and sticks for a few hunts. Wimpy side of me coming out I guess.

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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby fredhill » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:34 pm

i'm no expert but i have shot alot of deer from the ground. natural blinds are great if the makings of one are in the spot you want to hunt (not usually). i had very limited sucess with pop ups on same day sits. i think brushing it in is a pain and takes too long. deer don't like those things unless it sits there for awhile so they get accustomed. but i wasn't leaving a high $$$$ Double Bull out so someone else could take it home with them. it now is just used for spring turkey bowhunting. i don't like plugging products because nobody is paying me but what i have had great success with is the G&H Buckstumper. it is a plastic tree stump that comes in sections. 90% of the time i only use one section. i'm right handed so i set up with my left side close to the trunk and the stump section in front of me. i have the tree blocking my form on one side and the stump section blocking in front and a little to the right. it makes the tree look like it has a thick trunk about 4 feet high up. it blends in so well. i use the terrain (river, pond, ditch) as best as i can to keep deer from coming in from behind. i hunt alot along rivers and i play the wind and hunt the side that allows me to have my back to the river with scent blowing out over the water. i usually am no more than 10-15 yards from the bank sometimes less. when i started using this "stump" i was amazed how few deer even looked at it unlike a pop up where they would stomp and snort.
BassBoysLLP
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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:57 pm

I often will set my stand a few inches off the ground, especially if I can find a tree that butts up against a conifer. Having the stand gives you a nice seat and a noise free platform to move on. I do a fair amount of run-and-gun hunting during the rut on public land. I'd rather be 20 feet up than 6" off the ground, but the added hunting time due to less set-up/take down is a bonus.
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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby whitetail007 » Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:30 pm

80% of my kills came from the ground. the best piece of advise is its not what is in front of you ts what behind you that makes you invisible. placement is everything, make sure he will be in a perfect broadside or quarting away position during the draw while he is just past you and cant spot movement. it took me a few years to get it right but there is nothing better than drilling a nice buck at 5 yards from the ground. it almost feels like im cheating useing a stand now. the ground gives you mobility and a chance to hunt areas that others cant or wont because of the lack of trees for a stand. i always use natural cover, less disturbance and keeping it natural means any deer in the area will be more relaxed. i try to always move day to day so the deer can never pattern you, it gives you a good look at what kind of deer are around. the best spot i have ever found was a big oak tree with a concave trunk that i sit back in. be still and always ready for the shot, cuz you never know when they will be right on top of you.
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mcmidc
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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby mcmidc » Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:30 pm

[quote="whitetail007"]80% of my kills came from the ground. the best piece of advise is its not what is in front of you ts what behind you that makes you invisible. placement is everything, make sure he will be in a perfect broadside or quarting away position during the draw while he is just past you and cant spot movement. it took me a few years to get it right but there is nothing better than drilling a nice buck at 5 yards from the ground. it almost feels like im cheating useing a stand now. the ground gives you mobility and a chance to hunt areas [\quote]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Whitetail what do you sit on while out there? Some kind of tree seat or a chair of some sort?

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Stanley
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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby Stanley » Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:43 pm

I have done a great deal of hunting from the ground (archery). I like to make natural blinds from materials on site. Two things I do is make sure I have cover as high as I can shoot over in front and good back cover to kill my silhouette (both are important). The next obstacle is getting drawn with out getting picked off. You need to stay alert and spot the buck before it is in front of you. Moving bucks won't pick you off as easily as stationary bucks. Windy days are the ground hunters friend. Much easier to drawn a buck on a windy day. Having a nice tree for the buck to be behind when drawing is very helpful. Quartering to is trouble. Quartering away is the best. Also keep in mind your visibility is much poorer on the ground than it is up in a tree. Whenever possible I hunt from a tree. Sometimes when I want to put in one hunt, or if there is no tree I hunt from the ground.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Zap
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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby Zap » Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:33 pm

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Liberty-Hunt
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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby Liberty-Hunt » Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:02 pm

It's much more comfortable from the ground! It's also a little more difficult in particular with mature Beast...
But, the satisfaction is guaranty... :P

Well, each technique have advantage and disadvantage...
But in any of, you must learn it to control it.
And in this case nothing better the a teacher in the wood!

But I can tell, knowledge of the territory, use much as you can the land and the vegetation to place you in the better place,
use the wind (of course should I said), being more careful with your movement, Seeing closely the ayes from the game but worst the ears!...
"Huntingly",
L-H

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Re: ground tactics

Unread postby whitetail007 » Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:43 pm

i use a small fold out chair when possible, otherwise its just a hotseat
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