ground hunting with a bow

[deer365]

Any of you guys on here do any ground hunting? I've got some areas that hold a lot of deer but they don't offer many climbable trees. Because of that it doesn't get hunted much, the last two years there have been some pretty good bucks come out of this area. I think I'm going to try hunting with a turkey stool and a small stake out blind this year for these sits. Anyone tried anything similar to this for hunting off the ground with a bow?

[Grizzlyadam]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53909

[deer365]

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53909

Wow lots of good stuff on this. Appreciate it!

[Drenalin]

I've considered a stake out blind for turkeys, but I personally wouldn't want one for deer. I'd focus more on natural cover, primarily at my back, and then cover on both sides and front as feasible. Most stake out blinds I've seen are not much more than a sheer curtain once the sun gets up. I used to carry a sniper's veil to drape around me if I had an angle without natural cover, and several times had deer notice either it or me anyway so I tossed it. Several guys on here do a lot of hunting from the ground. Here are a couple other threads:

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29460

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44778&hilit=Ground+hunting

[Prairie Sasquatch]

Back cover and staying still are much more important off the ground. Drawing is harder. If you can set up where you can see the deer at least 50 yards away it helps a lot. If you can set up for 25-30 yards it will help also. Last year I shot my buck at 12 yards hiding in the standing corn along a fence row.

Go to where the deer are not where the trees are and you will get a lot more opportunities.

[greenhorndave]

Back cover and staying still are much more important off the ground. Drawing is harder. If you can set up where you can see the deer at least 50 yards away it helps a lot. If you can set up for 25-30 yards it will help also. Last year I shot my buck at 12 yards hiding in the standing corn along a fence row.

Go to where the deer are not where the trees are and you will get a lot more opportunities.

Back cover is huge. I recall being busted my first time trying it because I thought I was in good cover, but in reality I was in front of a bunch of saplings and I became a blob that they couldn’t see through like they could on the saplings surrounding me...

[deer365]

Yeah I've been considering using a stake out blind with a turkey seat and using a leafy suit.

[justdirtyfun]

At least my first 8 deer with a bow came from the ground

Waist high vegetation is pretty good. Push over a LITTLE bit of viewing lanes but not down so low that it becomes a runway. Create a small shooting lane but only low enough for arrow travel. Don't smash it down to the ground.
BIG DETAIL.. You did that prep work without touching anything on their trail, right????
Sit down on your seat (swivel bucket did awesome) with bow in hand. And wait.
LITTLE DETAIL... remove noisy leaves under your feet to allow a shift without noise.

My swivel bucket was a high level piece of the puzzle. It won't sink in soft ground, it carries supplies, the swivel allows lots of shooting angles without noise or resetting your weight. Soft top and no weight on knees or ankles will allow long periods of minimal movement. Your bow can rest the bottom cam on a leg while deer approach. That keeps the shakes and fatigue from catching you before a shot appears. They may take a while to get where you need them.
It's an exciting way to get them.

[cspot]

A couple of videos from the Hunting Beast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9mRPcfxCIM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9mRPcfxCIM

There is another video where he talks about pre prepping an area in the marsh.

Also check out The Hunting Public. They have alot of ground hunts especially Zach this past year.

[Uncle Lou]

I love ground hunting

[G-Patt]

I hunt about 90% of the time on the ground. My favorite tactic is to create a small ambush blind with natural materials located right in the area you'd hunt. For example, I'd pick a tree or a bush and move blow downs, other fallen limbs and debris to one side and wait for the deer to come from the direction I anticipate they will based on pre-scouting intel. I look for a 25 to 30 yard shot. The drawbacks are this will only work if they come from the direction you hope they will and you need natural materials to be able to build this blind. I stress that the blind is small and inconspicuous. If you're making this huge change in their environment, they will notice and be wary, so less is best if at all possible. Another okay option is to work on these blinds now, and by time the season rolls around, they'll be used to it. I've been more successful with ambush blinds than getting tucked in somewhere with a bunch of backdrop, or ghillie/leaf suits hoping the deer don't recognize me. I'm not saying they don't work or it's bad advice, it's just that I haven't been as successful doing that. I don't know what the area you hunt looks like, so not sure if it's possible, but there are some other great suggestions on this thread. There are also quite of few podcasters who discuss ground hunting techniques as well. Lots of material available to you on this topic. Good luck. You'll love hunting from the ground once you develop those skills to be successful with it.

[deer365]

Some good previous threads on here. I'm excited to do some ground hunting this fall. I plan to look for areas that don't offer many climbable trees and check them out. Hopefully they'll be less pressured and hold a few good bucks.

[tundra@1]

Good information given so far. I hunt from the ground when the situation calls for it. I adapt to my environment, if that is where the sign leads me. I went to a compound years ago with high let off, to be better at the ground game. Last season used. a crossbow for the ground game. Very effective. no movement. Still use the long bow from the tree. I use a millennium tree seat, which is on my back with no weight. I use a 3/4 guille, that I put on once I set up. I have yet to find the perfect stool. Most that have my requirements are still too heavy.for a mobile hunter..............,......
...

I have also gained permission.on land that does not allow tree stands,............

On private land I have some deep built pit blinds. With a crossbow it's highly effective, like a Nap machine gun nest. Most over looked kill spot is a well.built pit blind

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