Bowhunting from Ground- True Mobile

[Bowhunter05]

i took a long green t shirt and hot glued fake leafs to it to blend in with the edge of the corn field I take a little stool chair to sit on and tuck myself behind first or 2nd row of corn


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[JBDaddy]

I do I just bought a sapper suit this December

Bought my son one last year during early season, and he practically disappeared when he stepped into bushes - his first sit had 2 does walk within 10 yards of him, never knew he was there. BUT it stunk. Chemical, nasty, lucky-he-was-downwind kind of stink and nothing I did got rid of it (buried it for a week, soaked it in baking soda, washed & dried, etc). It's been hanging in the garage all winter and FINALLY isn't a noticeable smell when you walk in there anymore.

If you figure out a quick way to get the "new" smell out of it, let me know - because I want a tan version for where I watched huge bucks cross tall-grass fields consistently, hundreds of yards from any tree. Damn things knew full well to stay away from the tree line, and they were huge.

 

[Oldnotdead]

I love down falls and brush. When on the ground moving I carry a fold up stool . A down fall or cut tree tops where I can sit on a log amongst limbs or a cluster of brush I climb into and sit on the stool. When you quietly break down any stems in your way you open the fresh scent of that brush. This sometimes will draw deer in to check out possible food.

 

[Bdg848]

Actually, every deer I've killed with a bow has been from the ground....but that's mostly because I only have one tree stand and never felt like carrying it with me to every new spot. Now that I've started saddle hunting, im hoping to change that.

 

[Swampfox]

Main thing about hunting from the ground is to take the leaves or anything that’s going to make noise and rake it back. It’s tough enough to get away with movement but noise and movement will get you busted for sure.

 

[GodsCountry]

For those saddle hunters who are open to the idea of ground hunting... perhaps to those that go in blind... do you carry any stool with you in your pack, just in case you end up on the ground?

 

[KYHunter]

I use a Primal/Wood platform and it doubles as a seat when hunting off the ground. I set it up and little ways off the ground so that I’m not directly on the ground but still pretty low. I’ve had decent luck getting deer close and not spooking them. It seems that being still and being on a big tree really helps. I shot right under a big 8 last year at 40 yards and had several other smaller bucks in range this year. Any bit of movement and they’re gone though!

 

[Oldnotdead]

I 'll be new to SH this year,but I'm pretty sure I'd be wearing the saddle /sitdrag in and using that in the woods . Quick wrap around tree at head height and sit. In a field I'd still have the light folding stool. But my knee pads for grass High stalking. I'm not a backpack person. Everything is tied off my waist of slung over shoulder to hang behind my back. All pants are cargo pants.

 

[GodsCountry]

Follow up discussion...

On the topic of minimal hunting equipment, do any of you guys just straight up climb trees?

No sticks, no bolts, no ropes. Obviously, this is more reasonable when climbing something like a white pine. Besides, I think your kidding yourself if you use a lineman’s when climbing a pine with dozens of branches. It seems impractical to me.

Reducing yourself down to only hunting suitable pines would suck, but I fancy the idea of carrying less gear.

 

[Vtbow]

Follow up discussion...

On the topic of minimal hunting equipment, do any of you guys just straight up climb trees?

No sticks, no bolts, no ropes. Obviously, this is more reasonable when climbing something like a white pine. Besides, I think your kidding yourself if you use a lineman’s when climbing a pine with dozens of branches. It seems impractical to me.

Reducing yourself down to only hunting suitable pines would suck, but I fancy the idea of carrying less gear.

I often use to carry a pocket full of cranford t's or some strap on steps in the pack. They go a LONG way. even just a couple to get in the bottom branches of an old oak or maple at the farm. I often used to carry a crotch stand as well for this application.

 

[CZMark]

I have been wondering if anyone hunted in a saddle from the ground with a bow using a bigger tree for a cover, seems like being able to swing around the tree would work maybe even steps at ground level.

That's what the Sit-Drag was invented to do.

 

[patriotoutlaw]

I'm not opposed to hunting from the ground, if ground hunting is my best option. I've killed some deer from the ground, but I much prefer getting up in a tree. Using a saddle from the ground is always an option, I keep open.

 

[bow shot]

Killed my first 2 deer (maybe 35 years ago?) from the ground with my Martin Cougar II. I hunt 75% of the time from a tree, but have special love for sitting at a root ball or in a blow down. I see as many deer that way (except for those afar off) but it's just so easy to get busted, lol!

 

[WHW]

Killing a deer with a bow, on ground level, is a special treat. I use to say that one like that was worth 10 from a tree stand. When I first started bowhunting I used to spend a lot of time slowly moving through the woods trying to do so. I even developed a technique, for getting within bow range even after they had seen my movement.

While still hunting, if I could see a deer before it knew I was there, I would drop down and put the stems of several fallen leaves between my fingers, and a few in my mouth. Once that was done I would start my stalk. Sooner or later that deer would become aware of my presence, and become alert. With the deer keyed in on me I would release a leaf, and as it would float to the ground the deer would lock in on the movement of the leaf, forgetting about me. I would be downwind, so it couldn't smell me. I usually had some sort of camo on, so once I froze there wasn't any more movement, but still it knew that some sort of movement had alerted it. Once it saw the leaf fall, a very natural thing that it had seen all it's life, it was satisfied that everything was cool. To that deer, what had alerted it was just a leaf floating to the ground. Usually they would flick their tail and return to browsing or picking up acorns. Then I would continue my stalk until they noticed my movement again. Then I would repeat the process again, and again until I was in bow range. It didn't work every time, but the times that it did was very rewarding. Several time I have worked my way up to and inside of 20 yards. Once during a preseason scouting trip I showed a friend how I did this, and we managed to get inside of 10 yards on a doe with her fawn. We were on an open ridge, and had started the stalk from at least 200 yards away. We both ran out of leaves. Great Fun!!!

Later, after I became better at hunting feed trees, I quit slipping and started running. Trying to look at every tree in the area I was in, trying to locate primary feed trees. The name of the game for me, was the more trees I checked the better my chance's were to find what I was looking for, a primary tree for the entire area. When I did, it was almost a guaranteed shot opportunity. And, what I call a "high percentage hunt".