• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Success from the ground

Yes absolutely. I scout for locations where I think I can intercept deer movement. Then I look for an ambush spot. Sometimes the best place to conceal me is elevated and sometimes it’s on the ground.

The ground can be Particularly advantageous in situations when I’m scouting during the season; often times I cant afford the time and disturbance of getting elevated: find hot sign and get concealed as quickly and quietly as possible. Deadfall’s, clusters of trees, boulders, a cluster of thick undergrowth - all make great natural blinds.

I’ve also had some great experiences still hunting in thick cover under the concealment of rain.
 
I do the majority of my hunting from the ground in early season. The foliage here in NC is so thick that it enables me to get really close shots at deer while wearing my guillie suit. It's also a better shot angle most times. The tradeoff is you have to be careful of selecting your ambush spot to get a clear shot. When I do get a shot things happen fast and the window of opportunity is small. It also depends on the terrain as well. Thick pine stands and young trees don't present a lot of good climbing trees so you have to get on the ground on their level. It also elevates the game quite a bit in my mind. From the ground they're looking for predators and you're at their level. You can't be careless with your wind at all either. You also have to be very disciplined about your movement. Leafy suits help and I've learned to move with the breeze if available. It's an intense experience.

Once fall arrives I move up into the trees and hunting becomes more relaxed for me then.
 
I havent killed a deer from the ground with a stick bow but have killed a few on the ground with a compound. Slipping during a light rain or just after and high wind days have worked and I have killed a couple hunting feed trees from the ground. Havent put much effort into stick bow hunting from the ground though. I just prefer to be elevated.
 
I've had some really cool encounters hunting off the ground. I've missed plenty of deer, lol. That was on my shooting, mostly with a longbow, not the set ups. I've done it enough to know it is very doable, but the main thing is you have to be still on the ground. I mean really still. I like the Waldrop Packseat since it is very comfortable, and comfort lets you remain still. It is also very easy to get up and move short distances if you are on the ground. Sometimes 15 or 20 yards makes all the difference. If I have to climb down and climb back up somewhere else, I am much less likely to relocate. Plus, all that climbing down and up is a lot of movement they can spot.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
I've had some really cool encounters hunting off the ground. I've missed plenty of deer, lol. That was on my shooting, mostly with a longbow, not the set ups. I've done it enough to know it is very doable, but the main thing is you have to be still on the ground. I mean really still. I like the Waldrop Packseat since it is very comfortable, and comfort lets you remain still. It is also very easy to get up and move short distances if you are on the ground. Sometimes 15 or 20 yards makes all the difference. If I have to climb down and climb back up somewhere else, I am much less likely to relocate. Plus, all that climbing down and up is a lot of movement they can spot.
Click to expand...
And sweat, esp early season.
 
I’ve had success with whitetail and sika deer from the ground with a recurve. There’s nothing more exciting than drawing on a deer seven yards away from you at eye level. That said, I don’t often try this sort of thing early in the season and usually wait until I’ve got meat in the freezer first.
 
Jammintree said:
Yes absolutely. I scout for locations where I think I can intercept deer movement. Then I look for an ambush spot. Sometimes the best place to conceal me is elevated and sometimes it’s on the ground.

The ground can be Particularly advantageous in situations when I’m scouting during the season; often times I cant afford the time and disturbance of getting elevated: find hot sign and get concealed as quickly and quietly as possible. Deadfall’s, clusters of trees, boulders, a cluster of thick undergrowth - all make great natural blinds.

I’ve also had some great experiences still hunting in thick cover under the concealment of rain.
Click to expand...
First paragraph is exactly how I approach my setups. What gives me the best possible chance of getting an arrow off. That’s all that matters. Even when I hunt in a tree. Same principle applies.
 
I was on my way out of the woods, but taking my time and scouting as I went along a deer trail that paralleled the edge of the woods. At a deer trail intersection, I looked out into the field and noticed a buck staring at me. :rolleyes: I just froze in place, then he kept walking towards my location and apparently didn't see me at all. I knelt down and hid by a blown down tree. As he walked behind a tree, I came to full draw and waited for him to step out. As he stepped out, he looked right at me, but I already had an arrow on the way. ;) He ran about 25ish yards, stopped, looked around and then fell over. Heart shot at 28 yards! :cool: My first buck while hunting on the ground....even though it wasn't on purpose.
B3.jpg
His leg was forward, at the time of the shot. Magnus Snuffer SS.
B5.jpg
 
BTaylor said:
I havent killed a deer from the ground with a stick bow but have killed a few on the ground with a compound. Slipping during a light rain or just after and high wind days have worked
Click to expand...
This sums up my success with a handful on the ground. If there isn’t any wind I’m not trying, and the damp ground is a huge bonus.
 
80% of the time I'm on the ground these days...seems as I get older, I'm less enthused about falling from anything higher than my PacSeat! ;)

But there are still locations that I go to that are "must-climb-something" scenarios, so I still have my toe dipped in that pool! Plus, I love climbing my home trees with all of my ropes, gizmos & gadgets-it's great exercise, & definitely NOT boring!

When I "do it right" on the ground, and have a deer standing a few feet away, even if I don't get a shot opportunity or I miss, the rush that I get makes it well worth it!
 
I am not proficient enough/confident enough with my recurve to hunt yet but spot and stalk with my compound is my favorite. I'm 50/50 elevated vs on the ground on the critters I've killed. I've killed a deer off the ground wearing a Hawaiian shirt and almost killed a couple turkeys spot and stalk with my bow. The most fun is sneaking in amongst a large sounder of pigs and shooting them till u run out of arrows. I've almost been ran over from pigs I've pierced shooting them off the ground.....exciting
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top