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The Official Ground Hunting Thread

Crcusmonky said:
I just picked up the big agnes stool. It’s stupid light. It is yellow but I figure a small piece of fleece and it’s covered and offers some insulation. Maybe a piece to lay on the ground to keep legs from digging in. And I’m going to stealth strip the legs. Should be sweet.


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That’s one I was looking at. That and the Helinok or whatever it’s called. I thought maybe some tenis balls on the feet and you’re good to go.
 
Yeah I thought about that as well. It pack smaller than the description. But also sits slightly lower than it says as well. I would say just lower than a 5 gallon bucket. And honestly the yellow seat don’t matter if your sitting on it. If you have any questions just let me know.


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Crcusmonky said:
Yeah I thought about that as well. It pack smaller than the description. But also sits slightly lower than it says as well. I would say just lower than a 5 gallon bucket. And honestly the yellow seat don’t matter if your sitting on it. If you have any questions just let me know.


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What made u go with the stool style and not the more chair like with the backing? I was looking at the chair style
 
I guess I figured I would naturally be lounging in the chair and then have to sit back up resulting in more movement. Stool I’m more ready. Plus the chair is heavier, not much, and packs longer. Hope that helps.


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I want to do more of this this season. I have a turkey chair that works great (https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/cabelas-hunting-lounger) for a cheap price or the Tidewe turkey vest. Both work well, just haven't had the time to even get out this year. Thanks for all the tips!

Edit: I have the REI version of the above Helinox chair and I wouldn't recommend it. The feet sink into soft ground easily and they're very loud when you're putting them together.
 
Finally got time to write down some thoughts about the post above...

Went over to my friend's house with the tracking dog that I've developed a great friendship with over the past 2 years. Said he had deer on his camera all day everyday for the past long while... some regular at 3pm. So I tucked up under an oak about 30yds off his camera. Was settled in by 3:05pm and not 3 minutes later I started seeing movement just atop the little ridge along the trail I had walked in on. Was certainly a deer. Movement was from my left to right. After a minute it stopped and vanished. I scanned the woods to my right and tried to peer through the dense hollies. Nothing. Sat there with my crossbow jammed into my shoulder just waiting for it to come back. Nothing. Support hand hurts like the ****ens because I'm trying to prop up the crossbow on my knee and look through the scope. Maybe it bedded down right there? 3:45 rolls around and I see movement again, this time a little left of where I saw it before. Yep, it's a deer. Wait. It's a spike! No, it's a fork horn! Buddy had already said don't be afraid to shoot because there's plenty of deer in here. Ok if his nose is longer-ish I'll do it. Last tree I ranged over in his direction when I first sat down was 30yds. He needs to be near that tree for the shot. He feed back and forth up the trail (and even off the trail) for five minutes. Still past the tree a bit. Now he's moving left to right across the trail looking like he's going to head into those hollies and disappear forever. It's now or never. He's a few yards past the tree... 40yd pin and squeeze. Loud smack. Shot looked good. He took off running and then stopped in the hollies... no crash. Hmm. That didn't sound right. Text my buddy and he told me to creep out and come back to the house. He wanted to give his dog more practice. Met him at the house and we all went back into the woods together. His dog Riley was on the deer from go. Turns out he lunged forward at the shot and the arrow went in just front of the last rib. Hit the last bits of lungs and some liver. Think that's why he stopped after the initial sprint.

"Caught" this deer with an Excalibur Mag 340 (courtesy @TreeCreep) and a 150gr Magnus Stinger Killer Bee tipped Black Eagle Dragon Claw (courtesy @Razorbak66). Total bolt weight was 450gr.

Thank you so much @Recoveringwithcurs!!! You're a good buddy!

And anyone needing a track in our area should CERTAINLY reach out to @Recoveringwithcurs. Riley is amazing!
 
one thing to keep in mind about the uber light camping backpacking chairs - They're fragile.

And expensive.

And loud - stretching material and popping metal.

So three things to keep in mind.

I have multiple ones that get used on backpack camping trips. They fit that bill perfectly - glassing or camping. I wouldn't want to be stuck in one trying to draw or rotate on a whitetail at 15 yards.
 
kyler1945 said:
one thing to keep in mind about the uber light camping backpacking chairs - They're fragile.

And expensive.

And loud - stretching material and popping metal.

So three things to keep in mind.

I have multiple ones that get used on backpack camping trips. They fit that bill perfectly - glassing or camping. I wouldn't want to be stuck in one trying to draw or rotate on a whitetail at 15 yards.
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I've got a couple of folding tripod stools. Not terribly comfortable but functional enough, and reasonably quiet. I agree that the ultralight stools are fragile and generally finnicky, and they would not have a place in my hunting kit.
 
kyler1945 said:
one thing to keep in mind about the uber light camping backpacking chairs - They're fragile.

And expensive.

And loud - stretching material and popping metal.

So three things to keep in mind.

I have multiple ones that get used on backpack camping trips. They fit that bill perfectly - glassing or camping. I wouldn't want to be stuck in one trying to draw or rotate on a whitetail at 15 yards.
Click to expand...
Man, the noise of chairs is serious. Sitting in a stick built ground blind, I had a nice buck come in 40 yards away on my right side. To get a shot, I would have to turn 90 degrees since I'm right handed. I slowly started to slide off of my hunting stool and onto my knees so I would be just level with the blind wall. As soon as my full weight was off the stool, it squeaked, and that buck looked right at me and took off. Never got the shot. Had it not made that noise, I could have had that buck!

I threw that stool out and found a chair that doesn't make any noise, yet. It's not some ultralight chair, it might be like 6 lbs or so, but it gets the job done and is decently comfortable. I've thought about going to one of the Helinox chairs, but decided against it for the reasons you said.
 
I'm gonna try tethering in on the ground this year. I can't set still on anything that requires a seat (but might try hunting hemmoroid pad idea) without getting the wiggles.
I don't get to really hunt or spend time in the woods enough to really get a feel for what works. Pretty much uses every season as a new "test" session.
I'll be carrying all my saddle stuff wherever I go anyway. Just try to pick the best spot.
I have also used Camo burlap and netting as a makeshift blind, may try it again this year.
 
I left out yesterday around noon and headed about an hour and a half southwest to some new to me land I had gotten some intel on. I had cyber scouted it the day before and just decided to pick a random spot and head out with the wind in my face and the Packseat on my back. I took the longbow loaded with wood arrows and decided that this was just going to be a fun day out designed to gather some intel. I took the Packseat since I was not sure about the trees in the area, and knew I wasn't going to set up unless I found fresh, hot sign.

I parked and walked what ended up being a 3 mile loop. The place was very dry and what few feed trees I saw had been picked clean, and there were signs of hog rooting. Scouting along, I saw 5 to 6 black hogs moving west about 100 yards out. I tried to circle to get ahead of them but at a certain point the wind just wasn't going to allow it. I stopped and headed back east and found a water hole. There were deer tracks all around the water's edge and to my delight, lots of pig tracks. I love hunting pigs, and haven't had the opportunity to chase them since I got out of that club several years ago. I figured this would be the best spot to have a shot at a deer or a hog.

As the crow flies, the water was only about 150 yards from where I initially saw the pigs. I set up against a root ball of a downed oak with the wind in my face. Soon I had squirrels and birds keeping me company. As the evening progressed, I had a huge black raccoon come down out of a tree and cross the ditch and head off into the woods. Around 5:10 I was patiently sitting watching the woods when I caught a whiff of a very strong musky animal smell. My first thought was rutting buck, but it is way too early for that here. Then I saw the source. I big black boar popped up out of the water hole and ran up on the far bank. How he got off in there without me seeing or hearing him is beyond me. It was pretty thick in some spots, so I guess he slipped in. He then went into the woods about 50 yards out and walked parallel to me toward the west. That was all the action for the day. It was a fun hunt for sure. Checking the map, I was 1.2 miles from the road. I have to say it was nice not having to climb down out of a tree and pack up at dark. Just grab the chair and go. I will be going back over there soon. Those hogs are going to have company!
 

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NMSbowhunter said:
I left out yesterday around noon and headed about an hour and a half southwest to some new to me land I had gotten some intel on. I had cyber scouted it the day before and just decided to pick a random spot and head out with the wind in my face and the Packseat on my back. I took the longbow loaded with wood arrows and decided that this was just going to be a fun day out designed to gather some intel. I took the Packseat since I was not sure about the trees in the area, and knew I wasn't going to set up unless I found fresh, hot sign.

I parked and walked what ended up being a 3 mile loop. The place was very dry and what few feed trees I saw had been picked clean, and there were signs of hog rooting. Scouting along, I saw 5 to 6 black hogs moving west about 100 yards out. I tried to circle to get ahead of them but at a certain point the wind just wasn't going to allow it. I stopped and headed back east and found a water hole. There were deer tracks all around the water's edge and to my delight, lots of pig tracks. I love hunting pigs, and haven't had the opportunity to chase them since I got out of that club several years ago. I figured this would be the best spot to have a shot at a deer or a hog.

As the crow flies, the water was only about 150 yards from where I initially saw the pigs. I set up against a root ball of a downed oak with the wind in my face. Soon I had squirrels and birds keeping me company. As the evening progressed, I had a huge black raccoon come down out of a tree and cross the ditch and head off into the woods. Around 5:10 I was patiently sitting watching the woods when I caught a whiff of a very strong musky animal smell. My first thought was rutting buck, but it is way too early for that here. Then I saw the source. I big black boar popped up out of the water hole and ran up on the far bank. How he got off in there without me seeing or hearing him is beyond me. It was pretty thick in some spots, so I guess he slipped in. He then went into the woods about 50 yards out and walked parallel to me toward the west. That was all the action for the day. It was a fun hunt for sure. Checking the map, I was 1.2 miles from the road. I have to say it was nice not having to climb down out of a tree and pack up at dark. Just grab the chair and go. I will be going back over there soon. Those hogs are going to have company!
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Great story buddy! Love your setup too.
 
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