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The Official Ground Hunting Thread
- Thread starter Bama_Xander
- Start date
@Nutterbuster I totally agree on blinds not being worth it. They are great on private where you can leave them for the whole season. Deer get used to them and a kid can get in and out safely and quietly.
On public as a mobile method they are heavy, noisy to setup. They draw the attention of every deer that comes by. Much like just sitting on the ground they are great for killing the first deer that comes by but that’s about it.
On public as a mobile method they are heavy, noisy to setup. They draw the attention of every deer that comes by. Much like just sitting on the ground they are great for killing the first deer that comes by but that’s about it.
Bama_Xander
Well-Known Member
That sounds like an awesome hunt!
MNMosquitoAssassin
Well-Known Member
I've used this little expanding stool that I got off eBay a couple years ago to sit on, just clear the ground out a little bit pop the sucker open and have a seat... It collapses down into a small disc and you can throw it into a pack if you wanted to...you just have to open and close it slowly to avoid making a lot of noise... The height is also adjustable for your needs....
Bama_Xander
Well-Known Member
That’s pretty neat.
Always way better to have cover behind you than peeking around it.
I actually have better luck in a clean woods on the ground. The old nannies here walk around looking up in the trees. They have evolved but I've had them walk right past me against a tree'
FLYIN_HAYN
Well-Known Member
If I’m hunting lower elevations I almost always spot n stalk to my zone then get in my trees as quick and quiet as possible. However One of my most prime spots for blacktail is up in the swamps. Unfortunately they are high altitude bogs with no real solid trees to climb So I’m often still hunting or setting up on edges with cover. Lots of ground cover though as long as you set up with the wind. The only other issue is it’s freezing cold and is always raining and wet. Thinking bout hiking in some ground blinds to hide in some thicker cover to atleast give some shelter away from the cold wind and rain.
I've always practiced shooting sitting flat on the ground. Kill tons of carp from a canoe and have to cant my bow almost flat. You will want to sit to the right edge of the tree so your bow arm misses. I've always felt too obvious sitting on a stool even though it feels better.
Bama_Xander
Well-Known Member
Gotta stay one step ahead.
Bama_Xander
Well-Known Member
If saddles continue to gain popularity they will start looking on the back sides of the trees and then we are in trouble.
I’ve really been considering buying a ghost blind. Any opinions one way or the other about them?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bama_Xander
Well-Known Member
No experience myself, but from this thread it seems they work well but are not a good mobile set up (bulky, loud through brush). If you have private and/or can walk trails to your spot, they can be effective.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2019
- Messages
- 1,373
No one system is the silver bullet but I bought a ghost blind last year and it has opened up spots for me that I otherwise found pretty much impossible to hunt. I haven’t killed out of it yet, but I haven’t archery killed out of a stand in this time period either! Like anything there will be a little learning curve to dialing in your setup - for example if you’re going to draw a compound in one you need to make sure you’re scooted back far enough - but I imagine someone could commit to a ghost blind and do as well as any other method. Also I like the hunts when I’m grabbing it because I know I’ll be setting up and tearing down in about a third the time and effort of a tree sit.
Vtbow
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2018
- Messages
- 5,516
I really like mine. I have the "predator" I bought the backpack that goes with it. It significantly quiets it down as it dampens the noise hitting the corrugated plastic. BUT, I"m approximately 6'4" and it still sticks over my head and the profile is quite wide so its not a walking through beach whips and prickers kind of stand. IT is great in open hardwoods, or farmland where you can walk logging roads, field edges and brush lines(or on top of old stone walls!) and then just cut into the woods a little bit to setup. IT takes less than a minute to setup, and literally does disappear.
The "runner" version has peaked my interest with the use of a ground seat like a crazy creak, or EMS mountain chair, or JX3 hybrid even. They are quite a bit smaller so you have to be on the ground. Perfect for gun season I believe and I"ve heard a lot of talk about people using them for Turkey.
Had a 16" 6 pt at 10 yards this morning on the ground right behind the house, in the thick stuff. Came in on my weak side; not sure saddle would've helped me there. Fi ally eyeballed me and skittered off...wind was good, so figure no harm, no foul. Was sitting on a Walkstool with the legs collapsed, about a foot off the ground. Good stuff.
PROS
It sets up really fast.
It blends really well.
It's only 12 lbs
CONS
You need a fairly wide path to keep from brushing it up against stuff.
You can't leave it out if you want to.
Requires flat storage.
Like anything, it will take practice to master.
I paid around $300 total for the predator and backpack.
It is just 1 tool in the arsenal, not a solve-all.
I'm glad I have it. No regrets.
Gotcha. Yeah that’s what really turns me on to the idea of one. Setup and tear down super fast and many of the local hunting opportunities I have around the house totally suck or are impossible to use a tree stand or saddle at height.
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