Feel free to post:
-Any advice you have on ground hunting
Forget hunting 360°. I like a big tree, bushes, palmettos, or (favorite) a fallen down tree behind me. Deer can and will sneak up behind you on the ground. You want cover and concealment
Big cover is better. Little twigs and bushes don't hide you. Tree trunks, palmettos, and logs will..
Be still. You can see 180° in front of you by just moving your eyes. That's what you're hunting. If i hear a noise that i have to move my body or crane my neck to investigate, i just ignore it.
You'll have more fun if you shoot the first deer you see. Deer allowed to linger on the ground WILL eventually spot or smell you. Or pin you you down. As soon as you see a deer, move into kill mode.
-Advantages
Safer. Cheaper. Easier. You're truly mobile and can hunt anywhere. Quicker and quieter setup. More comfortable. Easier to pee or take a crap. What you see is what you get. No climbing up and then realizing the area you thought was nice and open on the ground is now a clutter due to bushes or low limbs. You can quickly and quietly move positions if you're not exactly where you need to be.
Disadvantages
You're directly in the deer's line of sight. You can't get away with nearly as much movement. Hunting with a compound or recurve is much more difficult. You're more likely to get busted by lingering deer if they're within 50 yards.
-Gear you use to ground hunt (we all love gear)
A bucket. A 3 legged stool. A saddle. A waldrop pacseat. A jx3. A turkey vest. Whatever works. I bought a killsuit but honestly don't think it's worth it. I've messed with blinds but honestly don't think they're worth it. Just find some good back cover, clear out around your feet, get comfy, and be very very still and quiet.
-Success stories (kills or just good hunts/opportunities) from ground hunting
I first started hunting public from the ground because I was por. Couldnt afford the second "O". I got on a lot of deer, but got busted a lot. I got a hand climber. Then a saddle. Then this year went back to the ground and have killed something like 8 or 9 deer in public with a crossbow and muzzleloader. Less stress, more mobility, more lethality. Just a better experience.
-How much you ground hunt on purpose or by the situation when you find the sign.
I started ground hunting this year from my saddle and still carried my bolts in case I wanted to climb. Then I got a pacseat and just carried the saddle in my backpack. Now, I'm kinda at the point where if a deer needs to be hunted from a tree, I'd honestly be tempted to keep walking and find one I can kill from the ground.