The Official Ground Hunting Thread

[NMSbowhunter]

Any good way to attach a water bladder without using another pack? Want to run a fanny pack only with this when I get it, but I’m a heavy water drinker and don’t like carrying bottles. My current packs that hold the bladder are oversized for ground hunts.

Not sure. Depending on how thick they are full you might be able to sandwich one between the chair back. Maybe use something like one of those camel backs with the straw?

 

[TradBowGuy]

I found this spot when I was heading out from a morning hunt. It was too good to pass up. The wind was wrong to continue hunting from there, as it was from the north & this spot needs a south wind. But I took some time to set the Pacseat & do a little trimming so it'll be ready when I come back on a south wind day.

 

[Wirrex]

I have been ground hunting with my oldest (11) all week. He told me this morning he wants a packseat like mine lol.

I have him set up with the pack seat and crossed trekking poles for a gun rest. I’m using a tripod type chair leaned into the same tree as him. It’s really a sweet setup and a lot more exciting than the enclosed blinds we have hunted from in the passed.

 

[Weldabeast]

 

[Blacksmith]

View attachment 95693

Not throwing mud here... Just curious why you use a biner on your tether rather than just a girth hitch on the tree.. and why are you up at 0430

 

[Weldabeast]

My tether is also my rappel rope. I used a quiklink for a while but I ok with the risk involved with a biner
I was pooping before leaving to go hunt at 430

 

[Phopkins]

Set up and ready in Illinois

 

[MIPublic]

Ground hunting is a blast but I miss getting to see longer distances.

Obviously it’s all situational, but I think I get more distracted ground hunting due to not being able to see as far.

 

[Boomah21]

Any good way to attach a water bladder without using another pack? Want to run a fanny pack only with this when I get it, but I’m a heavy water drinker and don’t like carrying bottles. My current packs that hold the bladder are oversized for ground hunts.

My preferred way to carry water with the pac seat is like this tho


Don’t feel it at all when on your back and doesn’t slide out

 

[woodsdog2]

I cut my hunting teeth sitting on stumps, on a log or large branch in a blowdown and later bringing in old lawn chairs etc. We always used to have a cushion with your belt through a loop in it so you always have a dry and more comfortable seat. Kinda like turkey hunting. My only other tip I add to all the other excellent ones already provided is: like turkey hunting, always try to set up so that you have a tree or three or other similar blocking cover close to the expected travel path of the deer to have a place to block his head to allow you to come to full draw or raise your Xbow or firearms before the shot opportunity presents itself! I sit still and side eye as much as possible and try to only move when the eyes are blocked behind the blocking cover. I’ve learned over the years the sighting angles are paramount. Hence my stressing the need to position yourself far enough back with cover close to the animal not close to you. Too close and your’re basically boxing yourself out!

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Great advice. I will add that just like in a tree, you have to learn when to move. This comes from experience so getting busted is all part of it and if you are new to hunting don't worry too much about it. You're paying your dues, so to speak. I'm still paying my "ground dues". After a while you get where you can just read a deer's body language and know right away if it is jumpy or relaxed. Generally, wait until the deer's eyes are behind some form of cover to move and then make your move. Be decisive when you move. If you can't see their eyes, they can't see you and you can move fast.

Sometimes, like the other evening when I had that buck come in broadside at about 16 yards, I could just tell he was focused ahead, and he was relaxed. I didn't wait for him to move behind cover, there wasn't any. I just picked up the bow and drew in one motion and was on him. This seems to work more with bucks. Bucks seem to make up their minds that the situation is OK, and once they do, they commit. A big wary doe is usually much harder to kill within bow range than a buck. They never seem to be 100% sure anything is OK and are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I went out again today and walked until I found fresh sign. This time it was a pair of red oaks. The ground was torn up pretty good and there were fresh acorns and acorn caps under the trees. I sat from about 10:30 to dark and didn't see anything. About dark I heard a couple of squirrels cutting up about 400 yards south so that is where the action may have been. Still. it was a good day.

 

[tailgunner]

How to Hunt from the ground tips and tricks by Bow Ninja Hunting / Bow Ninja Hunting

 

[tailgunner]

How Not to hunt deer from the Ground bow ninja junior / Bow Ninja Hunting

 

[tailgunner]

Deer Kills Compound Bow from Ground - Bow Ninja Deer Hunting / Bow Ninja Hunting

 

[tailgunner]

Ultimate Deer Kills from the Ground Bow Ninja Deer Hunting / Bow Ninja Hunting

 

[tailgunner]

Now you know

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I had a really good hunt today. I went out about 10 AM with the intent to scout out a big area and try to find sign to set up on and hunt for the evening. I decided to take the Northern Mist Longbow with Douglas Fir arrows. This was planned to just be a fun day out hunting. No pressure. While I was getting my gear together at the truck another hunter pulls up and we get to talking. He is a young guy and really nice. He sees my longbow and Packseat and we get to talking. He hunts off the ground a lot too and I suspect he will be buying a Packseat pretty soon, lol.

While he and I are talking another truck pulls up and we introduce ourselves to the new guy. He is a really nice, friendly guy and we all talk for a while. It was really nice to meet some nice folks out on public land. I really helps to dispel that stereotype that everyone out there is just out for themselves.

After a while we conclude our roadside discussions and the young man leaves.

I decide to scout into the wind, which is out of the Northwest at about 10 to 15 miles per hour. That wind noise will help me slip around. I trek around for about an hour heading Northwest and end up soft bumping three does out of a fallen treetop. They don't blow, they just trot off to the East, Southeast. I quickly drop down and make some soft hen clucks and start raking some leaves. Hopefully they buy my turkey impersonation.

I let them get a little way off and then quickly and as quietly as possible scout the little area out. Nearby are three large white oaks and there is pretty good ground disturbance under them. I don't see any acorns or poops. Those deer were here for some reason. Best not to overthink it.

I quickly set up the Packseat and settle in behind the root ball of a long dead tree. I am up against a couple of saplings and feel a bit exposed, but it is what it is, This is around 2:20 PM. At 3:15 I catch a glimpse of a doe coming in from the North West about 70 yards out. She is heading parallel to me, and I am kicking myself because I can guarantee she will go through a little pinch I just found about 200 yards to my rear made of two upturned tree's root balls. I almost set up there.

So, about 4:30 I heard a squirrel in the leaves over my right shoulder, over the log. I slowly turn and see the grey body of the squirrel against a sapling. But strangely, the squirrel I am seeing quickly morphs into the foreleg of a lone doe at about 20 yards. I feeze. It is looking at me. I quickly break any eye contact and close one eye trying my best to blend into this little tree. After what seems like a week the deer goes back to doing whatever it was doing. There is no way to get a shot from this angle. None. So, I wait. To my delight the doe starts making her way forward and passes my vantage point behind the root ball of the tree. I slowly shift position a little to try and square up to where she will be and I bring the bow up. She pops out from behind the root ball and walks behind a white oak. I draw back.

At this point I realize she has stopped and only her head is poking out and she sees something. I am at full draw. I slowly start letting down a little. She starts moving ahead again and steps out. At this point she graciously turns her head away and I draw back and try and pick a spot. I release.

I see the white fletching of the arrow fly perfectly out and right in front of her chest. I mean I bet it shaved a few hairs. The elevation was perfect. She stood stock still until the arrow hit the ground behind her. A clean miss!

She then bounded off a few yards and I could tell she was nervous. She did not freak out though and wandered off behind a nearby clump of bushes. After about 10 minutes she started slowly making her way back but only got in to about 20 yards before two other does behind her bounded off, causing her to depart with them.

After dark I went over and found my arrow buried up in a rotten log. I managed to free the shaft in one piece but the Grizzly broadhead is still in the log. I marked it and I will come back later to retrieve it.

What a day! What a fun hunt! I'm always thankful for a clean miss if I can't get a direct hit.

PS, today was the first day trying out the new Kenai chest holster. I have to say I love it. I could hardly tell I was carrying a full size 10mm. Those hogs better be on their best behavior from now on.

 

[tailgunner]

A clean miss is still good fun.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I went out this morning and recreated the shot opportunity I took yesterday at the doe. I was facing the doe and had to twist at the waist and try to line my shoulders up for the shot. I think my left arm collapsed since I was at that angle. The first shot turned out to be just what happened with the real thing. I hit wide left of where I was trying to hit. Shot number two was perfect. Why didn't she stand around and let me try again, lol.

I'm just so glad I did not wound her. It was a great hunt though. I was shaking like a leaf once it was over.