after pm's and emails from many ground hunters i put together a few good ground blinds. many thanks to Joe Skipp as his pictures helped tremendously and man does he know what hes doing.
The first blind is in a heavy, thick brush area where the deer are using a trail every night to get to a field. i found a big blow down and the trail wraps right around it setting me up for a 3-10 yard shot. a couple days ago i could hear a deer coming. a doe was running mock 3 and blew right by me at 3 yards! if she would have just stopped! i sit on a small folding seat but did not bring it today.
The next blind i got the idea from Joe Skip as he had sent me pic's of a similar set up. i looked around untill i found one just about like the picture he sent we. 2 downed trees forming a V. i can sit on the the back one and have a great view of 2 trails coming to the thick stuff. also have a small window behind me. i can shoot sitting down or i could quickly goe to a kneeling postion if i see or hear one coming. Joe had explained how he slips of his seat to get a shot and i really like the idea. without his pictures i would not have thought of a blind like this. it happens to be on 2 great trails leading through some pines going to a big field. Thanks again Joe!! the first 2 pic's are what Joe was kind enough to send me.
here is what i cam up with.
any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! tell me what ya think.
also would like to thank Adirondackman for all the help he has givin me. John is a very acomplished ground hunter, thanks man!
gloves and facemask bud. You can get away without in in a tree but they will bust you fast on the ground. Take that same picture and do it in a gray scale (B&W) and you'll see what I mean.
Nice pics, just a thought Ihave found it very valuable to have something in front of me that blocks some of my movement. Good luck
Bill
i do wear gloves just didn't bring them today as i was scouting and walking a lot and its hot as a mother! i just can not get use to a face mask, i do use the burnt cork now and then.
Nice bow you are shooing, Ken!
First blind looks a bit thin to me
F-Manny
Just make sure you have cover between you and deer on their approach. Leave your self a shot as they pass or after they pass. My 2 cents.
Manny,
i should have tamen a better pic of the first blind to the extreme right of it. the tral bends arond that blind exactly where you see tree leaning. the deer will be about 5 yards right there and there is no way they can see me untill then. i can see movement through the brush but that is it. the open spot in front of my is where there is an old apple tree. i will have my shot before they get to this open space, i agree i do look a bit open but it is to late by the time they get to that area. i am off the trail and set back in a few yards, i'll try to get better pic's next time.
Jerry,
yeah beat me to it as i was writting. that is exactly how i am set up, thank you.
Good luck Ken. You have been doing the work, now ya need a pay day.
Ken, I had a lot of blown down Oaks that landed within six yards of some good trails but bad thing is working with the wind...Also if you haven't had a lot of rain in your area keep a good watch on the backside of the root ball of the blow downs because deer will find water where the tree left a hole when it fell over...I see a lot of trails and tracks leading to them and sometimes a tirsty ,Rutty old buck might want to stop in for a cold one...God Bless and hope you score...Keefers <")))><
I'd brush up the fronts of both blinds to cover your movement. You are very visable to the camera, so you will be very visible to the deer.
Try leaving only a windowlike openning to shoot through. I've never had too much cover, but have had not enough plenty of times.
Good looking spots.
Mike
Make some meat Ken! I can't wait!
Ken,good luck!
There is nothing like releasing an arrow from the ground!
Kenny,
Here's B&W and Sephia pics of you.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/elroy42/blinds002.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/elroy42/trailsit.jpg)
I like to brush up my ground blinds as much as possible leaving only a small opening(s) to shoot through. Actually, larger branches will work even better to break up your outline. Don't be afraid to really pile it on. The big trunks on the second blind will give you a good base to start adding branches/cover. Many of my blinds look like they are a big brush pile, but I'll tell you what...deer don't care and you can get away with quite a bit more movement. Happy hunting Ken!
i see what i can do about getting them a little more brushy. thanks for the advice. i will work on them Sunday aftrenoon. also have a great spot to build another one. many thanks to all who shared their ideas, i do listen and apply!
nice lookn blinds there ken. i especially like that first one, its rounded which is always a plus i find. deer tend to move away from angulare shapes. i learned that one the hard way lol. i like em!
room for two pal? hehe
-cry
My advice is stop spreading your scent around taking pictures and kill some deer! Shawn
Shawn my man, the only thing i like better then hunting is just plain old being in the woods. believe it or not there is a nice 6 point that i'm not going to shoot as i'm having to much fun playing games with him. i'll get a deer this year not to worried about it. if it was not for the fact that i LOVE venison i would only shoot them with a camera. i'll live vicariously through all the ones you kill but ya got to start taking pictures man!
lots of good advice in these tidbits. I especially agree with the idea of more brush etc. to conceal movement and with the need to use camo gloves and face cover. I no longer can remain still for very long without some sort of seat. It's tougher, but hunting from the ground is just plain fun. Have you ever had a bird land on you or how about a snake coming to check things out?
i have had a few birds land on me in a tree stand, just started hunting from the ground.
OK 20 minutes and I still do not have the pics up. I love living in the boonies until I am on the internet.
Forget the facemask and just grow the beard back out! All men should have beards in the winter.
Had an old gentleman tell me this trick long time ago works too. Get some camo or netting. Have some thumb tacks. Tack up the netting on a tree and have it taper down on both sides like a triangle. Now sit about Bow length away as drawing. If a deer pass's one way or the other can wait for them to pass and get a great shot. ensure you are not skylined and have little brush in front too.
Look decent, the thing about the ground that i like is the fact that if the wind changes...well then, so do I. I would say to try and stay out of the direct sunlight as movement will show more, and cover the head and hands, as you see Joe doing. And like some have said the more cover the better, but not a must, all in all, i think that you are on the right track. One thing is for sure, you will know it works or doesnt when you have your chance. Good luck.
P.
TTT
Good Luck Ken!
You gotta get out behind the house.
You need more cover in front of you....you stick out like a sore thumb!!
Naw Ron He has to stop taking pictures and kill more deer :readit: ;) ;)
Those look like good starts. I'd cut some pine boughs and stick them in the ground in front and behind. On all sides of you wouldn't be a bad idea. Make yourself a little fort. They'll mask your scent, too.
I just realized this topic was started 3 years ago. So, Ken, how did it turn out?
I'm just say'n that both deer in the area would spot him!
lol this is a blast from the past. auctually in the secound set up with the 2 down trees i had a doe jump right across them!!!!! no shot though! been a hard year here hunting North, saw 4 does so far, hunted ONE day South and saw 2 does...
Instead of the face mask i take the time to camo my face with paint. I also found at the local sporting good store gloves that have a mesh back so they work well for me in warm weather.
Good move getting ground hunting advice from Joe. He's good people! There have been times when I pick Joe's mind about hunting. Another good guy I know who is a good ground hunter is Jerry Jeffer.
It was posted already about a face mask and gloves. I usually use burned cork on my face and a pair of cheap brown cloth gloves you find in any 7-11 store.
Seems you are on the right track.
Ken...thanks for the compliments. What I fail to show in any of the pics I sent and you posted is what's in front of me.
ALL my natural "ambush" locations have some cover at least 6-10 yds in front. Whether it's mtn lauel, other limbs down etc. I always make sure my outline is never visible and my "blinds" are always 20-25 yds away from any major runs. I also look to take quartering away shots but on occasion do get that perfect broadside shot.
I used face camo for years but found the headnet gives me total camouflage and breaks up the face outline and decreases any "shine" our faces show. In certain areas, I really like the Rancho Safari Ghille 3D headnet, like Terry uses. This works extremely well.
Ken I have been hunting from the ground the last few times out, I have come so close to getting shots. I had a nice 2.5 year old buck at 15 yards today but he was quartering towards me so I passed the shot. Natural blinds but I like to bring a seat to rest my bones on.
I have been mostly a tree guy but am thinking about getting a seat and ghillie suit. I think you can see a whole lot better at ground level, as long as you can mask your own movement.
What happened to all the pics?
Cant get enough of the ground hunting. I havent had any success...yet! Cant hardly get myself to climb a tree anymore. Joe Skipp my friend, if we lived a little closer together I would hire you as my mentor. Learned alot from reading your post. All you guys are a huge help. Best of luck to all of you!
Good hunting, Jason
Never had so much fun getting busted, I was doing some spot and stalk when I see a huge buck laying down through the bino's at about 70yds, had at least 5 on one side. So I start the stalk and get to about 35, but still no shot, now I know if I go any further he stands a real good chance of busting me because the woods open up where I have to go and he'll be able to silhouette me against the opened area, and that is exactly what happened, but boy was he pissed, he knew he had almost been had.
I was wearing Predator jacket and skyline camoed pants and head net, playing the wind.
Nothing better than hunting from the ground.
Good luck Kenny.
maybe the pic's were to big i guess? my photobucket is set up for the required size, not sure.
Seen one small 4 pt, he passed by at roughly 25 yds around 3:30. 4pm I had a doe with 2 yearlings sneak in and bed down maybe 35 yds. They stayed there until 5:45 then moved off...then I sneaked out.
Eased past a scrape, dressed up a few branches with James Valley, then peed in the scrape. See what tomorrow brings. Should be around 20 degrees in the morning. With the dry leaves, the bushy tails drove me nuts tonite. They were all over the place!
Seen one small buck chasing a doe. The doe popped out in the field I was setting on the edge of about 15 yards, but no shot. Right before last light saw a nice ten point about 35 yards through the brush. Lots of chasing and grunting. Overall exciting nite! Looking forward to the rest of the season.
Good hunting, Jason
I saw the pics earlier, Ken. Back cover is pretty good, but I like more in front. Fill it in heavy down low to keep leg and hand movement covered, a big help when positioning for a shot. Get something for your hands and face and darkening your bow a bit will help a bunch. It definitely is more exciting on the ground. Good Luck!