Tell me about your ground hunting

Slickhead · February 17, 2015, 03:21:00 PM

Im pretty much done with stands.
I think from now on till my "end of time" is going to be ground only for when I hunt deer.

Do you guys prefer natural homemade, or store bought?
I have a spot where I the ability to put a commercial blind and it "probably" not be stolen.

But I also have a lot of branches, dead fall, etc that I can use to construct a nice blind with some work.

Also for those that make em all natural, do you brush em heavy or leave them more open?
Im wondering if the big "blob" is more noticable than an open branch/limb design.

After wrestling stands and hanging on the side of trees setting them, I just want a relaxing hunt.
I do like the view from a stand, but I get more of a rush at ground level.

Wannabe1 · February 17, 2015, 03:27:00 PM

8yrs and it's been unsuccessful kill wise that is! Going to give a tree stand a try this year but, do see lots of game on the ground. I don't hunt from a blind either. It's mostly spot and stalk and sometimes a tree seat.

mangonboat · February 17, 2015, 03:48:00 PM

My first choice is a double or triple trunked tree slightly uphill and downwind of the trail I'm hunting, I set up in front of the trees, lean back against the biggest trunk on my stool, keep the ground in front of me clear so I can slide forward onto my knees. Sometimes I'll add some limbs behind me to break up profile, but usually not. In my experience deer, especially old does. look at an established ground blind every time they get in the area and they keep looking at it now and then, yet they will eventually ignore those houses that rifle hunters build.

Doug_K · February 17, 2015, 03:54:00 PM

I use a popup occasionally, usually for turkeys. One thing to keep in mind is limb clearance with 60-70" bows usually isn't all that great in most popups.

This past season I hunted from brush blinds 75% of the time, while I didn't get a shot on a buck I wanted, I had opportunities many times within 10 yards.

I look for some kind of back drop, tree trunk, hill, brush pile, berry patch, ect. and work off that. A few branches leaned up with some good drab camo, and you're golden.

Watch your wind, plan your draw, and you wont need much cover.

mcgroundstalker · February 17, 2015, 04:21:00 PM

I just love being on the ground... My fear of heights has nothing to do with this... :rolleyes: ... Carry a good set of pruners... That's all I need...

...

... mike ...

njloco · February 17, 2015, 04:26:00 PM

Spot and stalk here, though I do carry a treestand with me, I prefer to spot them with binoculars then stalk them or let them move in towards me, it's very challenging. I've almost gotten myself trampled a couple of times. It's the bucks that are a big challenge, they always seem to be on their guard but it can be done. I wear 3D leafy tops and camo bottoms, and some kind of head net.

Good luck

Bwhntr247 · February 17, 2015, 04:37:00 PM

I have hunted off the ground off and on for as long as I have been hunting, although all of my success has been with a compound I'm looking to change that this year. I'm not a big fan of pop-ups for deer, missed a slammer cause my arrow hit the bottom of the window, long story. I like to find natural blinds and enhance them, one of my favorites are trees that have been uprooted. Use the hole and brush it in an the root ball as back drop. Also can use blowdowns them self. Plenty of those around after the last couple hurricanes here in NY.

bentpole · February 17, 2015, 04:42:00 PM

Plenty of talented Ground Pounders here. Hec in my group of hunting Buds alone There's Jerry Jeffer, Vaughn deadsimple, Mikey bamboo, Scott southpaw, and Joe Skipp! All have confirmed kills. Hopefully they will chime in.

Ulysseys · February 17, 2015, 05:47:00 PM

A ghillie jacket totally changed my ground game....I got one from cabelas called the bowhunters jacket or something as a gift and got laughed at when I took it out but now I won't hunt without it...I try to find a small cluster of leafy trees I can sit under then cut some surrounding leafy branches and place them around me...I consistently get closer to deer this way then when I hunted without the jacket...I hunt mostly heavily pressured public land too...I spread the branches when I leave so my spot is unnoticed and set them back up if I hunt it again.

timbermoose · February 17, 2015, 06:07:00 PM

My hunting is from ground only. Stalking and still hunting. Asbell wool jacket an wool pants. Mostly just use deadfalls, large trunks, anything to diffuse my outline. Added only one thing to be successfull, face paint. Was getting busted all the time, tried the ol' face paint, bam! No more getting busted. Only nerves get the better of me, mostly while bear hunting. Seem to shoot right over them 4/5 times.

hardtimes · February 17, 2015, 08:23:00 PM

I have hunted the last eight years form the ground. I have a couple of "cleaned up" spots on the public lands I hunt. One of my favorite spots is a nice and thick base of a cedar tree that works year in and year out. My other go to spot is a nice thick blow down that has worked great for the past two years. I much prefer natural blinds. Now even though I prefer natural I have killed deer from a pop-up blind that I popped up not 30 minutes before the shot.

I will also second that leafy jacket or ghillie jacket. They work great.

Hardest part of hunting from the ground for me is not to make eye contact. If they see your eyes its over.

ron w · February 17, 2015, 10:46:00 PM

Shaggie long coat on the ground......really neat. When you can count the whiskers you know your close. Bad part then is they are to close to shoot,

But it is exciting.

Msbow · February 17, 2015, 10:48:00 PM

Slickhead are you hunting on private or public land? Or both?

LKH · February 17, 2015, 11:07:00 PM

Get military booney hat w/elastic loops around the headband. Put 2-3 small pieces of the local brush into the loops. Don't get carried away. It seems to break your predator dome head shape up. Then when you get caught peeking, DON'T DUCK BACK DOWN. Yeah, I was yelling.

When they catch that bit of movement, they often aren't sure and look at you. When you duck, you do nothing more than confirm their suspicions and they depart.

February 17, 2015, 11:30:00 PM

I mostly hunt private property where I can set up permanent stands. I like homemade blinds made out of cattle panels covered with plastic grass carpet. Never have an issue of not enough room for my bow out of my homemade blinds.

As for natural brush blinds, back cover is just as important as front cover!

Bisch

Slickhead · February 18, 2015, 07:52:00 AM

"Slickhead are you hunting on private or public land? Or both?"

public

I have 40 acres behind my house that has very limit access.
You either have to go thru my yard to get to it or from the side.
Other than gun season never found evidence of anyone on it.
Its not the greatest place (deep ravine with a creek runing thru it.
But on the other side of the 40 acres a guy has 80 with a cabin, food plots and feeders. So during the rut some of his deer roam my side.
Its not the greatest but its easy access for me. Walk 140 yds and Im in:)
Want to do some improvement to it, plant some seed.

TooManyHobbies · February 18, 2015, 08:34:00 AM

This past season was the first time using a homemade ghillie suit and BigJim's tree seat. I need to perfect my choice of spot, but WOW, I couldn't believe how close deer, turkey and coyote got to me. (No, I didn't kill any, but that wasn't the point)

Jerry Jeffer · February 18, 2015, 09:36:00 AM

First of all, welcome back to Earth. Gave up on tree stands over 20 years ago. I started using a seat similar to what was shown in the earlier photo. Being able to move around easily gives you more flexability. As long as you sit low, you don't need a lot around you. There are some older threads on here with tons of natural ground blind pics. This is basically how I do it.

Also, If you see a deer off a ways, and you think you can stalk it, it is easier to make a move this way instead of climbing out of a pop up.

Zradix · February 18, 2015, 09:59:00 AM

I don't like the physical or visual confinement of a pop up.
I'll use one on a very rainy occasion..but that's about it.

I find it most important to have good high cover behind you.
Try to wear clothing that'll sort blend in with the cover behind you.
( doesn't do much good to wear a black suit and sit in front of a big sand pile etc.)

Being surrounded by cover is even better of course.

I use what ever is around to make a blind. Sticks, leaves, deadfalls...whatever is there.

JDow3 · February 18, 2015, 10:18:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by timbermoose:
My hunting is from ground only. Stalking and still hunting. Asbell wool jacket an wool pants. Mostly just use deadfalls, large trunks, anything to diffuse my outline. Added only one thing to be successfull, face paint. Was getting busted all the time, tried the ol' face paint, bam! No more getting busted. Only nerves get the better of me, mostly while bear hunting. Seem to shoot right over them 4/5 times.

Do you carry a firearm while bear hunting from the ground? If not my hats off to a brother. You're a braver man than I!