Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Sean B on October 30, 2010, 12:32:00 PM
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Well, I headed out this morning to my favorite spot, when I started to set up my climber. I realized that I didn't have my bow rope! there was no way that I was going to leave. I had given some thought about sitting that spot on the ground, because the red oak that I hunt out of has a large boulder next to it, and a dead tree trunk on the ground in between.
Well, I sat with my back against the oak, and the boulder as a kind of blind. I kicked out the leaves and sticks from under feet to quiet things down abit. Well at about 7 am, just as it was getting light out, I can see a buck out about 35 yards and heading straight for me.
Now he ended up out of my view on the other side of the boulder, so I'm expecting him to pop out at about 15 yrds on my left, so I positioned my self accordingly. Well....I guess he didn't read the play book. he walks right to the boulder, and breaks to my right. I'm looking right at him. Theres no way that I can move with out him seeing me. He's now at about 10 feet!he could sense that there was something not quite right, he takes another 2 steps, now hes broad side at about 7 or 8 feet!! I can see the pores on is nose as he lifts his head checking the air. He either finally scented me, saw me, or heard my heart pounding, but he took off like a shot! He was a real good 8, about an inch or so out side his ears and high.
I also saw a 4 a spike and a doe, but neither offered a shot. I've seen a lot of bucks so far.
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Be careful. You might just get hooked on that kind of adrenaline rush.
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For me ground hunting works kind of like my fishing goes...lol
As sure as I get distracted by something or I'm trying to adjust something and my focus isn't where it should be..... that's when stuff happens.
Yesterday morning I had a few small sprouts that kept interfering with the picking up of my bow so I got out the nippers and cut them off. I was leaning over to do this and when I straightened up I can't say who jumped the most...lol me or the does that was literally just steps away from the front of my folding ground blind.
She ran back to the top of the ridge about 30 yds away and turned around as if to say.."Did I really see something move?"..lol She was kind of a case of nerves but wasn't bounding off. In fact she started back toward me but was stopped by another deer coming onto the ridge to my west. It was a buck coming our direction. She decided the best thing to do was go back the way she came in. Mean while the buck is headed toward me and this time I am ready.. Dang our 4 pt rule..lol He's not a legal deer.
I know I don't need a heart check as I had just had one!
God bless,Mudd
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Now THAT's what makes "ground pounding" so addicting!!!!!
I don't like hunting out of trees,anything higher than a Bar Stool I get a nosebleed.....
(But that's a whole nother story)
Anyone who says that they can't get close to deer without being in a tree,just hasen't been on the ground ENOUGH!!! Sure,you'll get fewer shot opportunitys,but there's something about being "eyeball to eyeball" with a big buck at "spitting distance" thatREALLY gets the blood pumping!!!!!
WAY TO GO Sean!!!!! Sounds like a GREAT hunt!!!!!
(Good Luck Sean,Keep after them!!! Waiting for pictures!!!!!) :pray:
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I love it on the ground in the woods.... :knothead:
But really..it's much more intimate.. :rolleyes:
I mean fun...darnit..you know what I mean..lol
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I have shot a Fair # from the ground, and love to stalk in heavy wind in the corn and fields. I have a rough time though in high deer concentration areas because they end up too close or down wind. So I end up in trees much of the time
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I guess my biggest problem was the way I was set up. I was too close to that boulder, making it difficult to move when I had to. I did take my GN quiver off to make it easier to maneuver my bow. I just keep thinking about that buck.....what if.....???
Hey chuck, when I take a camera with me, and I learn how to post them, I'll put some pictures up.
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Never get that feeling sitting in a tree. Something you will always remember - Congrats
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great story. I had an elk that close this Sept. He came crashing out of the woods and stopped 10 up hill from me. I was looking up his nose... Very exciting.....
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Sounds like a great time in the woods!
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Thats awesome sean. I saw a spike and 2 does today. None were close enough and the wind shifetd which killed me.
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If you can make it work for you on the ground your tree stands will become cellar queens.
Good Hunting,
Craig
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My bet is he heard your heart pounding, man that was close! Great story!
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Awesome, This is one hunt you will always remember.
I have done almost all of my hunting from the ground. Had a climber go out from under me in the 80's that scared me out of my mind. I don't get near as many deer but have so many more intense and exciting hunts. I have had many strange close encounters that are extremely hard for me to talk about cause I think people would just not believe me.
Very happy for you to have this close up experience. Hope you have many more.
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For me climbing up a tree is like going backwards in evolution. We came out of trees and walked on our hind legs:). Stalking a deer on the ground is one on my bucket list.
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That's real exciting, Sean. I was fortunate to have a similiar incident a few years ago. It was getting dark and I decided to give it one more go at a deer before we leave early next morning. I picked out a comfortable spot against a tree, had a arrow knocked and ready to go. I was just standing there against the tree in the open next to a small creek, but dressed in military cammies. It took only a few minutes when I heard sustling from stright in front of me. Then a dow and a little fawn come out to have a drink. I didn't move a muscle, even kept my head lowered so they wouldn't see my eyes. I could barely see them under the rim of soft hat. I got so mezmerized I didn't even take a shot. Just watched and enjoyed nature's beauty. It was worth it to go home empty on that trip.
“All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope.”
Winston S Churchill
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I hit the ground exclusively 3 years ago. I'll never climb a tree or ladder again.
The first year, failure after failure. Not enough cover around, especially background cover.
The 2nd year, killed a buck and a doe.
So far this year, one buck killed, headed out tomorrow and saturday.
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Great story!!! :campfire:
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This is a great experience,we are becoming too used to the tree stands,sometimes we need to savor that thrill.
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That's why I'll be in my pop-up this weekend... :D
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Great story, thanks for sharing! I got a big smile out of it!
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It's both feet on the ground for me or nothing. Well, deer hunting that is. A tree stand is a good idea for bear over bait.
Cool story, thanks...
... mike ...
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Its tough being on the ground.Very hard to kill a deer.If your in a blind thats a lil easier as they can't see you at all.When your stalking and still hunting you have to move as lil as possible.That mosquito thats biting your face will just have a free meal when theres a deer in sight because you can't move.I've had a ton of close calls this year so far.It is awsome but theirs a good chance you'll go hungry.It makes you appreciate the meat you already have in the freezer.
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Thrill seeker, you probably didn't get enough and will be back at it, as soon as you can. Until then, it will play over and over in your mind. You know you need to give that spot a rest before returning. Good luck.
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Yeah, tell me about it!! Look what I did this afternoon.
(http://i509.photobucket.com/albums/s331/selfbow19953/2010%20Buck/2010Deer1.jpg)
I was hunting next to a bedding area with no trees over 12 feet, so I set up on the ground. About 3:30 I heard someone beating up on a tree. Grunted a couple of times, and a minute or so later heard footsteps. This guy came out and finally gave me a shot at 10 yards. Amazingly, I connected, high double lung. The adrenaline was flowing rather nicely. I can't believe I didn't pull that 29" arrow 36"! What a rush!!!
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Nice Phil!!!!! :thumbsup:
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Nice buck. Thanks for all the replys. I hit the ground again today, but nothing seemed to be moving in the area. It was the first morning that I haven't had a shot opportunity. we've been having gale force winds in the NE the last few days.
I set up in the same spot. after I left a made a few modifications with taking pieces of fallen limbs from red oaks that still have their leaves on them for a bit more cover.This area that I'm hunting is very open hard woods with lots of "bunches" and "saddles".
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Ground hunting or stand hunting...marines or airforce
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Achilles-good analogy. I still like the tree stand because I can see a whole lot better from it, but I'm pretty comfortable on the ground too.
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My first trad hunt was on the ground last 12/27. I'll never forget being that close, or missing from that close either.
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It is darned hard to hunt from the ground. I mostly don't try anymore. But the few times it does happened are remembered for years. It can be down right scary when you have the doe in heat scent right there in front of you and you just put the rattling horns down. Proves that you don't have to "make meat" to make a memory.
Way to go, keep us informed.
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Well the air force modow is "Work smarter not harder"...What is the marines?
I'm more a jarhead for sure.Have any of you smelled the stinch of a buck urinating right in front of you?I had that happen last week but still didn't have a shot.
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My biggest elk was five feet from me at one point- thank goodness for western steady winds! Shot him as he turned to walk away! Great feeling to be that close
That's how we hunt hogs- spot and stalk up close and personal so you can see their whiskers!!!!!!
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I've been hunting on the ground exclusively this season, partly because I haven't had the time to get some elevated shooting in & I wanted to get back to my roots or rather beginnings.
A few weeks ago I hunted the club & every day I saw deer, Saturday sitting in my honey hole I had a 6 & a 4 pointer come in from the field, I positioned my self & drew my Zona back leveling on the 6's spot when they both stopped at 10 yards but wouldn't ya know it there was a sapling between me & him.
now all this time while at full draw fighting to stay calm with my heart running out of my chest I'm saying "one more step just one more."
Well as fate would have it they both turned inline with those saplings "as though they knew I didn't have a shot" & walked off into the woods.
I let my bow down & recovered from this HIGH I was on & thanked God for showing me the better things in life, man I can't wait for the next time.
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I'm just to cheap to buy treestands :readit:
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Doing it on the ground has been tuff this year!! Looking out my window as I type this, the willow branches are doing figure 8's in the wind. Try to make that one work for you.
Keeping clean and using some of the scent free sprays will help at times. Bottom line is if they get a blast of "human" you probably won't ever know they were there.
Every now and then it all falls in place, and when you get the chance to kill a buck like the one posted on this thread,you will never forget it.
Be persistent,patient,it will happen.
Good Hunting,
Craig
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Wait til they come lick the fletching on the arrows in the quiver laying at your feet!
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Had a similar thing happen to me a couple years ago. I was in a spot with a boulder uphill and a big oak below with me inbetween. Usually the deer come straight down and the boulder acts as a screen but I had a nice buck pop out of a blackberry patch almost 15' beside me. Without a backdrop he spotted me right off and did a stare-down for a few seconds and then ran off. I later killed a small button buck I thought was a doe from that same stand at 10'.