Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: chesapeakeblend on July 19, 2011, 02:39:00 PM
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Alright guys I have to ask this - have any of you sold your climbers or other stands to force you to hunt from the ground? I hunted half of last season from the ground but found myself wanting to pull my climber out. I kept finding myself in areas where I could not conceal myself and kept getting busted. These eastern deer are tough from the ground!
I was unsuccessful from the ground and the climber was always in the back of my mind (and truck). Being someone that lacks discipline, I thought if I got rid of the stand I would be forced to hunt from the ground.
Anyone else do this? Did you end up going back to stands?
Mike
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Agreed eastern deer are difficult off the ground but once you use a few key aspects of ground hunting it becomes alot easier. You just need to get it out of your mind...same for guys switching from wheeles to traditional. Just say you are going to do it and do it! :)
Once you start having hunts where you get close and get on them you will forget about the stand and want to close the deal.
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Hunt the way that you enjoy the most. I kill a deer sometimes from the ground but it is tuff. From a stand I fair better and don`t feel bad about doing it. The Ground deer always seem to mean the most but the ones from the tree taste just as good.RC
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What RC said..
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I hunted from the ground exclusively for 4 years and got CLOSE soooo many times. Actually, I had 3 deer in 4 years on the ground where I just screwed up the shot, but I was able to shoot. In the end, I always wound up getting busted, buck fever or something small would screw it up.
Last year I returned to the trees and the only reason I didn't get a deer was poor shooting on my part. Should have had 3 different deer cleanly in just one season on public land. :banghead:
It is your call. I never sold my stand, but was able to put it away for 4 years. I have decided it is time to get a few under my belt, so to speak, and stay in the trees again this year. That is my personal choice. You have to decide what is more important to you.
You can put the tree stands away and stay with it! Make sure you build a number of good ground blinds well in advance of the season though. And not just one blind per location. You have to plan on the wind and put multiple blinds in an area to give you an advantage. You need it when hunting on the ground. Don't be afraid to "ghillie up" either.
Just a few observations on my part.
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I won't sit in one spot long enough when I'm on the ground. I get to sitting there and thinking about another spot that would probably be a little better and off I go. Too much trouble to climb down from a tree and move...most of the times.
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I usually can't react fast enough on the ground.
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I don't use a climber, I use a hang-on with strap-on steps. I have been rushed trying to get to my spot and forgotten my steps, several times. I hunted from my hang-on set at 2 feet off the ground. I have killed a couple of deer that way. I like to get in or in front of holly trees when possible.
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I have killed most of my deer from the ground but I love my Lone Wolf climber and a few years ago I got a Tree Saddle and I really enjoy that. For this year I just picked up a new Double Bull Crusher Recurve model.
Point is all are tools and depending on the area I am hunting I will use what ever tool works best Sure shooting a big Buck at eye level is a rush but I ll take a big buck froma tree any day
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I took 4 does from the ground one year. I used a piece of camo clothe held up by clothes pins. For some reason I stopped doing that.
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The hardest part of hunting on the ground for ME is to not move. The treestand help me from doing that.
That said, the biggest deer I have taken so far was one I took from the ground.
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One side of me likes the romance of grounding hunting with longbow in hand. The other side of me likes a comfortable seat and full freezer. Years that I fill the freezer early I spend my time getting better on the ground.
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Interesting thoughts. This wasn't meant to be a one better than the other question, just more about discipline enough to follow through with the ground hunting and then do you get to a point where you just don't want to even be bothered with the stand anymore.
I really enjoy the freedom of roaming through the woods that's for sure though!
mike
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If the area you bowhunt dictates a tree stand is more effective due to lack of ground cover, than hunt from the trees. Your out there to kill a deer and fill the freezer.
Trees are not for me but the areas I bowhunt allow me to successfully take deer from the ground. Besides....I'm afraid of heights and love still hunting during those rainy days or easing through areas in snow camo when the white powder is on the ground.
Put the odds in your favor at every opportunity. Take to the trees and don't look back.
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Originally posted by joe skipp:
If the area you bowhunt dictates a tree stand is more effective due to lack of ground cover, than hunt from the trees. Your out there to kill a deer and fill the freezer.
Trees are not for me but the areas I bowhunt allow me to successfully take deer from the ground. Besides....I'm afraid of heights and love still hunting during those rainy days or easing through areas in snow camo when the white powder is on the ground.
Put the odds in your favor at every opportunity. Take to the trees and don't look back.
:thumbsup:
One option is you could give them to a friend or relative to "borrow."
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I hunt about 50/50 ground and tree stand. As a kid my dad fell out of a tree installing tree steps messed a disk up in his back. After that he would not allow me to climb a tree to hunt. Being a kid I still climbed a few trees with low branches when he wasn't looking ;) , but killed 95% of my deer from the ground using a short bear recurve shooting of my knees. I used alot of natural cover to build day blinds and such there wasn't as many deer back then around these parts.
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I use a climber exclusively on public land and will hunt from the ground too when the situation arises.
My motto is:
For the kill, hunt from a tree. For the thrill, hunt from the ground.
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I wouldn't cut off my options by selling a tree stand. It may come in handy if you have an opportunity to hunt an area where you need one, like Dorchester County.If you hunt from the ground there you'll by up to your knees in water.
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To sum up my earlier post... I think you will stay on the ground if you have made up your mind to do it. It really doesn't matter if that tree stand is sitting in the garage or basement. If your mind is set, go after it and be committed.
Like I said earlier. I did it for 4 years and, if not for my own stupidity, should have put 3 deer on the ground in that time.
Just do it and don't worry that the stand is there. Forget it and do your own thing!
Shoot straight >>>>----->