Ground tactics for Whitetails

[Three Arrows]

Look a lot, move a little.  Today, I went to an area overgrown with multiflora rose and cleared paths through the thick stuff.  My father in law and I stood for minutes at a time and move about 50 yards or so in between.  We encountered 2 bucks and 3 does in an hour's time.  One doe actually went up to me and sniffed my smoking Thermacell!  The Thermacell did not spook the doe at all, rather it was my father in law's scent that sent her packing.  If you use a ground blind set up, use an inverted V shape with a tree as your backrest.  /o\\ like this.  Keep the blind only as high as your upper chest.  Give yourself room to hold out your bow.  I have downed the majority of my deer from the ground.  I prefer to hunt from a treestand simply for the view.  It is very difficult to hunt from the ground when you fidget as much as I do.  To combat this, I pick a zone and scan that zone for at least 15 minutes at a time then I scan another zone on the opposite side.  Ghillie suits are simply fantastic for ground hunting!  Use a ghillie suit and a log and you don't need a blind.  I was taking a deuce one time and a duck hunter walked back and forth trying to find the pile he thought he stepped in 10 yards from me.

[Three Arrows]

Sorry...TMI

[GingivitisKahn]

Three Arrows - rofl!  Talk about claiming a spot.  :-p

[huntingwolf]

I hunt the ground exclusively as I just don’t like tree stands nothing against anyone who does use them they are just not for me with that said I use ASAT camo Ghillie suits and have had deer almost walk on top of me I feel as you hunt this style you pick up on better ways of doing it as you go. And in one post I saw someone speak of hunting in corn now I believe in The DVD Hunting October Whitetails they demonstrate a technique for doing this with a bow maybe you would want to check this out also

[2madjacks]

Originally posted by One eye:
I stopped ground hunting in 1983 after being shot by another bowhunter who mistook me for a deer.  

Did anyone else hear this?  one eye, can you tell us more if you don't mind of course
(very interesting) maybe in a new thread or if you have already shared this story I would like to read it if anyone has the link available.

James

[whitebuffalo]

I have found deer hunting from the ground has been very effective on the state land around me. I can slip into an area, find a natural blow down and setup. No noise setting up a climber, I would not advise anyone to leave a stand in these woods as it would find a way out of the woods without you   :confused:   But have fun,, not all of your setups will work the first time and some will. Its very exciting, and a great way to explore a new area that may be a bit of a walk too. Couple things I make sure of for a good ground blind.

1. Wind direction, must be from the expected deer zone.
2. Cover, Must have a decent screen in front of you with a good "something" big behind you,, Rocks, Hill, Tree or trees, treetops. I've been successfull as using lumber piles that have been sitting in the woods,, Took a nice buck at 12 yards from it. It was there where I wanted to be so I moved a few logs so I could sit with  logs surrounding  my two sides and he walked up and I sent an arrow threw both lungs. So be creative is what I'm saying,,LOL,,
3. Sitting still is important too. As far as camo,,as long as your doing the above,,you can wear about anything,even blaze orange,,LOL,,
4. Shooting lanes,,,, a great way to setup your lanes is in a 12/15 yard "V" if your hunting very thick cover. Its exzactly what I do in cattails swamps. A lot of times I don't even trim lanes  because I don't want to change anything the deer are used to seeing or smelling. I hunt very preassured deer. Have fun and post some pics of your success from the ground,, and I don't mean putting a deer down,, how about some pics of your setups,,stories of the close encounters till the wind just slightly changed,ECT. Have fun bud,,JB

[maxfit]

Ghillie, or leafy suit. Dobt need anything else(except a video cam)What a blast. I have had deer within 3 feet of me, a red squirrel stop on my boot, and a 4 pt buck  make a scrape, next to me while looking at me! I am glad he didnt pee on me instead of his tarsals. If you want to try its effectiveness before the season put one on and stalk squirrels. You will be amazed how close you can walk up to them.

[Covey]

Ground hunting is the way to go, "for me that is" alot easier with a ten year old boy! Me and my son got out and made some good ground blinds from blowdowns on some well used trails! hope to see some doe's I'm not to concerned about seeing buck's right now, although they are welcome! just want to get him in some deer this year without worring about him falling out of a tree, been on the ground a couple of years now and love it!! Jason

[SlowBowke]

Some great info on both ground stands and moving. Ill second a vote towards what I feel important when Im in the woods.

Don Stokes has the major key listed from what I have found. Move slow. Slower than you have ever moved in your life. You MUST see the deer before it sees you or the game is up. You will spot a deer WHEN it moves, and vice versa. Aways look, move slow and infrequently.

Good camo is a huge help but Ive had deer close enough to swat with my bow with jeans and a flannel shirt on. My face is ALWAYS darkened and I feel really important so I can move my head looking (moving very slowly).

If in a ground stand, I dislike anything in front of me unless several feet out in front and less than waist high.

If planning on staying in a spot awhile or coming back, slowly scrape the leaves and twigs away from a larger area than you think you may have to move your feet to.

When first stopping in a spot, sitting on a log etc, I always double check what is above my head. A few times not doing so found me drawing on a deer with a single branch stopping me. Unlike a fixed stand where you do this before season, each time you stop it's a new ballgame.

Stay in the shadows as much as possible and try to stop with part of your body blocked by a tree or bush.

I like ground hunting. Every day is a new hunt, no boredom of stand sitting and I can move to inspect areas once a week or so checking sign as I hunt. Never know when slipping through the area when a new scrape or rub line will suddenly appear that wasnt there 3 days ago.

I love standing corn. Slipping along a thick fence, along a marsh or creek I can spend an entire day S L O W L Y slipping along and glassing the area I can see for several minutes before moving again.

Once a tail or ear flick catches your eye, you're in business and the fun begins.

It's hard for me to move slow enough and I get busted a few times annually before I get it pounded back into my head that what is slow the rest of the year is 10 times too fast hunting.

Good luck......you're gonna love it.

God bless

[swampdrummer]

Thanks folks, Lots of good info! I sat on the ground last night and got busted by a big old doe at about 4 yards. What a hoot! I'm still a bit perplexed as to what to do about swirling winds. I can sit based on the wind direction at the time I sit but it seems that, where I'm hunting I've got breezes swirling from all directions, all the time. I'm using scent killer and tinks as a cover/attractant and as far as I know, I haven't been busted due to scent, But the question remains, just how many deer are smelling me and slipping off unseen? Thats what has kept me in the trees but the fact is, I'm a better shot on the ground. And its a lot more fun, eye to eye! :-)