Ghilli Suit and buck

[MnFn]

I had it all planned out for an afternoon hunt last Monday.  Then things kind of fell apart. I questioned whether it was worth driving an hour and twenty minutes one way to hunt for a couple of hours but in the end decided  to try it.

I was in the woods by 3:00, on a stool adjacent to a nice trail that paralleled  the field edge, about twenty yards in.

About four o'clock I see movement behind an oak tree.  Almost immediately an average 4X4 comes around the tree, heading in my direction.

He is coming straight towards my right shoulder, so I would have to pivot 180 degrees in order to have a shot. When I first see him he is thirty feet away but he closed the distance to twenty feet showing no sign of concern.

Then he turns slightly North of me until he gets downwind of me. He jumps and trots a few feet behind me and stops, after thirty seconds I slowly start to turn but he picks up the movement and takes off.

Exciting for sure, but I'd hoped for a better outcome. I guess that is why I like treestands. But I am more interested in ghilli suits for the future. It was fun as I was pretty much out in the open from the direction he came.

Thanks for the tips BW.
Gary

[the rifleman]

Sounds like you had an exciting hunt.  My memories of the bucks that beat me are often more vivid than the ones on my wall.  They haunt you.  Sounds like you did a great many things correctly to be on the ground and have him that close.

[kevsuperg]

Nothing beats hunting from the ground.
 Every time I go out, the critters teach me something new.
 Keep at it.. happy blood trails  

[Possum Head]

That's why I do a tree stand too. Takes a real hunter to pull it off on the ground and I aint got  there yet

[ChuckC]

A ghillie suit ( i prefer the one by Rancho Safari with cloth swatches instead of strings) is, in my mind, the next secret awesome way to hunt deer.  I can hunt where no treestand hunter can and I can do it quickly and quietly.  Sure, there are some issues.  Figure them out and deal with them.  It really is a fun way and it is doable.

[MnFn]

Yes, I have the  Long Coat ghilli by Rancho Safari.

It was like he looked at me and couldn't see me. Kind of like The Harry Potter cloak of Invisibility.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

You will learn a lot about deer hunting them on their terms. Cool experience.

[SlowBowinMO]

Being on the ground with deer close is a whole new kind of rush!  Keep at it.

[The Whittler]

With the suit they can still  smell you and see you if you move. And remember that's why they call it hunting not shopping. Good luck at least your seeing them.

[DeerSpotter]

I remember one trad ganger told how he had a fox walk across his knees in a Gilly suit,  another one had a cow moose sniff his knee.

Some exciting stuff in a Gilly suit.  I have to one from big Jim, and another the burlap style ghilli by Rancho Safari . It's fun to use.

The more you use it the better get.  Deer are an amazing animal !


DS

[Texoma]

I use the ASAT 3d suit and have had close experiences,lots of fun.

I also use a bee smoker and smoke my clothing,deer still smell you but the smoke seems to weaken your smell to the point the deer settle back down and go back to their business.

[Jbseitz]

I use the asat and this morning had a squirrel looking me in the eye at about 18 inches, pretty cool on the ground!

[Jbseitz]

I use the asat and this morning had a squirrel looking me in the eye at about 18 inches, pretty cool on the ground!

[BrushWolf]

Sounds like you had a great encounter.  I shot a big doe a few seasons back wearing a ghilli. She was about 10yards eating apples. I had her look in my direction as she ate an apple. I was amazed when she looked right thur me. A step later I made good on the opportunity. Just pretty darn exciting.