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Author Topic: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE  (Read 5196 times)

Offline Bobaru

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #20 on: December 13, 2024, 01:25:41 PM »
Highly recommend Fred Asbell's book referenced above.  Buy a couple extra copies and give 'em away as presents.

Every deer hunter should teach himself/herself how to ground hunt.  Example.  My stepson just took up hunting, got some good land to hunt, put up a bunch of trail cams.  His first report back to me was: "Man, where the deer like to walk has a bunch of brush and no good trees."  My answer is: "yup!" 

I've tried lots of stuff, but find natural ground cover to be far superior to camo-cloth.  But, by all means, experiment.

Never forget the virtue of the sun behind you and a large cover such as a huge tree behind you.  I also like broken cover in front. 

One experience was at sunset with the sun behind me as well as a huge oak, otherwise I was completely open to a cut bean field.  Darn buck walked to 15 yards, put his head down to eat beans and never saw me.  I was shocked.

Another favorite is cutting a hole in the center of a patch of goldenrod, with a shooting lane.  Works great, but even there, you have to be perfectly still.  This method can be used with cattails and other such brush to great effect.  But, I've found that piling up stuff and shooting over the top is not quite as good because it may tend to draw their attention:  doesn't work it he's decided to stare you down at 8 yards (but it's still fun).
Bob


 "A man has to control himself before he can control his bow." Jay Massey

Offline Tomas Stieber

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2024, 12:05:39 AM »
The gillie suit is your friend. One tip, don't put it on until you reach your hunting spot.

Offline TGbow

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #22 on: February 09, 2025, 11:41:10 AM »
This is a great thread. Funny, no matter how long you've been hunting you can always learn more.

For 49 years I've hunted mostly on the ground, probably 95%.

Where I hunt the majority of the time I have a bigger shooting area/radius from the ground due to the thick canopy in most places I hunt.

When we started the Baker treestand was the only marketed climber on the market ...that ai can remember.

It seems the majority of the time I can hide better on the ground, there are exceptions though.

Pulling the shot off is a little harder from the ground but it's really not some mystical  challenge as some in our modern world  seem to think it is.
I hunt mostly from natural ground blinds. When I find a " hot spot", I will construct a blind that I use over n over at different times.
Hunting on the ground is real versatile for me since I hunt public land.


Online JD Covey

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #24 on: March 01, 2025, 12:47:19 PM »
I love ground hunting! Get’n em within a few yards is a rush! The only advantage of a stand to me is visibility and maybe getting your scent off the ground. I have a really hard time being strapped 15 feet off the ground with that smallish platform as I’m not a fan of heights!
I’ve tried it both ways, cover in the front and cover behind. Back cover seems to be the ticket. I still try to have adequate cover in the front, but pay more attention to what is behind me. I wear leafy on the top and try to have my natural blind material low enough to shoot over but enough to cover my legs, Waldrop packseat and some movement.

Online Longrifleman

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #25 on: March 01, 2025, 08:22:26 PM »
You MUST be comfortable. Whatever seat you use, it must be VERY comfortable.

Why?
 
Because the less comfortable that you are, the less ability you will have to be COMPLETELY STILL. This only gets worse with age. :laughing:

Being completely still, combined with setting up downwind of where the deer will come from is essential. Without those 2 ingredients, you're just having a nice sit in the woods.

Offline LookMomNoSights

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #26 on: March 03, 2025, 12:52:57 PM »
Shoot ALOT from a seated position if you plan on sitting a blind.   Even go as far as practicing with the clothing you will be wearing.
Whatever seats you plan on sitting on,  test them for creeks and squeaks.  If you can,  incorporate teflon washers with the fasteners.  Graphite works great.  So does olive oil or spray PAM, the non butter flavored.  A quick spray and wipe the excess away.  It'll last for a few sits.  Maybe less if it gets rained on.
If you have good back cover,  you almost don't need anything in the front,  but something just knee high is usually perfect.
Do something to make you hands and face blend .....  charcoal,  make-up, mask, gloves,  whatever you like best and can make work.  The cheap Allen mesh gloves you can find at the big W and most sporting goods stores work great and you wont mind cutting off the finger tips or even the palm area on the bow hand as I do.   This is not for warmth.  It is for concealment.
Do not set up right on the runs.  Too close has never been good for me and can ruin that spot. 
Have multiple sets (a back up set) prepped ahead of time and ready to go,   to deal with changing winds.
Do a very thorough job of cleaning the ground to eliminate foot noise if/WHEN you have to adjust to approaching game.
Also clean a spot to rest a pack or the like on the ground,  so when you go to grab something from inside of it (like a snack),  you will not be disturbing this item on a bed of crunchy leaves or twigs.
Have a second arrow out of the quiver and positioned for a fast, noiseless, economy of motion grab.....this is clutch if your first one is miss.
Use a Thermacell for bugs!!!!!    These do make a faint noise,  be aware of that.  As far as a smell for the deer,  I have not experience them reacting as of yet,  though the wind is most likely help with that ..........
Make sure your bow limbs are not going to contact anything when you let one loose.  (overhead branches you kept to aid in cover!)
If you plan on walking after them or into them,  prepare to downshift big time with regard to your rate of movement.  If you told me  that it took  you an hour to cover 30 yards in a piece of timber or around thick stuff,  Id say where was the fire ......  there's no limit to how slow you can go, it'll be about how much time you have to invest in that outing.  Really use your eyes each time you think about advancing.  Countless times while moving painfully slowly through areas I know deer frequent,   they will often find you and come to you it seems, if you have the wind and they have not detected you or witness your movement.  You will be motionless.  They most likely will be moving or at least moved enough to tip their hand to you!  You might be able to make a shot happen.
Did I mention shoot alot from a seated position???? :campfire:

Online Mike Bolin

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #27 on: March 03, 2025, 04:59:37 PM »
Really enjoying this...lots of good info and ideas! I am going strictly to the ground this coming season and am starting to work on my "natural" ground blinds this week. I do invasive bush honeysuckle removal on the property. anyway, so I am incorporating my honeysuckle piles into my ground blinds.
Bodnik Quick Stick 60", 40#@28"
Osage Selfbow 62", 47#@28
Compton Traditional Bowhunters

Online Roger Norris

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #28 on: March 04, 2025, 12:09:23 PM »
I assume it was driven from this thread.....we have sold 5 copies of Stalking and Stillhunting this week  :biglaugh:

Thanks!!
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Ron LaClair upon seeing the destruction of his new lock on the east gate

"A man that cheats in the woods will cheat anywhere"
G. Fred Asbell

Offline LookMomNoSights

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Re: GROUND HUNTING ADVICE
« Reply #29 on: March 04, 2025, 12:48:17 PM »
I assume it was driven from this thread.....we have sold 5 copies of Stalking and Stillhunting this week  :biglaugh:

Thanks!!

Awesome!  This book is absolutely a "Must Have"   Thanks for offering it Roger  :clapper:

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