Hunting from the ground

[DEERFU]

Just curious if anyone hunts exclusively or part time from the ground with archery equipment. I'm having some serious health issues and want to stay in the game. I've already switched to crossbow and I'm contemplating not climbing anymore. Still have a couple of ladders and may use them. If you're having any luck with ground hunting what is your set up? Pics would be good as well. Thanks yawl

 

[cuda67bnl]

I hunt with an Xbow from a ground blind most of the time. Sometimes use a pop up, and sometimes a makeshift blind of branches. I enjoy it much more than hunting from a stand, though I do have one ladder I hunt from.

 

[Kris87]

I only hunt from a ground blind when my son is with me shooting his crossbow, or I'm hunting one particular persimmon tree that doesn't allow for a stand near.

I simply think the amount of scent that comes from being on the ground is such a disadvantage to being in a tree. Had too many times getting busted, even when the wind was favorable. If it was my only option, then I'd have to get used to it.

 

[preacher]

A few seasons back I tried this and ended up taking a young buck at about 7 yards with no ground blind. . .just camo and a lot being real still. Two days later in the same spot I had an opportunity to take the biggest mature buck I'd ever seen in the woods while hunting. He was much more clever than the young one though and he busted when I tried to draw on him. That day I really wished I had been in a tree or a blind, but at the same time the young buck I took earlier in the week was one of the most rewarding hunts I've ever had. In summary, it's a really fun challenge, and it has it's pros and cons. I would recommend one of those little cheap collapsible 3 legged stools, they're great for bowhunting on the ground. Just set up with some natural cover and check your shooting lanes. Lanes that look like clear shots can all of sudden look very obstructed when there's actually a deer there and you're both at ground level. Since you'll be hunting with a crossbow it'll be a little easier because you don't have to worry about drawing the bow. You'll still need some good camo and a lot of stillness, it's a lot of fun though! Some of the most fun I've had deer hunting was on the ground in a ghillie suit with a crossbow.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Seems to work well in the midwest

 

[mrfudd]

I have killed 2 bow hunting from the ground. I sat in a folding camp chair. I look for good cover to set up in. First time I was in a blown down oak tree. The second one I was up against a tree with some small palmetto bushes in front of me.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Leafy wear is the best camo I've used for ground hunting. Including the cap. There are several advantages to hunting from the ground. Number 1 would be mobility. If/ when the wind changes, you can get up and move without much effort or sound. You don't have to find a "good tree" to climb, or make the noise getting up it. You also don't leave a lot of sign for others to see where your hunting . I suggest carrying a small cheap set of pruning shears. It makes it easy to back up in a blow down for a natural blind. When you kill one from the ground with a bow, it is like taking your first deer again. It's tuff hunting, but rewarding.

 

[Hunter922]

We bow hunt only and my son has been asking about hunting on the ground for the last couple of years. He is 17 now and the last week or so of the extended season in Cobb he sat at on the ground. We had seen a bunch of deer from the stand and they just wouldn't close the last 20 yards or so to get into range. We had a giant white oak fall a few years ago and he sat tucked against the blow down and against a live white oak about the same size. It took no time and dead buck. I was a firm believer that in Ga with a compound this was going to be very tough to get done. He proved me wrong for sure. I'm positive he will use this info to find other places on our property to hunt from the ground.
I'm still a stand hunter but I hope he proves me wrong again.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

G. Fred Asbell wrote a very good book titled"Stalking and still hunting, The ground hunters bible". It's a very good read full of insight and tips. He is from out west I believe, but shares several SE hunts and makes comments how the deer look up a lot as if looking for tree stand hunters .

 

[transfixer]

Years ago I killed a couple deer hunting from the ground with a compound, just sitting on a stool, backed up in some brush. Last year I tried hunting with a crossbow, both out of a blind and just sitting on the ground, no luck last year, but plan on trying again this year. I like being able to move positions based on wind or weather.

 

[hambone76]

I bowhunt hunt from the ground quite a bit. I try to use the terrain to my advantage if possible. I have one particular spot where I sit next to a large white oak on the edge of a 5’ high creek bank. The deer cross the creek down below me where there isn’t a steep bank along the creek. I have the bank and tree trunk on my left side to cover my movement as I draw my bow. It’s one of my favorite spots to bowhunt.

 

[oldfella1962]

Leafy wear is the best camo I've used for ground hunting. Including the cap. There are several advantages to hunting from the ground. Number 1 would be mobility. If/ when the wind changes, you can get up and move without much effort or sound. You don't have to find a "good tree" to climb, or make the noise getting up it. You also don't leave a lot of sign for others to see where your hunting . I suggest carrying a small cheap set of pruning shears. It makes it easy to back up in a blow down for a natural blind. When you kill one from the ground with a bow, it is like taking your first deer again. It's tuff hunting, but rewarding.

I hunt from the ground too with a recurve. I used to make ground blinds but now I just carry pruning shears too. Much faster, much more quiet. And you'll never have to worry about getting patterned if you never hunt the same exact place twice. I wear an ASAT long sleeve T-shirt and Walmart camo cargo pants and a digi-cam wide brimmed boonie cap and camo paint (Walmart Halloween face paint) every bit of my face. I am as close to invisible as you can get without being a ghost. I keep my clothes sealed up in vanilla scented trash bags with vanilla "Little Tree" car air fresheners. Everything else I need is in a small rucksack which I can wear while I hunt if conditions are right for still-hunting/spot & stalk. It's the most natural & free way there is to hunt unless you are a large predatory cat. I'm 56 now and unless I injure myself exercising I should be able to do this for at least another 10 years.

 

[DEERFU]

I hunt from the ground too with a recurve. I used to make ground blinds but now I just carry pruning shears too. Much faster, much more quiet. And you'll never have to worry about getting patterned if you never hunt the same exact place twice. I wear an ASAT long sleeve T-shirt and Walmart camo cargo pants and a digi-cam wide brimmed boonie cap and camo paint (Walmart Halloween face paint) every bit of my face. I am as close to invisible as you can get without being a ghost. I keep my clothes sealed up in vanilla scented trash bags with vanilla "Little Tree" car air fresheners. Everything else I need is in a small rucksack which I can wear while I hunt if conditions are right for still-hunting/spot & stalk. It's the most natural & free way there is to hunt unless you are a large predatory cat. I'm 56 now and unless I injure myself exercising I should be able to do this for at least another 10 years.

Sounds like a good plan to me! I'm gonna have to have a couple of blinds in place for the grandsons though. I really like the idea of being mobile w/o carrying a portable. How's the on the ground success with the recurve been?

 

[SWWTV]

I have taken several deer without a blind from the Ground , a few on video. Its an Adrenalin rush for sure I like using the natural surrounding and the wind. Most of the time I hunt with a Leafy suit and leafy Camo on my Bow also and try to draw while the Deer is walking.

 

[coolbreezeroho]

I shorten the legs on some of the Walmart plastic chairs. I hunt on the ground with my butt about 3 inches off the ground. I brush in around the chair some and allow some room if I want to reposition the chair. I've had does and young bucks walk within 5 yards of me and scan in front and keep walking.

If you have a place you think would be a crossing that you can set up for a bow shot then stage the chair a few days before. I have scouted and prepped a place to ground hunt then strapped the chair to my pack or carried it in the next morning.

If you buy the 250 or 300 weight limit chairs they last longer....I snap the arms off the light weight ones easy getting up out of them...

 

[Lumpkin Hunter]

I plan on hunting from the ground a good bit this year during bow season myself. I've only killed one from the ground with a bow but I've killed a slew with a rifle, pistol and muzzle loader from the ground. I'll be using my Hammock seat this year with the bow when on the ground. It is light, easy to set up, very easy to swivel around the tree with also. I plan on just clipping some limbs for a make shift blind and add a little leafy material in with the limbs to break up my outline like I do when using my pistol. Hunting from the ground with any weapon is a lot of fun if you have the right location and setup. Good luck to you, look up the Hammock seat if you don't have one you might want to add it to your hunting tools.