ground v.s. tree ?

[slab master]

being new to archery hunting for deer i do not have a lot of options for tree stand hunting so can i be succesfull hunting from the ground ? any suggestions are greatly appreciated

[uffdapete]

I have a friend who cannot use an elevated stand and has good success hunting on the ground using a ghillie suit. Ground blinds are also an option. No matter how you hunt it's always a good idea to take steps to reduce human and foreign scent.

[MUSKY18]

The ground can be just as effective as sitting in a tree stand. Obviously with being elevated you can have a better view of your suroundings. If you are going to hunt from a blind, get it setup early as possible if you can, brush it in and conceal it well. The deer will need some time to adjust to it being there, unless it is hidden so well that they can't see it. Wear black inside the stand and try to not sihouette yourself and try to never let the deer see you enter or exit the blind. Most of the blinds now come with shoot through screens that help a lot. If you are hunting without a blind, find a spot to tuck yourself into cover and use the wind to help you as always.

[harvey lee]

Yes, one can hunht from the ground with success. As stated above ground blinds and leafy suits. Just cannot see deer coming as well as in the tree up 20ft.

[Cheetah]

can i be succesfull hunting from the ground ?

Absolutely. I have shot a few deer from the ground. The key is to find spots where you have concealment, such as a brush pile, blowdown or even tall grass and weeds. You can also use a pop-up ground blind or even a sheet of burlap or camo netting between two stakes to help hide your movements.

[Wensel]

When there is snow.......like a foot or so, I leave the tree and hit the ground with snow camo, best time of the year.

[mainbutter]

I have a few spots with lots of deer droppings, no good tree to put a stand in. You can bet I'll be spending some time on the ground in the upcoming week.

[1eyeReD]

You can be successful from the ground. I just found out because I tagged out on a buck from the ground last week. Though that's not how I originally planned to hunt, it worked. I think what contributed to my success was good camo, good cover, good wind, staying still, knowing when to draw and I am extremely careful and detailed with taking care of keeping my scent down.

Prior to every hunt, I take a shower with some scent control body wash. Not getting paid for this, but I use Dead Down Wind.

All my clothes including the stuff I wear during the drive to the spot (down to the underwear and socks) is washed in scent control detergent (I also use Dead Down Wind for this) and I keep my hunting clothes in a plastic bin and I won't suite up until I'm at my parking spot. If I eat on the way, I stop to wash my hands and face with the body wash soap. I go as far as brushing my teeth with the products they sell for keeping scent down on your breath (take a wild guess which brand). Spray boots down too, it's important.

At the end of each hunt, if I didn't dirty my hunting clothes too much and they're dry, I carefully take off the layers, fold em up and put em back in my bin and close it before driving home - and I'll wear em again on the next trip without washing again. But I only wear the clothing through no more than 2 trips (making sure they aren't sweaty trips) before I wash em again.

I heard of a guy who shot a doe from the ground with no blind using terrain as an advantage. He shot the deer which was walking down an old forestry trail that ran along the side of a steep hill between some river bottoms and some agricultural fields on top. He sat about 15 ft above the trail and even trimmed shooting lanes so it was like a treestand hunt but he was on the face of the hill looking down at the trail.

But on a final note - If possible, opt for the treestand instead. You get away with a lot more when you're not at eye level.

[Musky Buck]

This time of the year I'd think could be very beneficial to hit the ground if you find that big fresh scrape and don't want to hang a stand or can't or whatever, the buck will have plenty on his mind now so he may not be quite as cautious, on the other hand he may be super cautious, either way I'd forgo my stand if I knew I could watch a prime scrape downwind it to the best you can and conceal in the best you can and don't move much. On these wet leaves I've been blown away to watch the way I think he'd come from only to slowly look at the scrape and goodness there he is. Fresh groundscrapes are like gold in my areas, especially the ones made from now until the end of rifle, those early field edge types seem to go dormant or get re-used or freshened in the night, the ones deep in cover are what I'm hoping to find opening morning of rifle however I have 4 large scrapes where I need them now, but will they be worth a squirt come Nov. 3rd or go dormant like most years almost as if they were made too soon in October ?

[bigbucks]

Impromptu ground spots, sat once in the right conditions have gotten a lot of smart deer killed. They can't know about a spot ahead of time, if the first time there was when you're there. I do prep a few ground spots though too. Sometimes you just have an hour & you're not sure what to think of the weather & you can get in quit. I definitely do that too in a new spot, when I'm just not convince where I should put a stand.

[FISHINGURU]

If you got the cash look into the Ghost Blind, they work great.

[muskE]

I hunt almost exclusively from the ground and hit at least one a year. Think about 2 words when you're on the ground, SIT STILL. If you have your gun on your lap at the ready then it's a simple lift, point, and shoot with mnimal motion. I've had many bobble-head deer within 10 yards trying to figure out what I was only to become that year's sausage. One of these years I might try a spear or Rambo one with my knife they are almost that close.

You always want to conceal as best as possible by brushing in and making yourself a little bunker and also spending some time ahead clearing shooting lanes. You're more affected by smaller ground sticks, shoots, etc than in a stand so about an hour's worth of prep the day before should be good enough (you don't need to clear cut the forest).

I hunt the bluffs of SE MN alot and I try to get as close to the top as I can. Many of the trees are quite crooked to horizontal so stands really don't work well. I like to get in the woods at least an hour before shooting light to let the woods settle down after I enter as I have heard many hunters climbing up their metal stands making all kinds of moise at the last second and then seen the push of the herd shortly thereafter.

[deerminator]

Yes. In fact my next "blind" is going to be one of those Marc Anthony bowhunter ghillie jackets. The thing about the ground is that yes, you can't see nearly as much and the view isn't nearly as pretty. But the deer is at the same disadvantage! So if you have the right spot scouted, just sit still and pay attention. And as bigbucks said, you can move around quite a bit easier, even at the last minute if you think you've found a better spot or even have the means to stalk in on a deer that won't come your way. I have yet to take a "big" buck but as I'm gaining additional hunting ground and learning in the limited years I've "seriously" started hunting, only the past few really, I'm learning you could take a big buck from the ground the same as from a treestand. But it's more about finding and knowing how to hunt the big bucks per another post that was on this board. So yes, hunting from the ground can be as successful, even more so, than from a treestand in many cases. Good luck.

[deerminator]

Also, do a search on "ground-level deer hunting" and "Marc Anthony." Good advice from a guy that's taken nearly 2 dozen P&Y bucks from the ground.

[Jeff13]

I hunted from the ground last weekend and it was awesome and very exciting. Found some nice trails with excellent natural blinds( downed tree, brush, small brush piles). No bucks last weekend but Two does came by within 10 yards away and had no idea I was there. It was really cool to be that close and know they hadn't any idea I was there. Ill be trying some more for sure later in the year.

[goblueM]

I hunted from the ground for the first time (well for deer anyways) last week and it was a blast. Had a doe go right behind me, it was exhilarating. I don't even know if I could draw back on a big buck that was 15 yards from me, cuz I was shaking for the doe

A lot more intense than being up in a tree

[slab master]

Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions. i took alot of this knowledge to the field yesterday p. m. and this is the result. my first deer with a bow an 8 pointer. you guys are awsome, again thank you !

[bigbucks]

Great job! Does he have the start of a little drop tine in the middle of his right main beam? Looks very cool. I remember that first buck with a bow that I got, it was very similar to that one. I shot him Thursday or Friday morning before gun season in a stand I'd built that Sunday.

[psepuncher]

congrats slab!

I listen to these guys also as many have helped me too.

what I do is look for blowdowns and hunt at dusk or dawn,

Main thing is as said, sit still be patient and try not to draw to early. Pactice fast shooting but practice shooting good. Ideal locations should be scouted early enough to let the area get back to natural and undesturbed.

Be scent free as possible as the thermals will always not be quick enough to whisp away odor. I like the leafy and ghilli stuff as mentioned, sun at my back wind in my face and deer sign in the area and I sit off the trail at least 25 yards.

[DonBo]

Awesome slab. WTG!

[Scoot]

Atta boy Slab! Congrats!

Cool pic PSE!

[deerminator]

DUDE! Nice job and great buck with lots of character. I like that drop tine. Did you get him from the ground? If so, what a rush, huh?