Bowhunting from the ground

[MarineRaider]

Have any of y’all bowhunted Whitetails in either hardwoods or pines from the ground by building a nature blind? I have a few spots this would be perfect for and a lot of fun. I have one spot that is a narrow hardwood holler that is a major travel corridor. If I used a climber I would be 100’ to 150’ to the bottom of the holler. It has a log road running around the rim of the holler that I can set up and look down into the holler and watch the trail crossing on the log road. I also have some places where old logging roads go through small pines where this would work great. The main reason I don’t want to use an actual ground blind is that I’m hunting public land and these deer DO NOT LIKE a ground blind. What’s y’alls experience and any tips are appreciated.

 

[daltrix99]

I've tried it while elk hunting a few different times when I've seen a nice buck. Never been able to close the distance! In my experience and in my spots, mountain bucks are too unpredictable to have a stand up, but if you have a corrider that reliable, through some pegs in and bring a saddle!

 

[kylemcintyre67]

The THP guys have a fair bit of success from the ground with ghillie suits. I am new to bow hunting, and have zero plans to start climbing trees. It never bothered me before but as I have gotten older my mind has betrayed me and I am scared of heights.

 

[Steiny]

Yep, have one spot where there are no trees suitable for a treestand so we tuck into a fence row behind a couple scrubby cedars where the deer come by real close.
Myself and partners have killed a few from that location, archery and firearms.

I'm not a fan of those ground blinds either, I feel confined, can't see real well.

 

[stealthy_bowman]

It can definitively work, I like using deadfalls as natural blinds. That said, I wouldn't necessarily give up on actual ground blinds and still prefer them, even on public. If you brush them in properly, they can be pretty hard to detect. The biggest benefit of an actual ground blind (IMO) is the scent containment it provides. I have found that with proper use, I just don't get winded in them, even when the wind is unfavorable and this is something that is impossible from a tree stand. The trade-off, of course, is the reduced field of view as I only keep the 3 front windows open and even those are covered with shoot through mesh. Just last evening for example, I had 4 does walk in within inches of the blind from downwind. They got so close I thought they were actually going to hit the blind. They had no clue I was there.

 

[JDH]

I have hunted from the ground a few times but have yet to see any deer while I'm on the ground. The last couple of years I have had multiple times where I thought if I could get quietly down the tree I could possibly put a stalk on so I am going to try it more often. I use a climber 99% of the time so there's no way. Just this past weekend I had a doe pop out of the woods, 20 yards away from a field with corn and weeds so this weekend I think I am going to try and hide in the corn and see what happens.

 

[Mainer207]

I threw some brush around the base of an uprooted tree. Probably didn’t make the best blind, but it breaks up my profile. Be careful not to brush it out too high as it makes drawing your bow tough.
I had a few does walk within 15 yards of me while I was setup in there. Got busted by one, but she caught my scent as the wind swirled. Other one had no idea I was there. I let them pass, as they seemed like yearlings and I was hoping for something a little bigger bodied...hopefully I don’t regret that later.

 

[np307]

I use a 10ft length of burlap like you can get to wrap a tree stand with. I roll it up and lash it to my pack, then set it up wherever I want to sit for that hunt. I do this both in pines and hardwoods here in NC. Killed two this way last year and should've had a third.

 

[Kiwi]

I can’t give you any tips sorry, but interesting to hear how you do things over there. I bow hunt but always spot and stalk. Have managed to shoot fallow deer, red deer, pigs, chamois and feral goats. Missed a couple of tahr which I’m still disappointed about. Spot and stalk is pretty intense, with a lot of fails, but I don’t have the patience for sitting.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I've done it. You really have to be able to hide your movement though. Deer don't see as well as humans, but they see more. Their field of vision is very wide and their eyes are tuned to pick up movement in the brush around them. It can work but its not particularly easy.

 

[Trial153]

Plenty of times, from natural blinds and portable blinds.

 

[Mainer207]

Plenty of times, from natural blinds and portable blinds.

In natural blinds do you sit low and as covered as possible and then stand to draw when the game isn’t looking? I’ve been debating if it’s best to tuck myself into my blind and worry about standing to get the shot when I see the game, or if I should be standing as to be ready with limited movement when an animal comes into range. I found if I brushed in my blind higher than my waist it made it difficult to draw cleanly...

 

[Trial153]

In natural blinds do you sit low and as covered as possible and then stand to draw when the game isn’t looking? I’ve been debating if it’s best to tuck myself into my blind and worry about standing to get the shot when I see the game, or if I should be standing as to be ready with limited movement when an animal comes into range. I found if I brushed in my blind higher than my waist it made it difficult to draw cleanly...

I try to stay low if am in a natural blind. I put my strong side( left side being a right handed shooter) in the direction I expect the deer to come from.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I've done a lot of bow hunting with this strategy so far this October, and have had deer close many times. I missed a buck 2 days ago due to my over-excitement, and been at full draw another 3 times on other deer with no shot taken. I prefer to be brushed in very well with just a handful of narrow vertical shooting lanes that I can shoot through while on one knee. This means there are many times I cannot shoot due to the cover, but I'd rather have this than be seen when I move. Be mindful of wind direction and thermals when selecting a location. Also, a scent wick placed in your shooting lanes may cause a deer to pause in just the right spot for a shot.

Stand hunting is probably more effective overall, but it's just not as fun, IMO.

 

[Gut Shot]

I've shot several deer from the ground while bow hunting, including my biggest buck. I only shot one from a blind though, and it was a make shift affair. I cut down an old hollow oak for firewood and had the thin pieces from the base of the trunk left over. I decided that they could be stood up in a half circle to make a good hide.

 

[Mainer207]

Built this one into a blowdown. I figure I can shoot through a small gap from my knees or stand up and shoot over the top.

This spot calls for a blind because of the thick canopy that would make shooting from a stand tough.

We’ll see if it works!

 

[NEWHunter]

It can be done - it’s not easy though. I like to plant some cover in the ground several feet in front of me after I have my blind built. I cut off buckthorn (invasive species) around here and jam it in the ground. It think it makes it tougher for the deer to clearly focus on you as it adds depth to the cover. Note fresh cuts are going to create some new smells.


In this case, there was a 10-15’ strip of weeds in front of my position.

Forgot to add: seated is the way to go imho, with a good quality stool that swivels quietly. I shoot while sitting. I also like to have some cover over head to create a shadow.

 

[crock239]

Certainly can be done, kind of depends what you're after. In my experience you get winded when on the ground much more often, so the first doe that comes by might be alarmed or wind you. Often much easier to let deer pass by unalarmed when in a tree. If I'm hunting for one mature buck I prefer a situation where does will pass without blowing out if the wind shifts. Get busted enough times and the deer will adjust travel.

I agree it seems like you get winded less often from an actual popup, but that's anecdotal.

When I do hunt from the ground I clear all the leaves from the blind so to be silent, and practice shooting from your knees. Can sit on small tripod stool and shoot from that, or doesnt take too much movement to drop fwd onto knees and shoot from there.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

I like to use Hawk's tree seat.

This allows me to be mobile and find the spot I'm looking for very easily.

 

[OleRedbeard]

I've killed a pile of whitetail bowhunting from the ground just killed a doe a few weeks ago on the ground actually. Hardest part about it is getting to full draw and the wind.
My dad, God rest his soul killed all his deer like that. He would scratch out a area free of leaves all around the bottom of a tree big enough around to hide his outline and so when he stood up or heard something coming he could use it as cover. (this is all big woods national forest mountainous terrain)