Hey guys, I am a first generation hunter and have fairly recently picked up bowhunting. Ive done a lot of scouting on some gamelands and national forest land in my area and have found what i think to be some good deer sign. I do not have a tree stand, and since I am a new archer i figured it would be more ethical to just hunt from the ground and increase my chances of hitting a good shot at a deer if i get the chance. Do you guys have any advice on how i should set up and what i should be looking for? Most of the terrain around me is just mountainous and monotonous forest, but some of the gamelands around me have more ag fields and open areas. The national forest lands around me have a lot of timber cuts and good areas with oaks, but also a lot of hiking pressure. Any advice on how I can maximize my chances of having a successful deer hunt this season? Im not concerned about killing a mature buck this year at all, I will take any deer I can get a shot at. Thanks
Use some natural materials to build a ground blind to give you a bit of cover. It is hard to sit for long periods of time completely motionless. Dry limbs for a base with pine boughs for concealment. Wind and thermals are EVERYTHING. If they smell you they are gone. Don’t waste time sitting somewhere that the wind swirls. Getting drawn is going to be the challenge if a deer comes along. You need a spot that gives you a chance to see them coming, but with cover before they get into your shooting zone so you can draw. Make sure your bow is dead silent when drawing. No arrow rasp, no creaks or squeaks from the cable slide, etc.
Deer are mostly edge dwellers. If you have hardwood/conifer edges, edges of cuts, reprod, streams or even game trails all good areas to check out. Make sure you have good back cover and play the wind. Generally, what part of WNC are you hunting? And private or public?
