you would choose to set up to hunt from the ground? Terrain? Natural or Manmade ground blind? etc. Tell me what you have done and how successful/how much deer traffic you witnessed. Thanks
Small pine trees. I sat in a clump back on November 14th, 2006 when i shot my first deer, a little six point. Thats my only archery deer from the ground. I read a story awhile ago in Field and Stream about a gentleman who had a unique tactic that bagged him a number of bucks in his states record books. He would take a bucket, his bow, and a set of rattling antlers, and would wade up small streams and creeks and set up in the creek bed on the downwind side of bedding areas. He would then rattle, wait a bit, and move on. Worked very well for him.
I shot my moose from the ground and just nestled myself into a little natural corner that the spruce trees made. They were all around 8' tall and were shaped in a L. I just sat in the inside area making sure I had room to shoot around me. The moose did see me when I was standing and drawn on him, but he was only 8 yards away so that's expected.
The buck I just recently killed from the ground was in a very similar setup but the creek was dry. I actually want to give the above mentioned method a try. I would just hate not being able to hear my surroundings due to the running water but I think it could be very effective. I like getting nestled in some blowdowns. Its definitely a lot more fun than treestand hunting.
i've killed 2 does this year on the ground 3 if you count my van ha-ha. i built a blind a few weeks back saw a few does but i'm holding back for some bone! i put it off from some fresh rubs where i've encountered him once this year already. its in the peak of this draw a natural opening & has several well worn trails so i'm placing blinds all over this hollar natural and pop-ups.i'm going to the ground game!
Lol, you dang right I'm gonna rub it in. :D I'd like to get out Wednesday after all the rain passes and do another ground hunt. Don't float away with all the rain we're supposed to get.
Shoot I'd be bowhunting from a johnboat (ha-ha) Man this weather needs to come on and give us that 1st snow thats when business picks up!
Since you asked... My number one spot is hiding 3 yards inside a cattail slough where the slough funnels the deer to a field edge or between two cattails slough that they travel. If a slough isn't handy any weed patch, clover patch or brush works. I hunt very close to bedding areas. 50 yards - 250 yards depending how good my entry and exit to the bedding area is. The closer the better... ALWAYS !!! Windy/rainy days I concentrate more on sheltered areas where the deer will head to once they leave their beds. Again I would rather be hiding in cattails, but a weed patch or clover patch will do. I will stand in water for hours or if it is not very deep and can make my 4 legged stool work... sit for hours. If there is a small patch of trees where a stand won't work. I will build a blind by tepee-ing a small tree with big, dead branches. Live branch would work also but then making noise trying to break or cut them defeats the purpose of getting in quiet. I will pull long grass and weave it into the branches to fill it out so I have peep holes for seeing and a couple larger holes for shooting. Usually I will have a decent blind setup quietly in a couple minutes. I have had a lot of deer within 15 yards over the years. Some I've killed... tepee blind - a little under 15 yards Cattail slough - 15 yards Tepee blind - 11 yards cattail slough - 8 yards tepee blind - 20 yards - passed up on him - stupid cattails - 12 yards - rifle so it doesn't count Tim
Tim You've had quite a bit of success from the ground. Impressive! Also, I can't believe you passed that buck! He's a nice one.
Yes. I've got a few more but having problems with photobucket and Dial-up. Oh I can't wait for Dec 14th. Going high speed !!! Al Gore didn't invent internet !! He probably could have invented dial-up though. Much like him... it is very, very slow and very, very, very aggrivating !!!! LOL Tim
goodness them N.D. deer are huge make a southern boy like me get the fever ha-ha dont let donnie see anymore he'll be hunting deer rambo style ha-ha! those are very nice deer especially the one you got at 11yrds out the teepee blind w/ the chocolate antlers he's a hoss!
couple more... cattails - doe 6 yards - coyote 30 yards brush blind - son's velvet buck - 12 yard shot weed patch - 12 yards cattails - 30 yards - he either ducked or I choked - shot over his back - picture of the buck is from summer scouting brush blind - 10 yards - son forgot his release - too late to head back so he sat it out - picture was from summer scouting - left buck - he wasn't done growing - another guy shot it with rifle in Nov - scored 147 Tim
Tim...you are the man! Do you make your blinds so you have a 360 view or do you block one side for extra protection against them spotting movement or sneaking up from behind?
Depends on where the deer are coming from. I usually make them so I can shot in 2 - 3 directions. The back I fill in as solid as I can. I always make sure my legs/feet are hidden incase I have move them when I swivel for a shot depending on which way the deer come. Movement is the killer. Clean any leaves, dry grass, or sticks out of you spot. I either sit or kneel. Cattails the deer are coming in from the sides or front. The water is the barrier from the back. I make a shooting lane by bending the cattails over about waist high if I am sitting. Chest high if I am standing. Keep the shooting lanes as small as possible. If you are pretty certain which way the deer are going by... I never make a shooting lane straight out in front of me. I make them so the deer is slightly past me when I shoot. Their side vision is a killer and they tend to look in any openings on the way by. By slightly angling your shooting lanes the deer are past and less likely to look back down the shooting lane. Deer like looking down them if too big also. I don't sit so I am right in the shooting lane. I will make a spot beside the shooting lane, When I draw I just lean over to the side to get in the shooting lane. More time then not... the wrong deer comes by that I am not interested in so it is easier to hide with less movement. The does will pick you out in a heart beat if they catch you moving at all. Does are nasty and are always looking for danger. Bucks tend to be on a mission to get some where so not as bad. By sitting in only a couple yards at the most in cattails... a small shooting lane still gives you a good sized area for a shot. It is also a must if the wind picks up. You may need to move forward to get your bow out of the cattails to make a shot. Tim
Can you see the deer coming in from 50-100 yards away or do you just hear foot steps then BAM there one is -15yards? Id think you have more missed opportunities when they come running by and you cant stop them in time.
