Hunting from the ground

cd14811 · Post by **cd14811** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:01 am

Hi guys (and girls)
Just wondering how many of you hunt from the ground with a store bought blind, how many use natural (fallen tree tops .ect) blinds, and how many just sit up against a tree or old log?
chad

Sleeping Dog · Post by **Sleeping Dog** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:07 am

I usually hunt from the ground and generally use brush for concealment. I find that this gives me flexibility to quickly change plans depending on the wind.

Much easier than setting up multiple tree stands.

SD

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:08 am

All the above, but don't limit myself to just those methods.

fdegurse · Post by **fdegurse** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:15 am

brush it in for deer for sure, and put a flag of orange on top during gun hunt seasons so guys pushing a bush or shooting across fields know where you are,

turkeys seasons...doesn't matter too much but brush it in if you have time.. probably helps... I've had hens come in 5 metres in front of me, the gobblers have always stayed back though as I move around a lot and don't have time to brush it in.,

Frank

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:19 am

I almost always hunt from the ground. Plenty of brush around here to blend into. The important thing is having a solid background to fade into.

It's possible here to cut yourself a hole in the brush that is every bit as concealing as any ground blind, only much much better!

Get yourself a pair of pruning shears and a brush saw. Invaluable.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:43 am

bstout wrote:Hunting from the ground has long been my second choice.

I'd probably do more hunting from trees if they didn't make treestands so tiny. For this 'ol bear, most of 'em just won't do. I do hunt out of a buddy ladder stand sometimes. Most of the time, I'm groundbound.

I think it would be nice to be up a tree because the chance of nasty critters or creepy-crawlies would be greatly reduced. No bears in your face, no copperheads between your legs. Ahh ...

sipsey · Post by **sipsey** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:22 pm

Have used various ground blinds for years with he kids- Bought a chair blind form Ameristep--( 60.00) Wallyworld--and i absolutely love it--bought me one last week and have been practicing with the Exomax with short shooting stix from it, no problem--Talk about comfortable!

Dont get me wrong--I have hunted from trees and canoes for over 30 years---every hunting scenario is different---But this is is one great option

hikerman · Post by **hikerman** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:34 pm

Hi, this will be my forth year hunting. Shooting a crossbow is just as new as any bow or gun to me.
Last year I shoot my first deer and a nice buck at that.
In this time I have hunted the ground and in the tree. The deer was out of a tree.
I would perfer the ground because I tend to doze of every hour.
Most of the places when I hunt the tree I go in set up, hunt and depending how visable take my stand out which can be alot of work.
On the ground I just need a small foldable chair or pad. ( Canadian Tire has the chairs for $16.00).

Last weekend there was almost no wind so I knew it is the good time to hunt the ground.
I sat down 30 yards from were the deer funel out of the bush.
Deer came from all three directions. What a thrill!!!!!!!!!
The next day I sat in a different spot and had a doe within ten yards!!!

The best advice is try to find places with low hunting presure and always play the wind!!!!

Brampton Mike · Post by **Brampton Mike** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:44 pm

Ground blind 99% of the time.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 2:23 pm

tree stand here

Benu · Post by **Benu** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 2:32 pm

I am being flexible. With the treestand, I have to have the right wind for its location on a game trail. If the wind isn't right, I'll go from the ground on foot and blend into the bush. Try to work the wind, and the lay of the land to my advantage. This makes every hunt a completely new adventure to me. I carry a compass a will make my way slowly through the woods, with the wind in my face. Usually I try to work so at the end of the morning or night I am back at my car. I stop lots, call and rattle. And plan to use the Buck Bomb starting next week to coincide with the lunar cycle.

groundpounder · Post by **groundpounder** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:20 pm

I usually hunt from the ground and do not use a bought blind but use whats there. Whether I'm leaning logs up against the tree I'll sit beside or breaking limbs out of shooting lanes to bring back and arange. Or you can usually find a downed tree with easy limbs to get to create a blind. Anything to help conseal some movement or break up your pattern will help.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:52 pm

I usually start out in a ground blind, then if I get restless and have some time I'll go wander the woods - I'll still hunt until I find a spot that looks like it might be interesting and then I'll have a seat. I also have a climbing stand, but I don't enjoy going up or down in the dark so I don't use it much.

Pydpiper · Post by **Pydpiper** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:07 pm

Ground for me. Deer will not see you if you don't move. My last two deer I was sitting idle, in the wide open and the deer paid no attention to me at all. Movement and wind are a whole different story.

DuckHunt · Post by **DuckHunt** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:41 pm

Grizzly Adam wrote:I almost always hunt from the ground. Plenty of brush around here to blend into. The important thing is having a solid background to fade into.

...

Get yourself a pair of pruning shears and a brush saw. Invaluable.

^-----A wise man once said.

Stand hunting is nice, but I LOVE hunting from the ground. I use only nature and camo to hide and always keep the wind in my face during bow season. My current favorite stand is 'The Log'. I walk past two tree stands to get to it. I hunted 'The Log' Saturday and took a doe. I hunted it again Tuesday and took a nice 8pt. The first time I sat on it last year I took a 9pt less than 5 minutes later. The location is perfect. It is on the edge of a ridge near a spur looking down the side. It is downhill in two directions, a natural funnel from many angles. The location just cannot be hunted from a stand. The visibility from this spot is greatly diminished as you get higher. From the ground you can see about 50 yards to the front in the early season and most deer you see will be below you much like in a stand. If you have hills or mountains in your area, many spots on the ground have all the advantages of hunting from a stand.

The nice thing about permanent ground blinds is that you can use them year after year and upgrade them over time. Since Saturday 'The Log' is sporting a nice new shooting rail.

Since the ground foliage providing me cover is still in place I had to stand slightly to shoot Tuesday's 8pt.

For my area you can just see better from the ground and the land lends itself to some great ground set ups.

DuckHunt