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Bowhunting from the ground

tlambert

tlambert

PMA Member
Here's I topic that I'd like to learn a bit more on. After reading all of Kaare's bowhunting stories about close calls with bucks on the ground I decided that this year I was going to give it a try. I went out twice at the end of the early bowseason and sat in some boulders in a deep valley. I wasn't still hunting, just sitting without a blind. First night I had a smaller 8pt go by at 15yds none the wiser and the second night I had a turkey at 15yds getting a drink but he caught me drawing...to say hunting like that was a blast is an understatement:drink2:. With the snow on the ground I can't wait to bust out the snow camo and try some more of this in late season!

I'd like to get some tips and tactics from others here who hunt like this. Seems like a great new tactic to add to my arsenal, especially for those areas that lack good trees, but I'm just a rookie when it comes to ground hunting...
 
One of my favorite ground setups is hunting the field edge trails of a standing corn field. I like to find a spot where there is a heavy trail on the perimeter of the corn and also a trail coming out of the timber/cover. I knock down just enough stalks to make lanes, and also use them as blind material. If you make shooting lanes on each side of the timber entrance you can catch the traffic going both directions.

Unless they come straight at you and ya have to shoot them at 4 yards like I did last season. She turned to run and I let her have it.


I think the best ground setups are the ones where you are completely concealed until the animal is past you. 1. You have the animal looking away from your position. 2. You have a nice shot angle.
 
River1 said:
I think the best ground setups are the ones where you are completely concealed until the animal is past you. 1. You have the animal looking away from your position. 2. You have a nice shot angle.
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10-4 to that. I used to hunt a ground setup regularly. It was a brushy fencerow that I cut a little "slot" in for a sitting spot. There was enough cover to be very well hidden but yet I could see what was coming left and right through some little gaps here and there. Behind me was a VERY steep hill that deer never used so it practically guaranteed that all deer would be coming from left, right or forward. This spot overlooked corn/beans depending on the year. I had more than one shot at 5 yds when they walked right along the fencerow in front of my gap.
 
I have killed 2 mature bucks and 2 doesfrom the ground and have had numerous close calls/encounters where I should have killed one. One thing I have found is the camo pattern you have on makes a huge difference. You need to match your surroundings as good as you can. Leafy suits would be a plus. All the times I had close calls and kills, I was wearing Predator deception or Fall Grey patterns or Natgear Snow camo. The deer never even knew what hit them or shot at them. ASAT camo would also work out great. I am going to put Optifade camo to the test this late season to see how well it works. One other thing, you are LESS likely to get away with hunting without a head net/face mask/face paint from the ground.
 
Almost all my bowhunting is done like this,..heck most of my hunting is. I have only bowhunted 3 yrs so far from advice worthy am I. 07 and 08 bucks we arrowed from the ground, could have taken a few this yr that way. For me, nothing compares to hutning off the ground without a blind, it's a hoot.
 
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Shredder makes good points.......hunting on the ground is about the only time I worry about good matching camo. I like to wear some old light brown camo when I hunt in the corn. Face mask to!
 
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I have a ghilly suit I wear when hunting from the ground. It doesn't really have a camo pattern, most of it is burlap and string with some realtree strips but it works great. I think it works because it breaks up your shape as well as blends in. When I do get busted, even after a missed shot, the deer will often walk up and look me over like they are confused or curious. I've been busted in a picked field at first or last light, sat down slowly, and had the deer completely ignore me. I even started wearing it for muzzleloader season with an orange vest and it seems to work just as well.
 
I've hunted exclusively from the ground since the my fall in 97. Although I don't shoot a lot of deer, I've put my share in the freezer and have passed on many that would have been chip shots. Both bow and muzzleloader.
The past few years I generally wear my skins. Although it's not camo, I feel that the fringe helps break up my outline, and it's a good sized outline at that.:D
I concentrate my setups to have the sun at my back and stay in the shadows. Cedar trees/bushes are a favorite along with round bales or deadfalls. It goes without saying that wind direction is paramount to success.
Another very important thing to remember is be comfortable! If you're squirming around because your legs went to sleep or your back is hurting, etc., you'll get busted. Take a seat that is a comfortable height for you. I like the seven gallon buckets with a padded swivel seat.
Practice shooting sitting down and at odd angles. You never know when you may need to shoot where you don't expect to. Always plan ahead.
There's nothing like the rush of having deer at mere feet from you without a clue you are there.
 
The older I get the more time I spend on thr ground.Spent a lot of time sitting in standing corn this fall.

Agree with shovel really like to sit up against a big cedar.
 
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