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hunting without tree stands

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monty3777

New Member
This will be my second year bowhunting, so I am coming to this as a bit of a noob. I am really interested in trying to bow hunt deer from the ground this year. I have done a bunch of searches on this forum, and read as many magazine articles as I can find on the subject. As far as blinds go I have a Barronett 350. I am also considering just sitting in an improvised hide, or using a ghillie suit. Because I am so new at this I wonder if any of you who have actually done this sort of hunting can comment whether or not it's appropriate for a new hunter? I had several opportunities for kills last year but waited, in vain, for a buck. So I can't say I've had a lot of success, though I have learned lots of lessons. My primary reason for going without a stand is that I don't want to rely on others to help me locate trees and set up stands. If I go to nearby public land I want to be able to get in and out as easily as possible.

Any wisdom is appreciated. Like I said, I have done all the searches I can think of before posting this. I guess I'm just looking for any extra wisdom may have missed.
 
Being 100% honest with you, I strongly recommend looking into a highly portable treestand and climbing stick set up. My question to you is you claim your primary reason for going without a stand is that you don't want to rely on others to help you locate trees and set up stands. Why would that require the help of others and how is picking a tree any different than picking a ground blind set up?

I can be in a tree in 7 minutes or less with a Lone wolf and sticks. I know for a fact I could not brush in my double bull the way you need to for deer in less than 7 minutes. I also believe it is 100 times easier to pick out a tree versus finding a good spot to place a ground blind with natural cover. Sometimes it just doesn't exist.

Another issue with public ground is if you make a natural blind, others will hunt out of it.

I have tried hunting from the ground and killed a few doing it out of natural ground blind but would hunt of a tree any day of the week.

I am not saying you can't kill deer off the ground but as a new hunter wanting to get that first buck under his belt, I think it is far more acheivable in a tree versus the ground in a public hunting environment. If you have good private where you can set up blinds for different winds and not have to worry about others messing with your set up then there probably isn't much difference.

I have been hunting 95% public land the last 10 years and I couldn't imagine ground pounding it. It would be too hard to set up a bunch of quality blinds for different winds and not have them jacked with.
 
That's helpful. Based on my very limited experience, setting up a stand 20-25' up was quite a chore. Lugging it in, climbing and securing the steps, etc. Perhaps I'm thinking of a different system then the one you are talking about. I'll do some work on google and check into what you suggest. Thanks for the heads up!
 
I just checked out those sticks. That's what I used last year. If it takes you 7 mins to set up those sticks, and get into hunting position every time you go out then you are a better man than I'll ever be :drink2:.
 
What trouble were they giving you? It only takes a half minute to attach a stick to a tree.

This is how I do it.

I hang the first stick from the ground with the middle step about belly button high. Grab second stick and climb up 2 steps and hang stick. Climb down, grab 3rd stick, climb up to the middle of second step and hang 3rd stick. Climb back down, throw stand on back and grab 4th stick. Hang 4th stick then stand. Climb down, put on whatever I need and climb back up.
 
Yep I do pretty much the same as live but it takes me about 15 minutes. I'm a little out of shape :)
 
It all depends on the tree. Some trees that have a lot of branches and are crooked, full of poison oak etc may take up to a half an hour. Other trees that are straight up and down will take less than 10 minutes.

I will say I usually spend more time putting on my safey harness, bibs, parka etc than I do actually hanging the stand.
 
I'll throw this out there for hunting off the ground. I don't use a blind or anything, but I try to find a tree that I can be behind as the deer approaches. It's hard to explain, but get behind it enough so that you can see them coming by looking around either side. That way you're behind it until they get past you. It leaves you with a quartering away shot. You need to have your bow in position for the shot before they get to you, and you need to be very still as they go by. I've shot several like this, but you need to know where they'll be coming from so you can be ready. Also get comfortable enough so you can stay still.
I agree with Liv that with some practice putting up treestands can be very simple, and getting up in the tree has obvious advantages. Don't think 20 ft is the magic number for how high you have to go if your uncomfortable with it. Im not a fan of heights and rarely go even to 15.
 
Maybe the problem is that it is always harder to do something the first time around. With a little practice I'm sure I could become more proficient at handing stands.
 
Fred Asbell has a couple great books out on ground hunting....very good reads. Lots of good solid info like timekiller gave you.

Find your best ambush and do whatever you have to do to make it huntable. Sometimes the ground is best, other times a tree is best. Some of my best hunts were on the ground. It sure is nice not having to climb a tree every time you hunt. I think you'll find a stronger sense of accomplishment with the deer you kill on the ground also.

Not much for pitching products, but those Lone Wolf setups really are a great system. The Muddy harness / climbing systems is tops also. I know there's a lot of folks on here who will tell ya the same.
 
Just checked out Fred Asbell's page. Gonna get the book on still hunting. I really appreciate all the thoughts on this thread. Lots to think about. I'll put a stand on the private land I'm hunting, but I think I may try staying on the ground on public land - just for a goof!
 
Cut your hanging time in half by hanging your stand in the PM and hunting the same stand the following AM(wind permitting).
 
I have permisson on a small little 18 acre chunk of CRP thats right between two pieces of timer. I've taken two deer from the ground there, got my buck last year from it. I build my own brush blinds in like July or August. I just find an accesible spot for the wind then find some small saplings that are growing in there and get a bunch of brush and sticks and build it. It doesn't get more natural than that. And if you didn't know that you had built it and walked by you wouldn't think anything of it. I've literall had deer walk within arms length of me.
 
In my teens and 20's I thought nothing of the 20 ft. stands...kind of enjoyed the view. Not any more...most of our stands are less than 15 feet up, and it seems to work fine. In recent years I've done several ground hunts, and I can envision a day when all of my bowhunting will be either ground blinds or natural hides. Not there yet, but I think it could be alot of fun.

Shot this buck while sitting on a fallen tree last fall using a method very similar to what timekiller talked about. At 15 yards eye-to-eye, it was quite the rush.

BuckFront2.jpg
 
I would go practice setting ur sticks and stands now. The best tip I can give you is go and find where u want to hunt this fall and scout NOW. Find a few trees you think are in a good spot. Hang your sticks and stands how you would during season. Then trim your shooing lanes and get it ready for season right now. Then go to the next spot and do the same. This will make it way easier and faster during the fall.
Also this gives the deer time to adjust to the different look in the timber. As for ground blinds for deer. I have a few set up but They are already set up. I leave them up all year. The deer dont give them a second look. But I do hunt on private land.
 
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