practice shooting sitting on the ground cross legged or from a chair of your choice.
face how you are going to shoot , like 90 degrees from the trail.
devise or buy a bow stand so the bow will be vertical, so there will be little movement like raising and flipping the bow frome Horizontal to vertical
the less you can see the less you can be seen

 

This is a very solid foundation......^^^^^^

I've hunted a bunch from the ground and killed a lot of deer in that manner, but it is more challenging than a treestand because you are at eye level and can't get away with nearly as much. Some contend that camo and face cover isn't really necessary for bowhunting.....and that may be true for THEM in a treestand. But from the ground, a leafy type suit that is of the same tonal coloration as the foliage is advantageous. So is being still and doing whatever you can to be downwind and/or scent containment measures. That is a hot topic here on AT, because most either hunt from the air or are ground pounders out west doing spot and stalk. Ground ambush hunting is different from both and every little facet can make a difference in success or failure.

Building a little "fort" out of branches and such at the base of a tree is the way firearms hunters tend to ground hunt, but I've found being "in" a natural part of the habitat such as a blowdown or hedgerow or edge of a thicket gives much better cover. With a firearm or xbow, there isn't nearly the required movement as drawing a vertical bow, so as mentioned above, a bow holder that keeps your bow vertical and easily in reach is indeed valuable. When ground hunting, I always carry a folding saw and nippers, so I can cut a hole to sit and shoot through. It is easy to get caught up with lots of shooting "windows", but that also turns the backdrop to swiss cheese and makes your human form more visible. WATCH FOR POISON IVY in hedgerows.....don't ask.

Keep in mind a prey animal has eyes on the side of their head to see a much wider field of vision than predators. When you are timing your draw, make sure the animal is turned away, has something blocking their head or has moved on a bit so you are taking a quartering away shot. If they bust you on the ground, most often the "jig is up" and you won't be getting a shot at that particular animal.....plus they run off blowing the alarm to anything else in the region. However making a good shot at ground level and experiencing the elation of going about things in a more challenging manner is very rewarding......some of my fondest bowhunting memories are ground level kills.

 

I do it all the time

Best think you can do is get good at shooting from the ground, play the wind, and keep enough of something infront and behind you to break up your silhouette. A patch of tall grass/cattails/undergrowth or a tree with some sticks you place infront of you will work wonders on hiding from deer.

 

That's what I do. I usually have a few spots rigged up with dead limbs like a barricade. I'll use tall grass & ditches to. You want something where you can cover up your draw movement & break up your outline. I use a leafy top & face shield....don't forget your tick repellent

 

I carry a small pair of pruners with me and will stab a nice bushy branch in the ground around me. I also practice shooting from sitting and all kinds of odd positions so I know which I can draw from and how I’ll need to orient my setup to take a good shot

 

I do it all the time

Best think you can do is get good at shooting from the ground, play the wind, and keep enough of something infront and behind you to break up your silhouette. A patch of tall grass/cattails/undergrowth or a tree with some sticks you place infront of you will work wonders on hiding from deer.

I also carry a small machete in my bag for cutting branches to put in front of me as well as cutting shooting lanes through grass

 

natural blinds and blowdowns are great blinds. Be prepared for the most intense and fun hunts you will ever do. Bow on the ground is the biggest rush there is!

 

I’ve had deer step over my legs but was never able to draw because there were so many and one would’ve picked me off if I so much as lost control over my breathing. You don’t realize how hard it is to stay still until you have to stay still

 

They must have had covid and lost their smell............

 

My buddy used to do it all the time. We built a back stop behind him out of sticks and pine limbs. he pruned shooting lanes in front of him but didn't put any sticks or pines in front which would have obstructed his shot.
Ches.

 

Knee pads, or some type of pad to kneel on is a must. If you aren't comfortable, you won't sit as long as you should.

 

Bring a 5 gallon bucket to sit on , it will be you best friend.

 

When done correctly with patients ground hunting can offer some of the closest encounters for sure, very addictive. Permethrin on the clothes and picaridin on the skin will keep you in the game. I personally think back cover is more critical than cover in the front, but definitely use both. After you settle in to your spot ALWAYS take a practice draw to check your shot angles and bottom cam clearance with the ground. Keep in mind your bow lengthens after release. If your fortunate enough to get to full draw on the ground you don’t want something like a cam striking the ground to put a bad end to a good hunt. I usually use my heel to kick an indentation for my butt and also my cam clearance if needed. Carry some good hand pruners and light cordage for making blinds with what’s available. BE READY, things happen fast on the ground!

 

I hunt 100 percent from the ground. I use existing cover, pre built natural ground blinds, a leafy suit and a small camping chair. I carry the leafy suit in my backpack and put it on when I get to my blind. You must cover your face and hands, play the wind and place a Thermacell at your feet to keep bugs and ticks away. Practice shooting from a chair is a must, as that is how you will be hunting.

 

After several years of wanting one I finally got a waldrop pack seat. If you want to hunt the ground and need/want a chair this is by far and away the best option we as hunters have imo. In addition I think a 3d suit or guillie type suit is pretty much essential on the ground. I setup my pack seat with a small pack that mounts to it and use this a s a mobile setup. Worthy investment if you ask me.

 

Please consider starting a thread and listing the reasons the waldrop is so useful. I've looked at them but it isn't popping out at me why I should get one. You might help folks decide on one. Thanks.

 

It is quite a rush. I started bow hunting about 10 years ago and while I did shoot a few does from a stand my extreme fear of heights had me start to use the ground. A lot of lessons were learned. As others have said what is behind you is crucial. I have found blowdowns are great for back cover. I also have a lot of shots from my knees. In the past few years I’ve taken two nice bucks and a good amount of mature doe from the ground all very close and great encounters. I also spooked the largest buck I’ve ever seen in person he got 7 yards away from me and was rubbing a tree. He never knew I was there eye level…. But I was shaking so hard he caught my draw… lessons learned.

 

Turkey hunting in the spring is the best way to train and hone your skills for fall deer ground hunting. Yep, practice from the chair/stool or position you intend on being in. Shoot contorted and weird angle shots because you may not be able to adjust your body for the "perfect form" shot. Wear all your gear including gloves and face masks. These things are essential to fool a critter on the ground for face to face encounters. Practice holding real still and also practice holding your bow at full draw to get them muscles into shape. Get a real comfy cushion and make sure your chair is at a good height to eliminate legs getting tired and numb. This is your #1 detail to get right.

I like blow downs, root-ups, thicket and tall weed pockets, and brushy funnels to hide in. Here in Michigan there is no shortage of such cover. Make sure you clear a nice patch of ground of debris for quiet movement and twisting. If you are in a a buggy area, make sure you use a good bug dope or Thermacel. I like Picardin based sprays.

I use a limb attached stand for my bow and keep it right in between my legs ready to raise and aim. Laying bow across lap is not recommended. Keep it upright to make is smooth and undetectable.

Some of my best hunting has taken place on the ground out in the open and gives you the ultimate in movement, changeup, and coverage.

Be prepared to very surprised and busted many times. Just goes with the hunt type.

 

I've had some good success getting deer in close on the ground by using blowdowns and large oaks to help hide my movements. Early season I will use a thermacell with earth scent as a cover scent and I just use my first lite specter or fusion camo.

 

Pay a lot of attention to being able to draw, plan how and when. It doesn't always work out to get a shot, but it's pretty easy to have deer within 10 feet. The one thing that's made a big difference for me is hunting on the ground when it's windy. You can get away with a lot of movement if things are moving even a little bit from the wind.

 

I didn’t read everyone’s replies so forgive me if this is duplicated info. Ive successfully killed a bunch of deer from the ground without a blind. Be smart about wind direction and do enough scouting to know where they primarily come from and set up accordingly. It’s nice to have something that naturally takes the deer’s attention off from you and your setup(like an active scrape). If there aren’t any scrapes, you could make a mock scrape and often times they will be so focused on checking it and freshening it that you can make your move successfully. Be careful with your scent. Where it’s legal you could put some type of attractant and that can do the trick.
Using Food sources and water hole can stack the odds in your favor as well.
Maybe even a decoy. I e done well from the ground by making sure there is some type of distraction from me, something that takes the focus off from me so I can get a shot. Draw the bow when they are preoccupied with whatever that distraction is. Good luck have fun and aim small.

 

I grew up still hunting as a kid. I shot a 130+ whitetail at 4 yards with a rifle.. That deer is what made me want to try bow hunting. I normally shoot 80+ pound bows. A couple years ago I put 60 lb mods on my mathews.
I can draw the Bow almost laying in my lap.
Every deer I've killed has been with in 20 yards so speed hasn't been an issue..
I've had the best luck locating a feeding tree early in the season. White oaks are a favorite food where I am. I just sit against a tree close to the feed tree. I've also had good luck easing through the woods like I was squirrel hunting..
If you think you are moving slow enough, slow down. I take a step or 2 and stand there for 15 min. Another step and wait 5 min etc.. move just enough that the scenery changes. This works really well during the rut and when you are in a new area. You can explore while hunting..
If you want to really see something interesting,
Try rattling during peak rut.. There's a 4 or 5 day window in Texas where I hunt that the bucks will run over you rattling in thick brush on the ground..

 

It's way harder and will probably make you a better hunter.

I'd invest in a leafy suit top and get one with a hood or use a face mask to further break up your outline. People like the ASAT one, but there is no hood so you have to wear a mask and that is a dealbreaker. Mine has a hood and then I use face paint.

You'll probably want a small seat, like a tripod one.

You'll learn a lot as you go.

I'll add if you are going to use natural cover, then you might as well also make simple blinds.....not the big ones that are semi permanent or the little ones that you can hardly shoot inside....instead I'm talking camo cloth in your backpack with paracord then 4 or so bamboo tomato stakes bungee corded and used in one hand as a walking stick.....find a spot and use the cloth as a blind without a top or necessarily a back and then brush it in....with that setup and a leafy suit i've had does feeding 10 yards from me with the right wind and they had no idea i was there

it's actually a very exciting way to hunt

 

Alot of great tips on this thread.

Who has used a turkey hunting low profile chair for ground hunting deer?
I'm considering buying one for this purpose and would like some suggestions

 

Pay more attention to your back drop than the cover in front of you for sure and if you did want somthing really light weight to carry in and out that work phenomenal give the ghost blind a try and to echo of what others have said a lot of practice shooting sitting down

 

I hunt white tails from the ground. I have tried the low turkey seats. No good. You will get busted just as often on the low seats, as you will on a nice full height stool. So you might as well use a comfy chair / stool that is eaiser to shoot from.

The best tip I have for ground hunting. Hunt the deer trail your on. Position yourself so the deer are going past you, not coming at you.

 

I'm not a big fan of leafy suits but if I hunted on the ground I would be. I have hunted on the ground where I can but in my home state it's pretty tough..........so thick it's not to productive.

I used ratchet cutters and make natural blinds.

 

I would assume that a blowdown is foliage that has blown over and on the ground like a tree. I could use that as cover and set up an ambush there.

 

You'll find a lot of reading and pics here

Search results for query: natural+blind

www.archerytalk.com