gzg38b

Does anybody else occasionally bowhunt off the ground in a natural ground blind? Sometimes I think we get too pre-occupied with getting up high. I've been in natural ground blinds that offered amazing concealment, and they can be extremely comfortable too depending on the setup. You just have to really watch the wind, but I do that anyway. Sometimes, when hunting the thickest, nastiest cover, where you can only see 15 yards at most, a treestand just isn't feasible. And getting a popup blind in therequietly won't work either. For these areas, a natural ground blind may be the only way to hunt it.

It's a real nice change of pace, too. Sometimes when you are 20 feet in the air you feel somewhat disconnected from your surroundings - like a spectator in the cheap seats. On the ground, you don't feel that way. You're right IN it, instead of above it.

My grandpa never hunted out of a tree, and he killed alot of deer with his recurve from natural ground blinds. He liked to dig a pit and sit with his feet inthe hole and his back up against a stump. Then he'd pile brush strategically around him for cover. He was a killer back in the day. And without scentlok and scent spray, too.

I'm going to try to take a deer with my bow this year out of a natural ground blind as a tribute to gramps.

MN/Kyle

In red: That is why I often like to hunt off the ground, it's a nice change.


In Blue: I wish you the BEST of luck, and hope you meet your acomplishment as a tribute. Awesome.

gzg38b

Thanks Kyle. Family Tradition is a big reason I bowhunt.

Someday, I'll try traditional for the same reasons.

But as far as hunting tactics, I think the natural ground blind can be extremely effective in the right situation, and it's the most over-looked tactic out there IMO.

hillbilly archer

Rarely do I hunt off the ground. I probably should more, but there is nothing quite like being 20-22 feet up in a tree. I love it.

gzg38b

I love it too. But can you imagine the rush of getting drawn back on a nice buck at 10 yards - while sitting on the ground at eye level? That would be a helluva rush. [:-]

Jasonlester

I've probably killed as many off the ground as anything. I do own a pop up blind but never liked it much so don't realy use it.

My first buck was shot with a bow on the ground at 20 feet. He wasn't huge but man what a hunt. I had camo on but wasn't in a blind but did have a good background. The deer never saw me walked straight in with his nose to the ground. I thought I'd have to shoot him in between the shoulder blades (new bowhunter thought. I'd never take that shot) He turned broadside at 20 feet and the arrow passed through him before he knew anything. He jumped a log and stopped to look back at me. Then took off and ran a big arc. He ended up running into a tree and staggered a few more steps and fell over. Died on he feet.

(My bow was a mid 70's bear polar 2 compound)

On the ground close up is an awesome hunt. You have to do everything right.

Jasonlester

oh yeah I had a small 6 point at 3 feet one time on the ground. I should have shot him but wanted him to take on more step... Before he did he looke right at me. All I could do is watch him run off while I sat there at full draw.

Thats a memory I'll have for ever. Too fun.

gzg38b

That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. I love treestand hunting, but you just can't DO THAT from up high!

djs06dc5

i've shot my only deer from the ground @ 7yrds, no blind, no nothing...just sitting still. last season i only hunted on stand twice and didnt see a thing. the reason i mainly ground hunt is the ability to move.
last season i was sitting on an up-rooted tree, right at the root. about an hour goes by just at first light, i hear some noise, thought it was a few squirrels that were in the area. out of nowherea few doe come from behind the tree i was sitting on(didnt have a doe tag for the wmu i was hunting). i'm talking no more than five feet from myself. they got about 10 yds. away from me when the 3yr. old 10 pt. that was chasing them came bolting out from the same trail they did. didnt have a chance to get a shot. my point is that ground hunting is just as fun if not more fun than stand hunting.

MichaelHunsucker

I absolutely agree. I love bowhunting from the ground and it can be EXTREMELY effective. Theres just nothing like being eye to eye with a big mature buck! Also, the majority of our spring turkey hunts are done with natural ground blinds rather than pop-up blinds.

Rex and I killed this buck from a cedar blind this December.