HUNTING FROM THE GROUND
There are several different ways through which we can hunt bucks when ground hunting.
Sometimes our styles differ from what we read online, which is normal.
I’ve had success with various styles and techniques when deer hunting.
Whether I’m ground hunting deer with a bow or sitting in my ground blind setup. Depending on my environment, I dip in and out of different ideas to get the best results.
I hear time and time again that most hunters prefer to hunt from an elevated position. It is possible either through a tree stand or a ladder. However, in areas where trees are short and far from each other, this can be a problem, and line of sight makes most hunts damn tricky.
I always find that hunting from the ground is necessary for these areas. Rifle or bow hunting from the ground without a blind can be more challenging. So, it would be best if you use a blind while turning hunting deer from the bottom.
However, this article will also provide information about hunting deer from the ground without a blind when using a bow.
HOW TO HUNT DEER FROM THE GROUND?
In the coming section, I’ll highlight the how-to’s to get the most out of your hunt when deer hunting from the ground.
If you’re impatient, like me, I’ll spare you the long read so you can get back to ground hunting sooner.
Set up in the best terrain in hilly woodland or swamps that offer ditches and creeks. Even right across from food plots would work well. Placement is everything when you hunt from the ground.
Be still – find the right hunting blind chairs to sit comfortably. Rustling around when waiting is the quick way to scare away does and bucks.
Hide perfectly – it may seem pretty explanatory, but I always walk around seeing pre-set-up blinds that are brushed awfully, right in plain sight on the tree line. Don’t be afraid to grab a large cedar wood branch to keep you out of sight.
There are some more tips that you need to follow for bowhunting whitetail deer from the ground without a blind.
But let’s jump into that in the following steps.
SIT FACING THE DEER AND THE WIND
Since the deer are sharp in sight and smell, so they can easily detect you from far away. However, it is not usually being spotted that spooks deer; it’s most likely your natural human smell that the deer sees.
Therefore, if you are bow hunting from the ground without a blind, you should sit facing the wind to ensure the whole hunt stays scent-free.
If the deer is upwind, it would have a zero chance of detecting you. This way, you can easily hunt the deer once it is in range.
Another essential step for rifle or bow hunting is that many blinds come with odour suppressors.
This is important to look for when buying your blinds.
These suppressors help in reducing the odour of anything inside the blind. As I mentioned above, it’s a pretty good idea to brush your blind. Not only for camo, but natural brushing can help disguise smells.
Also, over the years, I’ve found that wearing rubber boots whilst hunting is almost a surefire way to eliminate smells since they don’t smell new shoes, which usually deters deer.
CONTROL YOUR MOVEMENTS
Once a deer notices you or your movements, the deer will not come back to the location.
It’s fair to say that deers are prone to movement and can easily detect you while you are moving. Therefore, try to stay as quiet as possible.
If you are using ground blinds, then it is to your advantage since you have hidden movements.
Don’t start going in and out of the blind as others think you’re being quiet, but lemme give you a heads up – you’re most likely not.
If you are crossbow hunting from a ground blind, try to keep the crossbow near you.
This way, you can quickly grab it once the deer is in sight without diving over your blind chair when the action starts.
MAKE A DEER NOTICE
Mind-blowing fact alert: A whitetail deer cannot see the whole colour spectrum. It can see only green and blue ranges.
Therefore, for hunting whitetail from a ground blind, you can hang camouflage clothing on your ground blind. It would attract the deer towards you, and you can easily hunt them down.
However, if you are bowhunting from the ground without a blind, you can wear a camouflage mask over your whole face.
This would allow the whitetail to see your face as a single block. So, as soon as it reaches near, you try to keep your weapon ready to aim and shoot.
SIT NEXT TO THE OPEN COUNTRYSIDE
Whether you’re hunting whitetails from the ground without a blind or sitting inside, try setting up next to an open field or an area with a lot of vegetation around. This way, you can remain hidden from the deer while the deer grazes around the room, giving you plenty of ground to cover.
This method is not very applicable for archery hunting from a blind due to the distance you’ll need to cover.
However, rifle hunting from a ground blind can be beneficial in these situations. This is because you can effectively reflect once you see a deer and prey on your hunt without acting before the whitetail vanishes.
It would be best if you were very careful in selecting the right area to hunt your prey.
Sometimes, open field areas are best for hunting down deer. However, regions packed with trees are best for the job at times.
Keep your option flexible, scout the area before you set up, and find something perfect. Don’t set your hopes on your standard setup.
This is what keeps every hunt as active as possible for me.
SECURE YOURSELF
It would be best to secure yourself while hunting from the ground.
Find a secure place for you, try to sit on a stool, and always keep your weapon near you.
Be mindful of the area around you since there can also be an ambush from behind. Covering your back is the most overlooked aspect of camouflaging effectively.
An upward angle cover behind you can stop you from being spotted from the top of a valley or hill.
PROS AND CONS OF HUNTING DEER FROM THE GROUND
The pros and cons of hunting deer from the ground in a blind are the following:
Pros
- You can quickly get into your setup without being detected when hunting from ground level. Climbing trees and coming down from them can be challenging at times.
- You cannot stay sitting on a tree branch for hours. However, you can stay on the ground for long hours. This technique increases your chances of tagging your prey.
- It is acceptable for people who are afraid of heights.
- You can move more while on the ground, and it becomes easy to lure your weapon around for some time.
Cons
- It can be challenging to detect deer when hunting from the ground, while you can see hundreds of yards away from an elevated position.
- It would be best to have extra precautions to avoid being detected when hunting on the ground.
- You have to use some hiding mechanism like a blind, increasing the effort of hunting deer.
- It would be best to find a suitable terrain where the deer has few options to go away.
WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATION WHEN HUNTING FROM A GROUND BLIND?
Well, if you are using a blind when hunting from the ground, then try to secure your blind as much as possible. You can connect your blind by placing a paracord all around the blind’s circumference.
Additionally, always try to attach natural camouflage as vegetation and leaves to the blind. This article covered all the aspects of how to hunt deer from the ground. We hope it will be helpful for those looking to hunt deer from the ground.
