Ditch the Treestand! Ground Hunting Tips

Bowhunting from the ground is an exciting and versatile way to hunt. You don't need to carry a treestand or worry about finding the perfect tree. Just find some fresh deer sign and good cover. We teamed up with The Hunting Public to bring you these ground hunting tips.

[@douglawyer51]

It's tough but exciting and a heck of a lot safer. The older I get the less I feel comfortable up in a tree. I only get in ladder stands I have put up. Ground hunting is a reward all its own when it works. Be safe and have fun.

[@carlosmatos9848]

Nice! Alot of people told me I needed a tree stand, but that's obviously not the case. Thanks for the tips.

[@bigboinutbaggins7134]

Took my first deer just being stealthy walking around the woods. Not that hard just be aware of your steps and surroundings.

[@ronnygunsalus3533]

These guys are good tho. But I have alot of deer off the ground all my biggest bucks where off the ground bow gun and xbow

[@jaycopiskey]

I hunt from the ground 60% of my hunts. I have a bad shoulder and switched to a crossbow. Please do not judge me or comment with negative feedback of crossbow hate. My comment is to help with tips on ground hunting. I've had absolutely great luck on the ground. I enjoy it tremendously. Keys for success are..... #1- Spend a little money on a comfortable chair that swivels. Spend 100$ or more for comfort. If your not comfortable, you not going to be able to sit still. Then you will not be successful. Dig your chair a foot in the ground. This makes you shorter and less detectable. #2-Where a ghillie suit. It's a must have. I've had deer within 5 ft of me with a perfect wind and not even look at me. #3- Practice scent control to the best of your ability. Nothing is going to completely eliminate the human scent all together, but theres a big difference between Sniff- Somethings not right here, I think I'm going to just leave the area. And Sniff- Smack!!!( Deer is punched in the nose with toxic scent. Ahhhhh!!!!! that smell, its burning my nose!! Snort, blow, ..repeat! #4. If shooting a bow, make sure you , practice drawing before you hunt. Cleared out anything in front of you that can interfere with your draw in any way. Whether its bumping something or touching the ground because you did not practice first, you're screwed. If your shooting a crossbow, buy a shooting stick. Then you can rest the cross bow on the stick with the butt of the bow on your shoulder, ready to shoot. This is the only way to be comfortable and motionless

[@heathbiehl1225]

Solid advice. Want to take my kids out hunting and this seems like a good way to go. Thank you!!

[@jacob4047]

I got a crossbow for the same reason and although I am a beginner, I got my second doe of the season last week from a patch of reeds in some bottom land, wearing my ghillie. I was surrounded by dear, within 5 yards at times before I was finally able to get a shot on one. What do you recommend for scent control? Thanks

[@whitetailpoet4243]

Great advice. Thanks, I love the eye level approach, and when I can, combining a canoe-in hunt with a ground sit. Keep up the good work! New sub from Nor Mn.

[@BowhuntersUnited]

There's nothing like being eye level with a deer! It's a really fun challenge. Thanks for the sub, I hope you enjoy the videos!

[@HONDAMeskin123]

This is a great video thanks

[@matthuntsboston]

Not a fan of tree stands. I like the freedom. Thank for this. Landscape is a lot different from where I live but principles still apply

[@blamegame1013]

Awesome

[@chrisbaran4214]

5 gal bucket works just fine or blow downs put my daughter in a blow down Nov 20 2021 she shot a 130 class buck at 15 yards lol !! I got a few hot spots in southern Michigan you should come hunt Zach with hunting beast boy’s !!

[@robteaster2446]

All good tips, but what about doing this using a rifle? Thanks.

[@jetdriver26]

How are you sitting comfortably in order to keep still?

[@razorreilly10]

i only hunt from the ground in spots where the deer are traveling thru and not linger spots like food plots or feeding area so that allows me to shift/move as needed to stay comfortable and not risk being busted. so sometimes its a mix of standing, sitting, kneeling

[@skymagruder5270]

I went to the ground and get busted a lot less than when I was in the stand. Deer are hunted pretty hard where I go

[@BowhuntersUnited]

Glad it's working out for you!

[@wadesoutdoors1914]

How do you guys use the wind / thermals?

[@BowhuntersUnited]

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[@brandonmoss9103]

Is he saying “CRP”? Can someone tell me what that is?

[@skymagruder5270]

Conservation Reserve Program. Landowners are financially encouraged to grow native plants, but basically we call all prairie or tall grass pasture CRP 😂

[@aaronsabin8868]

CRP?

[@highwayman3747]

Conservative Reserve Program The government pays you for letting areas of farmland to grow thick with grasses and shrubbery.

[@aaronsabin8868]

@@highwayman3747 thank you.

[@americanpatriot212]

@@highwayman3747 is that everywhere???

[@maxcrippen7582]

i havent hunted out of a tree over 40 years and i all ways feel all of my tags

[@meateaterwhitetail7291]

I wouldn't always stick with ground hunts. It works, but not 100% of the time. In the Pope and young 90% of bowhunters are successful hunting from treestands. I'll speak the facts. If you happen to catch a buck bedding on a windy day. Spot and stalk will work on the ground if theres a buck bedded. Waiting on the ground is a small chance.

[@thereelaccountant9246]

That's kind of a biased stat because most of those hunters are hunting from a stand, so there is no way to tell how successful they would be on the ground. Very scewed statistic

[@kidneystones3406]

There's a lot variables that in that equation hunting pressure habitat private land public land. I hunt farmland and marsh areas alot deer sign is were you can't hunt from a tree . I be willing to bet a majority oh those 90% of those Pope and bucks are killed lightly pressured private hunting land.

[@meateaterwhitetail7291]

@@kidneystones3406Some bucks in the Pope and young were taken from public land. Privates got some nice bucks. Its not all that like you think. Anyways I wont spot and stalk. Unless I caught him bedding. 99% of the time on both public and private ground.... I'm on a stand. For Open cattails. I'd bring a ladder or a stool just to get above the cattails....

[@kidneystones3406]

@@meateaterwhitetail7291 Killing a whitetail deer the ground is more difficult especially spot stalk. I plan using ground blinds or staying in one spot on the ground. This year I have ghillie suit that synthetic that only ways 2lbs plus I be using my tree saddle this year using the one stick climbing method so I will be hunting 100% mobile with tree saddle and my ghillie suit in my back pack. I hunt I. South east Wisconsin and some of the areas can't hunt from tree because the cover to thick. Some of trees you climb even with tree saddle so it's very situational. I be willing to be well over 60% of those Pope and young bucks are lightly pressured areas. Spot stalk whitetail is high level of hunting that's fred bear is regarded so highly and he using recurve bow you have to respect especially with of how popular the crossbows have become sad.

[@mknight5159]

My uncle is in the book. He didn't use no treestand or high tech bow. He used a Herters recurve that was made in the 60's. A Port Orford cedar shaft at 23/64 diameter and spined at #70-75. His bow is only pulling #35's. He likes using stiff twigs. 2 Bladed Zwickey Delta broadheads hand filed on a Mill Bastard file. He likes using red fletchings because when you shoot a deer. Your looking for the same color red. Helps locate blood and your arrow. That 145inch pope and young buck of his walked by him 3 yards away. Uncle scott was kneeling in some tall grass with his bow propped up by a stick. It walked right by him and then quartered away giving him a perfect shot at 7 yards. Arrow passed right through both lungs and the deer didn't make it further than 60 yards. All on State Land. He owns a 145 acre farm in southern MN with a thick woods and still only hunts State land. A true woodsman who can sneak right up on your ass and you wouldn't even have a clue. As Scott would say..See you in the woods.

[@killak1322]

Where you get your camouflage jumpsuit from bro? I need that lol