Can I tell you a secret? I know this might be hard to believe, You can kill deer from the ground with a bow without a blind. Let’s face it, we all know it can be done. We see the guys on The Hunting Public and Whitetail Adrenaline do it successfully while videoing. I’m here to tell you, big bucks aside, if you want to fill a freezer there is a great chance pounding the ground has advantages over aerial assault. We have long accepted that hunting has become an elevated only proposition. I say the hell with that. Gird your loins and sneak like Cochise, get to hunting not just ambushing.
I spend a lot of my time in a Trophyline Treesaddle in the fall. I think that this system gives me a huge advantage when it comes to hunting whitetails. Sometimes though, I get to a spot and decide that the shooting lanes are more conducive to a shot from eye level. Wind and back cover will also push me down to the ground. Occasionally, when I have history with an area and I have been picked off out of a tree I will often put the ol under brush rush on ‘em.
Back cover and finicky winds will also make me take the ways of our ancestors and come down out of the trees. Back cover is key. It is way more important than cover in front of you. On the ground if the wind shifts you can too. With all of that there is no better way to scout for hours and then set up for closing time.
Most of my outdoor activities are broken down into systems and hunting from the ground is no different. That being said I will just decide to put my saddle platform on a tree like a tree seat at a low level and just tuck in if I get to a place and decide not to climb. I did that a few years ago and was able to take a doe at 12 yards with a well placed arrow.
Note the climbing sticks on the tree in the background. I decided to hunt from the ground once I saw the lack of shooting lanes to the pinch point I wanted to target.
In most instances I will be rocking a ghillie suit. In my opinion ghillie suits trumps 3d or leafy suits when it comes to hunting from the ground in most cases. I trim my bow arm jute short, I also trim around both my cheeks and chin so I can anchor my bow properly. It is tough to find a suit that is specifically made for bowhunting. The thing about the ghillie suit is it allows you to blend in by breaking up your human outline. I love the confidence feeling invisible brings to my ground game when I’m in the suit. I don’t consider it essential but I do think its ideal.
Tucked into a root ball during a snow, ghillie suits are much warmer than clinging to a tree in cold weather.
You should have a small stool of some sort. I have used an Ameristep Swivel Stool for years. I love the ability to swivel without extraneous motion. I also like the adjustable legs. It packs up small and is very light for what it is. Any stool will work but that particular stool is my go to. I have also used a basic camo dove stool with a pouch on the bottom side. I like that because I can carry a drink and snack in it.
Also on the list of items you should have is a bow hanger of some sort. I use a Hawk bow hanger that is attached with rubber ties. If you’re on private land an E-Z hanger or simple hook will work. I like to wear face paint when hunting from the ground. I feel I cannot anchor my bow as quickly with a facemask. One more thing, I sight my single pin in for 26 yards, from the ground I am good to 35 with that setup.
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In the end I ended up going to a tree to set up my saddle, and decided to sit on the ground for a better shot. I took that doe at 12 yards no ghillie, no face paint. the next night as I sat through a steady snow in a root ball near an apple orchard I knew the doe had no idea that I was there. I looked like a brush pile in my ghillie. Unfortunately, I blew an easy shot by rushing. That’s two deer in two days, with a bow from the ground, on public land. Thankfully, I connected the next day with a rifle…from the ground.
Full freezer with venison all taken from ground sets over a week worth of hunting.