Bow hunting from the ground

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lightsareout

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Don't have a climber yet but want to pack a doe in the freezer. How difficult is it to arrow a deer from the ground? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.


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Depends on the setup. If you're nestled into a wall of briar bushes facing into a thicket with plenty of cover and a few open shooting holes, it should be easy. If you're sitting under an oak tree in open hardwoods, it would be a lot tougher.

I personally like to find a tree to lean against, with as much undergrowth around/behind me to blend into. It's even better if you're more in the shade than the deer are. You probably want some bushes/ground cover in front of you too, but not so thick that you can't find or make some openings to shoot through without hitting sticks. And make sure your cam will not hit the ground or your leg when you shoot.

Draw when the deer is looking away, has its head down, or is behind something. Be as smooth and still as possible and try to have the bow ready to draw as you hear one approach, before you can see it.

Also probably most important is the wind. You aren't elevated so if they are downwind, they will definitely smell you. Approach downwind if possible and have the wind in your favor.

If you shoot right handed, sit so that your shooting lanes are straight ahead and to your left. You want as much cover behind and to your right as possible, and make sure all limbs are cleared that could interfere with your bow or your elbow when you draw back.

This is my personal approach, and definitely not the only way to do it. I am still learning how to kill em from the ground, and haven't killed too many that way myself. I've had a few close encounters this year with small bucks that I didn't want to shoot, that I feel I could have shot if I had wanted to. Killed one doe from ground behind a buddy's house, and killed one last year walked up on it bedded down.

Can you rifle hunt the property? More of my rifle kills were from the ground than in a tree.

Good luck


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Wow great tips! This would be my first time out with the bow so it will be a learning experience for sure. I'm planning to hunt the Percy priest wma and don't have a ml or shotty.


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Good luck hope you get one. Not sure where on priest you are but I hear it's tough to find a good spot once the firearms seasons open.


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Find a blowdown of some thickets to get into. I carry a small stool/chair and use the bow holder that sticks into the ground with an arrow knocked. Do a bit of calling and remember to watch downwind and not to make much movement.

Good luck
 
I got one from the ground this year but I stalked up on it. It was in a little food plot and I was walking on the 4-wheeler trail. However, I have had many opportunities on the ground by sitting in a blown down tree, in a thicket, or behind some boulders (in North Alabama). Shadows are your friend and the wind is your enemy.
 
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Good stuff here! I got my first bow kill from the ground sitting in a briar thicket. Hunted some hard woods earlier this year and had much less cover and could not get any shots because the deer saw me easier. Saw plenty, just could not get them in range.
 
I started 3 years ago going at it from the ground with nothing but my recurve bow, a small stool, and a homemade ghillie suit. Absolutely the best hunting experiences of my life. I play the wind religiously and have been so close to deer and other critters that I could of reached out and touched them. These are from last year and this year taken from 18 and 22 yards using a 48# recurve bow and Ace broadheads. If you really want to experience an adrenaline rush, give It a go from eye level.

 

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