How does everyone here hunt?

[woodsman1031]

Hello,

  This is going to be my first primative archery season in October. I have always hunted from a 16' stand, but Using a longbow I am going to probably still hunt or hunt stationary on the ground. I know alot of yall use a longbow from a tree stand, but I dont have the means/time to drive to my place in the country to practice from the stand often enough to become proficient.  I also like the idea of being close to the game.

 Here in my county in Tx you can only take doe in archery season. One day several years ago I still hunted when it was drizzling. I got within 7 yards of a doe, but I could not shoot her because I was gun hunting. It was an absolute rush being that close to her!  I have not still hunted since then because I got the tree stands the next season. I am hoping to get that same rush this year.


Tommy

   

[TRACY]

I hunt from a stand and from the ground. I'll stalk when the weather/wind is in my favor or even during the rut. I enjoy hunting from the ground more and more. I probably spend most of my time in a climbing stand. Do what makes you happy. Good luck this fall.

Tracy

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

i prefer to hunt from the truck window, but the steering wheel catches my bottom limb every time.......ok   maybe not....   but seriously i really enjoy hunting on the ground, if i am on the ground i like to sneak around creek bottoms where there is a bit of noise, if i am in a stand its a 12ft high latter stand i make from lumber, sometimes here in FL, you just have to get up off the ground b\c its just so flat.

[Ryano]

I hunt out of a tree stand about 99% of the time.  I like hunting from the ground, but I feel the deer have a distinct advantage over you on the ground.  Its not as much about them seeing or hearing you, its more about them smelling you, and it seems to happen much more frequently to me on the ground.

[hawkbow]

Mostly still hunting and spot and stalk for me.. but i enjoy long hours in the stand also... every species is different and terrain allows for different tactics.. good luck brother and shoot straight.. Hawk

[JackCrafty]

Never tried a tree stand but I've hunted from behind blinds and also stalking on foot.  I prefer to stalk...I get REALLY impatient if I'm sitting still and I want to shoot every possum, skunk, rabbit, and snake that goes by.

[Hillbilly]

I enjoy both methods, depending on the mood I'm in.

[Keenan]

 For deer I would agree with Ryan about the advantage's of a tree stand. But when hunting elk witch is most of my season it's a cat and mouse game and all about positioning. When I locate the elk the first thing to do is figure out his situation. Single or with cows, cautious or hot and coming n fast. From there it's studying the terrain and figuring out how to use it to your advantage. Wind direction,cover and shooting lanes are some of the factors but also sun position,and natural known pathways. The out thinking and strategy is the most exhilarating factor of the hunt. Elk are always full of surprises. even after 30+ years of hunting. But and afternoon in a tree stand over a wallow on a hot summer day can be rewarding as well.

[JW_Halverson]

I don't know much about East Texas, but here in the Black Hills of South Dakota it's pretty feasible to ground stalk deer because of the heavy ground cover (ponderosa pine seedlings so thik it's called "doghair") and the broken terrain.  I am no expert at ground stalking, but I got a doe a few years ago just by spotting her and sneaking up on her on the other side of a small ridgeline.  The last 20 yds I stalked was in the wide open, but I had lots of groundcover behind me to mask my profile and it was a windy day so all the motion around her masked my movements.  The other deer I got was a very large mule deer buck, and I was in the wide open in a small meadow with a half dozen does that he was seriously interested in servicing.  I coulda approached him in a clown car with a full contingent of Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey's best and he woulda ignored me.  Stuck him at 15 yds, pure luck, plain and simple.  NEVER underestimate the power of luck, spend enough time in the woods and something has to break for you eventually.

[John K]

I'm a ground hunter all the way. I like to find a good trail and set up on the down wind side of it, i usually have a few ground blinds made up, so if the wind changes so can i. The first deer i shot was from 5 yards on the ground. Talk about a rush !  Plus it's easier to take a nap on the ground 

[Kegan]

On the ground. Usually stalking. Actually, pretty much only stalking. My first year I had luck sitting, but since then I've never had the patience. I disdain to hunt from trees- I'm so darn impatient .

Getting within range has never been a problem. Getting an arrow into the deer however...

[Dave 55]

If there is alot of ground coverI tree stand or ground blind hunt there is too much chance of busting deer out of their beds and a nice buck wont put up with that much without hatn up for good.If visability is good then spot and stalk can work and be very enjoyable.If your just out to fill a tag a tree stand is hard to beat for white tail.

[predatorcaller]

I stand hunt a little but really enjoy the spot and stalk.Nothing like coming eye to eye with your quarry.Last year I stalked to within 10 yds of 2 different bucks but couldn,t shoot because they weren,t legal but it was a RUSH!!Any type of hunting makes me happy.Lloyd

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Rather get busted on the ground, than kill a critter from a Tree stand  .....certanly tree stands are much more productive, but nothing beats getting amongst them

[aaron]

I live in SW washington state. i hunted blacktail from the ground for 5 years- either stalking or in improvised blinds. never got a thing. never even took a shot.  . Last september first i hunted from a tree for the first time- (not a real stand, but a 12x24 inch chunk of wood lashed to the tree).At 3pm that day, i took a 15 foot shot into the lungs of a doe with an obsidian point- she went 100 yards . I'd like to get one from the ground one day, but i'd say a treestand is the way to go for beginners like me.