shooting in prone position

[zenmonkeyman]

Just wondering if anybody has a technique for shooting while prone?  This year I had a 100% busted rate hunting off the ground, and yet that delicious looking gang of elk were often in open field.  I started to wonder if I could lie in the grass and shoot off my back thus removing that large movement of coming to my knees to shoot.

That photo we've all seen of Ishi shooting at a deer makes me see possibilities, because he's shooting off the wrong side of his bow (sorry Josh  ) with some kind of a pinch draw that I can't quite figure out.  But if I could figure it out, or go with some kind of a thumb ring release, the hunting opportunities would really open up.  Thoughts?

[Will H]

I'm pretty sure this is in the wrong section but...you can shoot off your back. It's not that hard. Just shoot bare fingers and squeeze the arrow between you index and middle finger with a standard meditranian release holding the arrow against the bows shelf. I'm not sure trick shooting on big game is the best most ethical thing to do but if you were so inclined it would work with practice.

[Dazv]

shooting from your belly would be easier i think

[burchett.donald]

   Just an idea to throw at ya, I don't know your situation or terrain but I've killed some white tails by hunting from holes I dig along travel routes and place small amounts of brush around them. Sometimes I get busted but it's been working better than my brush blinds. when I sit in them my head and shoulders are the only thing above ground level. It is a lot of work but I use them over and over now that their established. This would be great in high grass! The indians also used this technique and a lot of other hunters as well.

[CherokeeKC]

If you practice enough it wouldnt really be "trick" shooting so therefore it would be ethical if he could shoot accurately in any position.

[zenmonkeyman]

Thanks guys, lots of food for thought there. Will, I'm definitely going to have to look up this Mediterranean realease. Davz, it IS possible to shoot conventionally off the stomach but it's extremely awkward.  Definitely in the realm of trick shooting.  Tried it the other night and out of 4 arrows at 15 yds, 2 were "kills" and two were misses or gut shots.  Lots of thrashing to draw since the right arm does double duty keeping your body off the ground and drawing the string.  On one shot, my draping clothes severely caught the string on release. Donald, that's a fantastic idea but I don't know how I'd pick one spot in a large field to do it.  Plus the farmers might not be thrilled, lol. I'm a firm believer that an ability to be dynamic and reactive and able to move at a moment's notice is a huge advantage in a game that's skewed in the quarry's favour on most days.  Thanks Cherokee!

[Prarie Bowyer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzDbH9TK_mY

[Alpinbogen]

Cool video.  Yes, you can shoot on your back or your belly.  If shooting on your back, you just have to grab the bowstring with your fingers curled a little more around the bowstring then normal.  When you draw, you'll also need to pinch your fingers against the arrow nock.   When you draw back, your fingers will naturally straighten out and twist the bowstring and nock towards the riser.  Your finger pinch on the nock will hold the arrow tight to the riser even though it's unsupported on the front end.   I've practiced both ways and even hunted like that a few times in certain field or meadow crossings where there isn't any cover.  Never had a shot at live deer like that though.  It's definitely more of a 10-15 yard thing.  20 is stretching it. 

[crooketarrow]

  I can save you from getting cold laying on the ground. I've shot 36 bucks with a self bow since 06 all from the ground as well as 15 gobblers 2 last spring one with and OSIDEN HEAD. And I been busted so many times I can remember them all in my 42 years of hunting. There's 3 things you got to do.
   #1 LEARN TO HUNT THE WIND PERIOD NO IF'S ANDS OR SENT- LOC thats better.
  No matter what kind of sent-loc or how much spray you use. YOU CAN FOOL AND MATURE BUCK OR ANY DEERS NOISE for that matter.
  #2 If your hunting off the ground get a GHILLIE.
  #3 And until I started doing this I like you got busted dozzens of times. You HAVE TO SET YOUR SITES UP WHERE THE BUCK OR TURKEY GO'S PAST YOU. All animals focus ahead of themselves where their going. They know it's safe where the just came from. This is how indains lived by the bow for 1000's of years. Not by thying to draw whille the animals broadside to them. They pick you off everytime unless they turn their head away from you.
  So it you let them go past your ground site far enough that the don't see you in their prefuale vision. You can't draw. A decoy or anything that will draw their an tation your twice as better. I set up like this and lots of times depending on the angle of the ground site and the trail I'm shooting. I do this I take some doe urine buck urine any sent. Put it in one of those tinks orange canester.
  Don't ever go on the up wind side of your trail or cross it for any reason. I've throw it across on the up wind side of the trail. Just to draw the bucks attention that way. He'll differently turn his head that way when the smells it. I like using this trick when ever I can't set up where the buck where ever the buck can't quarter past me.
  Thats the only way you can draw when he's perfectly broad side to you unless he turns his head walk behind a tree or bush. Then you have to draw while his heads hidden. Lucky if he stoped there. You don't have a compound where you can draw while his heads hidden and be drawed when He comes out the other side.
   Hunting from the ground is differently 10 times harder I long for the freedom of movement and how well it keeps your scent above the deer when your up in the limbs. Exsecialy calling.I know I stand hunted for over almost 30 years but now I wouldn't have it any other way. There's no cheating from the ground like it is up in the limbs. But alot less work everyyear puting up and down a dozzen loc-ons. That I don't miss and if you fall off your stool the grounds not so hard.
  Learn to do these 3 things and you won't have to lay on that cold ground for hours. I promass you lots more shots.

[zenmonkeyman]

Thanks for the input Alpinbogen, it can get lonely in my head sometimes, lol.  Crooketarrow, that all sounds like fantastic advice.  Gonna start pricing some ghillie suits!

[Josh B]

You don't have to buy a guillie suit.  If you can get a hold of burlap, cut in strips of various widths and lengths, dye it in several  natural  colors, then sew the strips in a random pattern over an old set of bdu's  or whatever  camo clothes  you want..  the trick is to fold the strips in half and sew them at the fold.  Then you tie the strips in a simple knot  and fray the burlap into strings.  It's  little  time consuming, but well worth it.   Josh

[Prarie Bowyer]

Thanks for the input Alpinbogen, it can get lonely in my head sometimes, lol.  Crooketarrow, that all sounds like fantastic advice.  Gonna start pricing some ghillie suits!

There are some great prices on them at 3Rivers?  Or cabellas.  I found a few places on line where you can get actual suits like kits.  they aren't fundamentaly hard to make unless you want to go with something that has the actual leaf shapes.  The first ones were just burlap fibers and patches in different colors on a loose net type garment. 

I want to say I saw I saw a cool pancho one that I almost bougth but I figured it would get in the way of shooting, unless I clipped back the arm part.  I didn't know what would be more scary.  The sudden sight of a hunter or the sudden sight of a disembodied arm holding a bow.

[Pappy]

Sounds like all very good advice. I guess that's why I still mainly hunt from the trees. By the way Crooketarrow what state do you hunt in ? I thought TN. had liberal limits on deer.36 in 4 years and you had stated in another thread that you hadn't killed any this year and only kill mature bucks,that's 9 mature bucks a year for 4 years with home made stuff and from the ground. Very impressive !!!! Zen I would listen to him or better yet visit and see if you can find out how he does it,like I said very impressive.  I have tried it and it is very very tough to get a shot at a whitetail from the ground.  I am always truly impressed with anyone that can,especially on a regular basis.
   Pappy

[crooketarrow]

  Thats 36 bucks with selfbows sence

[crooketarrow]

 Thats 36 bucks with a selfbow since I started building and hunting with my own bows 21 years ago. I've killed 98 bucks in all with everything in the last 41 years. Includeing a doe with a ATALI 2 MISS'S WITH SPEARS I gave that up.  Also 31 gobblers with a shot gun 15 more with selfbows. I grew up with a turkey nut my GRANDAD that kill over 300 gobblers in 90 springs. He died at 97.
  I quit shooting anything that wasn't 3 1/2 in the last 11 years. I killed 11 mature bucks 4 MOUNTS THE REST SKULLS  with my self bows I ALSO HAVE 5 rifle 2 ML ,1 OF THESE IS FLINT LOCK,1 PISTOL MOUNT.
  I haven't killed a buck since 09 a 133 10 point That I rattled in shot 13 yards with a Hickory bow dog wood arrow and home made trade point.. I did shoot a 8 1/2 year old doe last year my oldest deer and one this year with growth on here head. All of my mounts are 118 to 138 nice for my area. I never said that all 36 selfbow bucks were mature but 11 are 3 1/2 or older with my oldest 6 1/2 . But I can say this there no spikes or forkies in there. I'd quit shooting those a long time back. Even back when I rifle hunted.
    I havn't hunted with anything but selfbows off the ground since 06. When I had 2 strokes  this made me a total ground hunter. I couldn't hunt 06 to the spring of 08 missed 2 gobblers both under 15 yards. . COULDN'T FEEL MY ankor My right side of my face was numb so I cut my arrows down to the heads touched that first year. Killed a 4 1/2 year old point a 3 yards. Always said GOD must have sent him to me. Because then it was 10 yards or under. 4 OF THOSE BUCKS AND 3 GOBBLERS WERE KILLED WITH KNAPPED HEADS. WAY OVER HALF OF MY 36 BUCKS 15 GOBBLERS   WERE SHOT WITH SHOOT ARROWS AND HOME MADE TRADE POINTS.
     I'm have 2 farms I manage and 2 other places that I share with other hunters.LUCKELY THEY ONLY SHOOT MATURE BUCKS ALSO. This year so far in 56 times HUNTING I've saw 34 bucks passed 7 shots on smaller bucks 13 were shooters at least passed on a dozzen shots on doe's. Missed a 8 pointer I call shortie a 5 1/2 with short tines in the low 120's had 4 other shooters with in 15 yards that didn't pan out.
  I hit a yote after missing 2 others one morning.
 PAPPY these bucks came from (MOSTLY BERKELY CO. WV ) WV some VA and MD did kill one in KANSAS and one in OK both recurves. If you'd like pic's. sent me your email address. 
  I assure you anything I say is through 1000's of times setting in the cold. Never spot lighted a deer in my life and all 98 bucks were legal I have tags for each. All but one I shot a 11 point 2 days after season when I was 15 teen then I shot compounnds ( onidia eagle ). I have 12 mounts 27 skulls and 3 storage bens full of antlers to prove what I say ask anyone who knows me.  ABOUT ME. I did'nt join this sight to POST  hunting just build bows. This why I don't post much about hunting.
  I do totally buck hunt from OCT TO JAN everyday I can. My bow biulding JAN to spring gobbler then between fly fishing in the summer and in a couple other hobbies and family. All my times taken. I come to enjoy the getting ready as muck as the hunting.
    KNOWLEGE WITH  OUT EXSPERANCE IS JUST IMFORMATION