I was lucky this year to get one on the ground at 12 yards. I have analyzed and dreamt about that hunt since then. What allowed me to be successful, albeit mostly by luck, was several evergreen trees that were between me and the deer and were just sparse enough to allowed me to catch glimpses of where he was moving to. When I saw that he was coming out to one the sides of the evergreens, I stood and drew and waited for him to emerge from behind them. He no sooner did when he saw me and stopped dead in his tracks, giving me just a second or two to lock on and shoot. Since I was already at full draw and tracking him as he came in, that was all I needed.

I plan on doing a lot of ground hunting next year as a result of the rush it gave me and is still giving me a month later. My plan is to try to get in the same type of set up as I stumbled on this year. I plan (and have already picked out a few places where I can do this) to set up with an evergreen directly in front of me, between me and the trail(s) I’m watching. This will allow me to see both sides of the trail and to draw when the deer walks behind the evergreen and be ready for the perfect quartering away shot as they emerge on the other side. It sounds almost fool proof, so I’m sure it won’t work for me. Of course, as others have said, I will be paying very close attention to the wind and my scent.

Anyway, that’s my plan and the scenario I will be trying to set-up every time I’m on the ground, or until I discover another way that may work better. Luckily, I have the perfect woods to do that in.