I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

I think I finally have to admit it.........

My main hunting area consists of a nice rich farmland with " fingers" of THICK brush and woods extending into the fields.......alfafa, beans and some corn in between. (From the air it looks like fingers on your hand) A few of these fingers are about 100 yards wide.
The problem is that there are VERY few places that I can hang a stand and not disturb the deer bedded in these fingers. They can and do bed ANYWHERE and if you bump them your done at least for the day.

I started to realize this last year (first year I hunted the property)

The main travel route from what I think is the main bedding area runs right thru a stand of cedars about midway down one of these fingers........maybe 1/2 acre of cedars that are tight to the alfalfa field with well used trails heading out the side to the alfalfa and parallel to the finger on the way to a lower bean field. Its wide open shooting thru the cedars but only at eye level and ON THE GROUND. Anywhere that you could hang a stand around this spot is a potential bedding area so that' s a no go, they don' t bed in the small open stand of cedars so that' s gotta be the ambush spot.
I used a makeshift ground blind last year in this exact spot to kill a buck that consisted of nothing more than hiding behind a small fallen cedar.

This year I guess I' m gonna just face the music and accept the fact that my best shot at one of the group of bucks using this finger is to embrace the ground blind theory!

Sooooooooo , I snuck in at noon today and brushed in a nice " V" shaped ground blind with dead cedar boughs . I think it' s gonna work. Looks really natural since I used the already fallen tree from last year and built around it, and it will completely hide even my big butt :D. I even built in a few high spots on the blind where I can draw the bow without being seen.
Ground is soft, and its a SILENT 10 yard creep in from the alfalfa to snuggle in.

I' m going to avoid the area like the plague for the next month until opening day to let the deer get used to the minor changes I made and forget about the scent I left behind.

So it looks like for opening day at least I' m gonna be a " lowlander" and try to fight leg cramps for a few hours[:o][X(].........hopefully it won' t take that long!:)

So how many of you guys are going to give hunting from the ground a try this year?

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

Ill be hunting from the ground. Only one area that i hunt do me and my friends have tree stands hung. The other areas we dont own and cant go to that often except on weekends. Plus we dont have that many treestands to move to other land anyway ;)

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

Sounds like a great situation Matt....can I make a suggestion....;)..a big guy like you, ;) you' d better put on a outfit of ASAT 3D Leafy Wear....lol:D

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

I' ll be hunting from the ground this year I don' t have a stand and can' t afford one at this time.:( I' m gonna be on the ground beside it' s public hunting land anyway and very thick I don' t think I could get a stand back there without scaring every deer within a mile away.:)

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

I' m " Sort of" already ahead of you on that one Rob.......I have a 3D leafy suit (Not ASAT) but I have a bag of ' Sneaky Leaf' pin on leaves for my suit and hat. You should see this stuff on the ground. It' s almost silly at how well it breaks up the human outline.
Besides if I do everything right only my fat head and bow should be visible anyway!:D

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

Some areas just don' t produce the right tree. You know, You' re looking around and saying to yourself....." Man if there was a big ol' Oak Tree right there this spot would be perfect!" But of course you can' t just plant one cuz..... well they just take way to long to grow!:D

I used to hunt on the ground all the time. Staying comfortable, keeping movement to a minimum and being ready is essential. I see myself using treestands more and more each year but I always find locations that are better fit for a ground blind.

Don' t limit your hunting to the treetops. Your missing out on some exiting action at eye level!

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

I have 5 lock on type stands and a climber, but I hunt on the ground occasionally depending on the terrain, and as you said Matt, some places just do not afford a good treestand site. I' ve taken a few deer while hunting on the ground and its exciting.

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

I rarely hunt from the ground. The few occasions are if I' m half hunting/half scouting a newer area, or if I' m bouncing thicket to thicket trying to rattle up a buck.
Sounds like you got a good spot there Matt. Good luck.

RE: I think my best stand ISN' T a STAND!?
 

I don' t own a portable treestand and have only 1 permant one nailed up in a tree on my property. I do most of my hunting from the ground. It' s really a rush to get that close to deer on their level. Like was stated before, you must keep movement to an absolute minimum. As far as comfort, I carry a 5 gal bucket out with me. I use it to carry my camos coveralls in. Then when I get to my blind, I wipe down with some alcohol wipes, change into my coveralls and spray down with carbon blast. I use the bucket to sit on. Works pretty good. I also carry a folding tree saw and a pair of garden shears with in the bucket for last minute trimming. Anyway, welcome to the ground hog fraturnity! Good luck.

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