Ground hunting
 

Whats up yall!!! new to the forum!! been reading it for a while but just now joined.

My question is,

I have always hunted from stands but tommorow have the opportunity to hunt some nice QDM land here in eastern VA.

Im hunting from a ground blind with some downed dead oak tree cover as well. It over looks a hollow in dense hardwoods. i will be slightly on an incline looking downward over about a 100 area with several shooting lanes including a logging roads. My most distant clear shot would be 125 yards max. i have been hunting 5 years but never from the ground. Any dos and donts would help!

i will be wearing scent lok and using a 270 reme with 3x9x50 scope.

Thanks for any advice. i guess im most nervous about the deer walking right up on me.

even less movement

Scent-Lok works, but not miracles. You have to do everything else right too. It also helps to use a spray of some sort on your lower extremities to avoid laying down a ground scent. If you see nothing your first day, the lingering smells you leave as you walk can last for 48 hours.

Move slow when you do move. Itchy nose? Move your hand up real slow, scratch slow. LOL! Need to turn and look around, do it slow. Need to bring up your binos to take a peek at something?... do it slow.

Find a comfortable chair or something to sit on. An uncomfortable chair is a pain and will get you moving around excessively to get comfortable. I built my own from 2"x2"s and 2"x6"s cut length ways and made a nice little stool. It's rock solid and allows me to sit comfortable all day if necessary.

I'd turn the power down on your scope. If I were in that scenario, I'd probably move it down to 7x. It's easier to acquire a target that way, especially if he's close in the brush.

After your hunt, if you do go out in the morning, you'll soon find out if you had some branches, etc, in some strategic spots around your blind, it would help. Bring a saw or pruners to help with this. When building natural material blinds, I have a special bag where I have tools that help me work faster. I also carry wire and pliers because often I need to secure brush down and it really helps to make it more rigid to with-stand the wind and accumulating subsequent snowfalls.

Just remember to have a good time out there. Don't pressure yourself you need to see something. Whatever happens, happens. Enjoy the moment and reflect on your life, your family, what's in front of you and keep picturing and knowing that the deer you're looking for can step out at ANY MOMENT!

Good luck and welcome to the forum here at HuntingNet.com!

iSnipe

Thanks for the advice. i dont know why Im so nervous about hunting a ground blind. i guess im so used to seeing every thing from above i feel like im gonna miss something.

Im excited though..it will be a learning exp for me im sure. this was a sudden hunt and no time to hang a stand and my climber is down in SC.

thanks yall

One last thing... Don't get too comfortable. LOL! A deer can materialize at any time and your shot opportunity can last a couple of seconds. If you have mini-senderos or narrow spots where you expect deer to cross, it helps to make a bleat sound with your mouth to stop them. This will buy you precious seconds to determine if you want to shoot or not. Depending on width of narrow area, a deer can cross one of these narrow spots in 6 seconds. That's not a lot of time to do much and easier yet to be looking elsewhere and miss the crossing all together.

If you can, keep the rifle in your hands at all times.

iSnipe

Depending on the type of ground blind it is, you might also want to remember that if it is the type that has many different windows, do not open 2 that will allow you to be silhouetted through them. Had this happen during early doe this season. Stuck my fat head to look a bit behind me and there stood 2 doe heading my way.

I have hunted from the ground alot. 1. Get a portable rest for your gun. 2. Watch the wind even more even though you have scent lock don't rely on it. 3. Keep movement down and your eyes open things aren't as clear when looking from the ground then from a stand and they will probably see you first.