Ground vs perch

[stumper]

Which do you do and why? If you have done both do you notice a difference in your rate of success? Pro/cons of each??

And go!

[Captainkirk]

Ground. My back and sciatica pain get me squirming like a nightcrawler after a couple hours. In a stand, all you can do is; a) stand up, or; b) sit down. At least on the ground you can shift and move around some. Since switching to the ground, my whole perspective and enjoyment factor are completely different. I feel like a hunter, not a sniper.

[Crazynate]

I love hunting out of both. This year because of back surgery I stayed in the ground. I would say I have shot more deer out of my climbing stand which I use all season on state land. Blinds are to visible to other hunters and when the wind isn't right I can't just make a ne one very fast. I have had deer SUPER close hunting on the growing a ghillie suit though. It is a blast being at ground level.

[Shadowhntr]

I also use both. I think we limit ourselves to miss a whole lot of hunting if we dont use both. (Of course medical issues aside for all the following info and DO NOT PERTAIN).

After 30 years of hunting, there is no doubt ground hunting is less effective on average in my local topography. However, ground hunting can be more rewarding. That's not to say stand hunting is not rewarding because it certainly is...its just ground can be more so in the right instances.

I use common sense and try not to box myself into a formed frame of mind. Sometimes I've fought for a long while trying to figure a way to get a stand up in an area when nothing seemed to be working for one. Suddenly to realize I just needed to hunt the ground. In the same way, if we are bound and determined to make a ground hunt out of a super clean bottomed hardwood forest setting, we may get that done, but maybe at a high cost...so why not just use a stand?

To get the most out of your hunt area....dont be afraid to employ every resource available to you. Stay versatile, stay open minded. You'll be miles ahead.

One of the biggest inhibitions of ground hunting, is truly getting an open shot void of ANY obstruction. Another issue, is we cannot draw much ahead of time like a wheel bow hunter can. Pretty much the shot needs to be presenting itself and in the clear, and if in the clear, the deer can easily pick us off in making a draw. We almost need something more for luck at the right moment. Things like the deer looking dead away, scratching itself, paying more attention to other deer then us, putting head down to feed, stopped with head behind tree...etc. Of course I do not use blinds as such for a few reasons and so im describing a hunt out right. Why I do not use blibds are multiple. One, lack of mobility taking away much of ground huntings advantage. Two, anyone can hunt it. Three, deer know it's different if it's not made well in advance, plus we stomp all over the place looking for materials to build it with, meanwhile stringing our scent everywhere. You won't get many shots like that.. Four, I'm rarely right as to the location of where the blind is built and it needs moved too often for my liking with the amount of work involved. Five, I won't use pop ups because deer pick em off RIGHT NOW unless you can brush em in and leave them sit. I cant...i hunt public.

Treestands also have their problems. Without a planned attack, getting positioned just right is tough. They to need unobscured shooting areas. You won't likely be shooting many shots to your off side or behind with a stick bow in a stand. They can be uncomfortable, cold, and noisy , if you don't have a good one.

Pick your poison of the day

[Graps]

I have always seen more deer on the ground.
I have thought that I get busted too easily while in a tree.
I also agree with Fred Bear, He thought the kill zone on a deer is too small from an elevated platform and less likely to get a double lung.

[stumper]

Good deal guys. Just see a lot more pictures in views from the perch was beginning to think that I was one of the few on the ground.

[Graps]

And if you stay on the ground, you won't be registered as a DEER DIVER in the emergency room.

[Captainkirk]

And if you stay on the ground, you won't be registered as a DEER DIVER in the emergency room.

[Shadowhntr]

Ugh....ive personally heard of 3 people falling from whatever heights im unsure of . And this just over the last few weeks.. Two had serious injuries, and one unbelievably only minor ones....

In all 3 cases none of them had their saftey harness fastened, and one of the bone heads didn't have a harness AT ALL.

[Carpdaddy]

Tree hunter here, plum back to the old Baker Stand days! Just don’t climb as high or quick as I once did.