Hunting on the ground

[goose19726]

I started using ground blinds a long time ago, my first was several old burlap bags with leaves and twigs and other natural debris shoved into it and draped over low lying brush, just enough to provide a little cover for inadvertant movement on my part. I now use one of the large pop up blinds, I try to place it somewhere that it cannot be easily seen, such as inside a group of trees or in tall grass, I also brush it in some and use cover scents to mask not only my smell but the smell of the nylon (if I can smell it, I am sure the deer can too). i can sympathize about the tree stands not being strong enough, I weigh about 285, so I bought a summit gorilla, it is rated for 350 lbs. this is my first year to use one and I still get a bit nervouse climbing up those tree's with it

[tator]

AMEN to the weight thing fella's... i too am a big guy... 6'3" and 280 lbs. (and never played a day of football in my life, can you believe that???-- didn't have it at my old H.S.) any stand I use is a ladder stand... I DO have one climber, but it makes me pretty nervous sitting in it. Ladder stands tend to be more secure (to me at least). I do prefer to be up in the tree though.. and not on the ground.

[charliealley]

Whodat seems to have many of the same questions as me. Although I'm in central Tx. I too hunt on the ground. my box blind has been in the same place for years so the deer are used to it. Deer trails within a few feet of it. I have questions about scent control. I too smoke but I am on the property so much I wonder if they are not used to it. I posted a new thread with some of these questions. Charlie

[rdrader2002]

Hey there Charlie, I'm also in Central TX and have a ground blind made up of a couple of 6 ft T-posts and several old wooden pallets. It's just enough to get behind to hide any movement. Have used it to low/high crawl into place when getting out to my "huntin' spot" a little too late and the deer are already there.