Home on the Range #047: Ground Hunting Blinds – Hunt Deer at Eye Level

When it comes to hunting a lot of us get mired in the weeds and the minutia of the tools we choose to deploy. Whether it is archery hunting and you are reevaluating the arrows, string, and quiver you use… or firearm season and you are re-thinking the bullets, firearm, and optic you utilize… Whatever it may be, we get bogged down in the tech, the equipment, and the hardware of it all. What about where you simply position yourself? People spend exorbitant amounts of money on trail cameras to know precisely what and where the patterns of game animals are. Moreover, people are spending thousands of dollars on elevated box stands. What if we took it old school and went back to the ground though?… Ground hunting blinds are still a very valuable tactic when hunting whitetail deer and all manner of wild game. We will assess whether getting eye level with game is right for you as well as all of the pros and cons behind it. Let’s dive in!

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Pros – Ground Hunting Blinds

When it comes to using ground hunting blinds there are plenty of positives to it. You are more mobile, it is less permanent, and often lighter than any elevated or hang-on treestand. One of the biggest advantages though is being able to shoot from different angles, see a new perspective, and to change your mindset about an area you are looking to hunt. These are some of the lesser known positive attributes to getting back on the ground with your hunting tactics.

New Shooting Lanes – Hunting from ground level offers new shooting lanes that might not have been available to you from up high. There are less thick branches in the way and you have less “ugly math” in calculating shot distance (shooting flat versus high angles).
No Heavy Canopy – When you hunt from elevated positions – hang-on treestands and elevated box stands – you often are fighting to see and shoot through a different kind of foliage: tree tops and canopy. This can obscure shooting opportunities and block your view entirely. You don’t have those road blocks (vision obstructions) on the ground.
Change your Scenery – Changing your scenery (going from an elevated position to the ground) can often change your perspective or the mindset of your hunt. You might see new trails, new shooting lanes, observe deer further away. Sometimes variety like this can flip the switch to the success of your hunt.

Cons – Ground Hunting Blinds

As much as we want to hype up how cool of a departure from hanging in the trees ground hunting blinds are, there still are some negatives to being that close to the game you intend to hunt; whitetail deer or otherwise. For one, during early season hunting it could be a lot more dense in foliage and greenery on the forest floor than a view from above. Aside from that, game has even more ample opportunities to spot you before you can get off an ethical and humane shot. Let’s look at some of the inherent negatives to ground hunting blinds.

Foliage and Greenery – During early season hunts the lush forest floor might not allow for long shots. Moreover, it might be so thick and dense that “shooting lanes” might not be present at all. They could be non-existent compared to hunting from above.
Quiet as a Church Mouse – When you are on the ground, you are that much closer to game animals. As a result, silence and being motionless is even more important. This translates into less room for error when eating Snickers, texting your wife, or checking your fantasy football team on your cellphone.
No Skunks Allowed – You better have some cover scent on, showered recently, and skip that gas station burrito (you know you’ll regret it the moment you bite into it). When you are on the ground, your scent is that much closer to their nose. So, if you ever had trepidation about game smelling you from above; its even more likely on the ground.

Being a hunter from the Midwest that has pursued elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, black bear, antelope, turkey, and numerous other small game animals, I am from the camp of “hang-on treestands are the way.” Yet, in the last several years I have departed from my upbringing to try more ground hunting blinds and I have experienced a lot of success. So, it might be something for you to consider as well this season as we approach many autumn hunting seasons opening soon. Simply, food for thought. As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

Photography

All of the quality photography for this article was completed by Savannah Pierson of Savvy Photage. She is an expert in her field and her assistance in creating engaging photography and content is greatly appreciated.

Adam Scepaniak