Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting You eastern thick woods deer hunters: tree stands or ground hunting?

Thinking back on my reply post, and the event quite a number of years ago... @Bill_N, you are absolutely right. I was overlooking an open field roughly 75-100 yards away with an old open sighted Marlin 30-30 rifle. I was up in a large hickory tree, with oaks scattered all around before the big clearing/field.

I’ve killed deer from both, but in my experience farm deer seem way more tolerant of a ground blind than the northern forest deer. Maybe because I hunt public land, I find that the deer are more nocturnal i.e. paranoid and the bucks tend to move in the more secluded, thicker cover. Getting above the brush from an evergreen tree stand gives me more time, better concealment and a better shot angle. Advantage: a tree stand in my case.

I mainly hunt public land, and stay on the ground. Moving slowly. And not often in one place. I usually hunt the edges. I believe they call it “still hunting”.

I’ve walked up on a thickets that were too thick for me to go into. You can hear the deer snorting, but they aint coming out.

Hogs often like to move around in the thick canes. It’s a little easier to get in and flush them.

Most of the time just getting out and exploring, experiencing, is enough. Getting a shot is a bonus.

Ground blind, or "still hunt" with Grandkids.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/PWcpjwS.mp4[/img]

Been hunting from the ground using a pistol the last few weeks. Having a lot of fun and seeing a bunch of deer.

Looks like a fun recovery in that last pic!

Shot by Grandson #1. Grandson..... "How are we going to him out of there?" Granddad ...."I can guaranty you my feet won't be wet!"

We got lucky. We were able to get a rope, with a slip knot, around the antler and we both pulled him out.

Good deal. Your pictures look like what hunting in New England looks like in my mind.

Use to hunt from tree stands but I like to still hunt better.

I carry in a Summit climber but stop to rest every now and again. My age is 66. - Sherwood

How to cool your meat.