Favorite bow hunting method

[mrpetera]

I'm new to bow hunting, but have been hunting since I was a kid. I have done a lot of reading through the forum and other sites, but am really curious what is everyone's preferred method of bow hunting. Specifically do you use an enclosed blind, tripod, pop up, tree stand, tuck yourself into the woods some place using natural cover, etc...

In addition to what you prefer, what have you been most successful with meaning what method has led to your best kills? Those two don't have to go together but might. You might prefer a tree stand, but have had better success out of an enclosed blind.

Just looking to learn from others experience and preference, I suspect I'll get a variety of opinions, but thought it could be informative.

[Black-N-Red]

I’m climber guy. I love to hunt out of a climber, you can carry it in, find a tree & climb it. If the wind ain’t right just pick a tree where the wind is right.

When I use a hang on & sticks it takes me almost 45 minutes to get set up, a climber, I’m up the tree, set up & waiting in less than 15.

Also you can go as high as you want, I’ve been as low as 8’ off the ground to around 45’ in a pine tree.


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[Jason Fry]

About all I've ever done was tree stands. Use the old treehouse building skills, throw up some steps and a 2x6 or two across a limb fork, and go hunting. I managed one deer spot and stalk, but every other deer (6), pig (2), or aoudad (1) has been from a home made tree stand. I have hunted from ladder stands and a tripod a time or two on other people's setups, but haven't killed a bow animal from one. I also hunted quite a bit out of a climber when I lived in East tx, but no success.

[Pineywoods]

I'm new to bow hunting, but have been hunting since I was a kid. I have done a lot of reading through the forum and other sites, but am really curious what is everyone's preferred method of bow hunting. Specifically do you use an enclosed blind, tripod, pop up, tree stand, tuck yourself into the woods some place using natural cover, etc...

In addition to what you prefer, what have you been most successful with meaning what method has led to your best kills? Those two don't have to go together but might. You might prefer a tree stand, but have had better success out of an enclosed blind.

Just looking to learn from others experience and preference, I suspect I'll get a variety of opinions, but thought it could be informative.

I prefer being in a ladder stand. My favorites are tall low profile stands that are 17-18ft. I have taken all of my bucks with a bow from up in a tree. Understanding your property is very important (bedding areas, natural food sources, natural funnels, etc). Scouting in the off season is also a very important tool in understanding the best stand placement and type. I don't like to bow hunt over a feeder personally. Where I primarily hunt in Houston County, you will see lots of does and young bucks at the feeders but the mature bucks are too smart to give you many opportunities under a feeder. I like to hunt game trails or natural funnels near thick nasty bedding areas. I have killed many bucks that skirted a feeder area on game trails 50-100yds from the feeder that never even thought about making an appearance under it. Once I find a good travel corridor to set up on, I like to use corn or sweet feed in piles at a few known distances. Sweet feed has been extremely successful for me. Each property is different and each hunter has their preferred methods and styles that they have adopted over time. This is what has been effective for me and I have killed a lot of animals with a bow.

[HoustonHunter94]

I really like being elevated somewhat. My main treestand is a ladder stand thats only 12ft tall but I still prefer that over a ground blind. I just like the visibility. I have and will continue to hunt in a ground blind if that is what is best for a certain spot, I just get bored looking out of one or two little holes at a specific spot or feeder. I like being able to have a large field of view and elevation gives me that most of the time.

[Big red 1616]

Hunted both ways ground blind and trees. I find bing in a tree is funnier due to being able to see all around you. Ground blinds have blind spots.

[DapperDan]

Out of a tree for me. Pop ups are ok but I like being elevated. Bait piles in thick areas work like a charm. Especially in dense areas where 20 yards may be your furthest shot


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[ccbrown50]

Not a ground blind fan. Prefer elevated always rather it be a climber, ladder, or tri-pod. If I were to hunt a ground blind I would build one with cattle panel and brush it in in lieu of a pop-up.

[mrpetera]

Good feedback, thanks for the responses. The funny thing was this weekend I got spotted on a tripod by a doe. The tripod is backed up to to some mesquite trees so I had some good cover behind me. I actually think she saw the white vanes on my arrows first. She was probably right around 20 yards. Then the next morning I let my son sit on the tripod and I tucked myself in a thicket with some burlap in front of me and had a doe and fawn within 5 yards, until they picked up my scent. This is sure testing my skills which made me wonder what others do and have the most success with.

[Patton]

In regards to stand sitting with a bow, I much enjoy hunting on the ground in a brush blind for the added ‘thrill’ of having animals that much closer—but up in a tree is more successful for me.

[txbowkill]

My favorite is bow hunting out of tripods , easy to conceal and mobile.

[Clark]

what have you been most successful with meaning what method has led to your best kills?

Most of what you asked is subjective..
But in regards to the specific question above.
I am a much more effective killer from an enclosed ground blind.
They hold your scent better, allow much more undetected movement, especially when drawing your bow and double lung shots are far easier because of the reduced angle.

The limited sight from those blinds definitely reduces the experience, though.

Hope this helps.

[flywise]

ghillie suit, recurve and 2 lbs hand corn

[Tony Pic]

I have been hunting 34 years and never shot a deer with a bow(compound) from the ground and never killed a deer with a gun from the air. Since I went traditional/recurve, I have been hunting on the ground to try and accomplish that goal and gun hunting deer less and less. Unles it is for hogs and axis. On the ground in a pop up blind is how I bowhunt now. My knees are shot, so on the ground hunting now for most everything.

[walker1983]

Hands down the most successful way to kill deer with a bow on our places is out of the enclosed fiberglass bow blinds (Kirvoman type blinds, but there are a bunch of different manufactures and models).

Bury the blind at least a few inches in the ground, keep all the windows closed until you are ready to shoot, run an Ozonics machine if you can, and they are almost scent proof. They can be brutally hot in October.

My favorite bow set ups are tree stands, and tall ladder stands way up in big oak trees. You just can't get away with quite as much when you are exposed - and your scent is blowing around, so you have to play the wind right.