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Trouble from the ground: the sad tales of an involuntary vegetarian

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Black Moshannon:
 Im hoping some of you hunting experts can read this and lend some advice. For reference, I hunt whitetails in Central Pa. I have recently bought a property which has a lot of deer activity. I am only interested in hunting from the ground. I realize this is a difficult path to take and there is a long road ahead but i'm using the selfbow anyway so it all kind of goes together. I put up a blind which is made from a green army type netting material hung over some stakes and poles driven in the ground, and which I sit in on a five gallon bucket. There is just enough room to shoot over the top. The blind is located in an area where deer feel secure due to heavy brush. There are several recently made scrapes in the area, a spring of water, and two fields on either side of the little corner the blind is tucked into. The backdrop of the blind is a large spicebush/brush pile, so i feel that I am fairly well surrounded with breakup. I put up a second blind made of brush along a man made path. Deer use this path pretty much every day. There is a very heavily run deer trail which adjoins this path. I set up the brush blind close to where the path and trail meet up. The backdrop of the blind is a large locust tree which I sit against on a five gallon bucket. This blind was also designed to be shot out of from a sitting position.

Failure No.1

This was at the beginning of the rut. I was sitting in the first blind, the one with the green net. Around 8 am a stocky buck wih a big rut neck came in. I was caught unprepared with my feet stretched out in front of me. Luckily I had got the arrow on the string before the buck came into sight, as I heard the sound first. The buck came walking up to around ten yards facing me. I leaned forward. The buck seemed to sense this and jerked slightly and stopped. I decided to wait to shoot until the buck walked past me just a bit, as I had heard to do. The buck continued forward and was now probably within ten yards and turned broadside in a clearing, literally looking like a perfect shot. I got impatient and leaned forward slowly, raising the bow. The buck jumped and trotted away, and the opportunity was over.

Failure No. 2

This was from the same blind, maybe a week later. Just after 8 am a young buck came walking up a trrail located above and behind the blind. I was prepared for this to happen and had set up a lane to shoot up in that direction as well. However, I was more unprepared than the first time, at least mentally. I tried to swivel around and point my bow in that direction but the movement was very jerky and ungraceful, and the buck noticed immediately and trotted away.

Failure No. 3

This was just this morning, around 7:20 am. I was sitting in the brush blind along the trail. This time I thought I had learned from the first two times. I had the arrow on the string, and was sitting upright, waiting for a deer to come in. Three big does came in on the little deer trail which joins the large path, about fifteen yards from me. I was watching the lead one and decided I would let all of them walk past until the last one so I could take a shot without the other two busting me. The does did not seem to sense me at all. There was a cross wind so no issues with scent. I decided I would very slowly lean forward, pointing the bow up towards the trail, while the does continued in my direction. I thought this would be better than waiting to move, and then having to take one big movement. However, I was horrified when the lead doe seemed to sense what I thought was a very slight, cleverly sly and slow motion as I leaned forward, and all three went back from where they had come.

Luckily during these encounters I was never scented, at least the deer never blew or snorted. They also did not run away frantically, but just kind of trotted slowly away as if slightly disturbed. I know that I am moving at the wrong time each time. I feel that each of these were opportunities where an experienced hunter would have had a good shot. What am I doing wrong here? Everything is going right up till I start preparing to shoot. Also as a side note, if this matters, my shooting method is to point the bow at the target, pre- aiming it and getting the right gap and alignment, then drawing, then holding a couple seconds while I check sight picture until the release happens.

Pat B:
If the deer detects movement he will go on alert until he determines what it is. If he hears a noise he will go on alert until he determines what made the noise. If a deer smells you, generally the game is over. I think your main problem is movement. Try to anticipate where the deer travel route is and set up to make the most of that situation. When I hunt my bow is across my lap, arrow on the string with my string hand in position and my other hand holding the bow handle. As soon as I hear or see movement I go on the ready slowly raising the bow to the shooting position and have tension on the string. If the opportunity presents itself it only takes the slightest movement to get the shot. When you do move try to simulate the movement the wind or breeze makes as it moves through the woods and not just a sweeping move.
 Sounds like you have set up in a productive area. If you learn from your mistakes eventually you will connect and it will be the thrill of your life. Just keep at it and eventually you will score.

WhistlingBadger:
Interesting post, Kenneth.  I mostly hunt mulies and elk, but I aspire to ground-hunt whitetails, so I'll be reading with interest.

Black Moshannon:

--- Quote from: Pat B on November 16, 2021, 10:45:07 am ---If the deer detects movement he will go on alert until he determines what it is. If he hears a noise he will go on alert until he determines what made the noise. If a deer smells you, generally the game is over. I think your main problem is movement. Try to anticipate where the deer travel route is and set up to make the most of that situation. When I hunt my bow is across my lap, arrow on the string with my string hand in position and my other hand holding the bow handle. As soon as I hear or see movement I go on the ready slowly raising the bow to the shooting position and have tension on the string. If the opportunity presents itself it only takes the slightest movement to get the shot. When you do move try to simulate the movement the wind or breeze makes as it moves through the woods and not just a sweeping move.
 Sounds like you have set up in a productive area. If you learn from your mistakes eventually you will connect and it will be the thrill of your life. Just keep at it and eventually you will score.

--- End quote ---

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like I need to not move if the deer can see me. So I will try to slowly raise the bow when I hear the deer coming in and then pause until the shot opportunity.

WhistlingBadger:

--- Quote from: Kenneth on November 16, 2021, 12:03:47 pm ---Thanks for the advice. It sounds like I need to not move if the deer can see me. So I will try to slowly raise the bow when I hear the deer coming in and then pause until the shot opportunity.

--- End quote ---

That sounds right.  With calm, unpressured mulies, I can get away with slow, smooth movement at a distance.  They either assume it's another deer, or it's just too far away for them to notice.  Once you're inside the threat zone, say about 70 yards, they're going to react to any movement they see.  And within the hot zone, inside about 30 yards, you'd better not move a finger unless their heads are behind cover.

If they're alerted, on the other hand, or if they have a really smart herd doe who knows the hunt is on?  Forget it.   ;D  I've had them bust me a quarter mile out.

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