{"id":2876,"date":"2020-07-09T13:30:38","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T17:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/outdoorsportsnation.com\/?p=2876"},"modified":"2020-07-09T03:53:00","modified_gmt":"2020-07-09T07:53:00","slug":"hunting-from-the-ground-vs-up-in-a-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/outdoorsportsnation.com\/hunting-from-the-ground-vs-up-in-a-tree\/pentecostkyle12\/hunting\/07\/09\/2020\/2876\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunting From the Ground Vs. Up in a Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"
Deer Season in Michigan is rapidly approaching. It is now midway through July and you want to start thinking about how you will be hunting this fall. If you are going to make any changes to your setup this is the time to do it. Aside from practicing with your weapon, scouting locations, and getting permission on potential properties, you also need to consider whether or not you will be hunting from the ground or an elevated position. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of each.<\/p>\n
Ground Hunting<\/strong><\/p>\n Arguably the oldest method of hunting, all ground hunting requires is a weapon. Still hunting is the original form of hunting from the ground. You walk quietly through the woods stopping at regular intervals to listen and look. The best still hunters move very slow while moving through the woods. Still hunting allows the hunter the ability to cover a lot of ground and adapt quickly to new information such as tracks, sign, and animal sightings. However, when hunting intelligent animals such as deer, it takes a tremendous amount of stealth and woodsmanship to still hunt in the woods. The other downside is that you are potentially exposing a wide area of the forest to your scent and presence. If you do not still hunt carefully you risk blowing out the deer in an area.<\/p>\n Ambush hunting involves taking an educated guess of where you expect a deer to be and getting there first. You then stay quiet and wait for the animal to approach. Most modern deer hunting is based around the ambush strategy. The benefits of lying in wait for a deer include the ability to remain silent, play the wind, and potentially see the deer before it sees you. The main disadvantage is that if a deer does not come where you are you will not kill one.<\/p>\n Modern ambush hunters generally rely on camouflage and either artificial or natural blinds to conceal their presence. Using a blind can help contain your scent, hide small movements, and provide some shelter from wind and precipitation. Blinds are also generally easy to set up and relatively safe. They are a great choice for taking along new hunters or for those who prefer not to climb trees. Portable blinds add some convenience but do add a significant amount of weight when hiking a long way back to a spot.<\/p>\n Elevated Hunting<\/strong><\/p>\n When ambush hunting for deer, many hunters choose to do so from an elevated position. There are several advantages to getting up in a tree to hunt. The elevation can help mask some of your scent, you gain an improved view of the woods, can often see farther away, and animals may be less likely to see you because they don’t expect danger to come from above ground level. Of course, the benefits of elevated hunting do come at the very real risk of injury from a fall. One-third of hunters will be injured in a fall at some point. You do not need to live in fear of elevated hunting, but do need to respect the fact that you are off the ground and could potentially fall if you do not follow safety guidelines (using your stand properly and wearing a harness).<\/p>\n