Last year, I spent more time on the ground than in a tree archery deer hunting. I tried pop-up blinds, straw bales, built my share of brush blinds and used the Ghost Blind. Straw Bales ended up being fairly expensive because I wanted the bales taller than what I am when sitting down. They also proved to be a challenge if the location was off by a few yards.

Pop-up blinds worked well when set out a few weeks in advance and brushed in. Brushing in the blind was the key, giving deer a few weeks to acclimate to it. The negative was that this was not an acceptable solution when hunting public land.

The Ghost Blind worked very well. It works best when you have something behind you. Setting it up in front of a clump of trees and adding a branch or two to the sides worked great. The negative is that you have at best a 180-degree range to shoot. I have the short model that works perfectly with a turkey lounge chair. The lower you sit to the ground, the better your success will be.

The beauty of this setup is that it’s lighter than a climbing treestand and only takes one or two minutes to be 100 percent ready to hunt.

I like hunting new spots as the season progresses. During evening hunts, I like being fairly close to falling acorns. In the morning, I like being closer to where the deer might bed down.

Only during gun season will I consider hunting a bedding area. Instead, I like playing the wind and guessing where the deer will come from and where they are heading to.

This is another reason for being mobile: You can move where the deer are and not give away your location to other hunters.

A treestand is my favorite, but I hate setting them up and moving them from location to location. At age 68, I have no problem walking a mile with my gear, but setting a treestand up in the dark is a pain. I am in search of a lightweight climber. Mine weighs 25 pounds which is more than I like. I also want a bar in the front of the climber so that I can rest my crossbow on it.

When I use my climber, I blend it in. I like having a few trees in front of me or right behind me. Visualize a V shape; this pattern will provide cover. I shot more deer out of a climber than from a fixed platform.

I move around a bunch. Sometimes it might be 10 feet; other days, hundreds of yards away. Playing the wind and following the movement of deer are the keys to success.

Picking out a solo tree for your climber will work if it’s set up so that the deer will walk by you from your backside. This was my preferred way for many years. It works great when hunting near water because you can hear them coming.

However, when not hunting near water, I prefer facing the direction that the deer might come from. This eliminates the surprise of a deer sliding in and not being prepared. Setting my climber in a group of trees and blending in is best.

My Lone Wolf stands and sticks are simple to put up. My son can get one up in less than ten minutes; me, closer to thirty minutes.

When hunting from the ground as I do, be as scent-free as possible. Scent control is always critical, and more so when sitting on your butt. Sit on higher ground for a morning hunt and on lower ground for an evening hunt. I spray myself and my backpack at the truck and at least once more during the actual hunt.

Second, hunting on the ground is tough early in the season. The ferns are tall, the foliage thick and visibility short. The result often ends up with a deer nearly in my lap before I can see it. Now, I have not been spotted by a deer, but I have been winded.

After the first frost, the visibility improves immensely. Deer sliding in without being seen are less frequent. Yes, a treestand eliminates all these issues.

I tie a piece of dental floss to my bow and I carry a wind checker. Check and double-check the wind before plopping down. I am 100 percent camo covered. I use a leafy headnet and a leafy top and bottom. I own three leafy tops, each with a different shade of color.

Three colors are for matching varying hunting terrain. Leafy tops weigh a few ounces and, regardless of the color of clothing you are wearing, it will not show through. This is a cost savings that I enjoy. I no longer need camo hunting clothes. I can wear any color wool shirt, or a sweater, and cargo jeans. When it’s warm out, I wear a Merino wool lightweight garment that normally is used as a base layer.

When the weather cools, I have a fleece shirt jacket. When really cold, I have a down jacket with a soft outer shell. The leafy suit really helps reduce any possible noise from the down jacket. The jacket weighs ounces and can be rolled up and stuffed into my backpack.

Without a doubt, hunting on the ground and being able to shift locations is a plus. I can’t tell you how often I might move slightly during a hunt because the wind does not feel right. Or perhaps by moving 10 or 20 yards, a better shot opportunity may take place.

My old climber works well, but it’s a tad bit noisy and heavy. When I use the climber, I plan on an extra 15 to 30 minutes. I want to allow ample time for everything to quiet down.

I highly suggest that you seriously try mobile ground hunting. It really works and overcoming a few challenges will provide you more shot opportunities than sticking to one or two fixed locations.

Looking for some new hunting techniques to try this season? You’ll find plenty of suggestions in every issue of MidWest Outdoors. Subscribe on our website.