824 - Everything to Know About Ground Hunting with Zach Ferenbaugh
The Southern Outdoorsmen Hunting PodcastShow Notes
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Zach Ferenbaugh of The Hunting Public has killed some of his biggest bucks without ever climbing a tree — slipping through cover on the ground, calling them into bow range, and getting close enough to reach out and touch them. In his first-ever sit-down with us, Zach breaks down the woodsmanship behind ground hunting whitetails: reading conditions and other animals, moving through the woods undetected, why deer can't see nearly as well as you think, and why getting closer actually makes a mature buck easier to kill.
If you love turkey hunting, hate sitting still, or just want another tool in the bag, this one's for you.
In this episode: - Why Zach walked away from the tree stand — and started killing bigger bucks on the ground - How to move through the woods: when to speed up, when to freeze, and how to use wind, rain, and terrain to time every step - Reading other animals as alarms — including the woodpecker "deer alarm" that tips him off before a buck ever shows - Why the nastiest, thickest cover gives the hunter the advantage, not the deer - How deer really see (and why staying still beats staying hidden) - Calling and rattling on the ground: making it sound real, and "becoming the deer" - Deer drives, bumping deer on purpose, and why spooking them isn't the end of the world - Gear, shot angles, single-bevel broadheads, and shooting through cover
Special thanks to the NWTF for providing us with a space to record this episode.
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Chapters: 00:00 The three-yard buck 01:12 Eight years to finally get Zach on 02:24 How ground hunting made deer hunting fun again 06:24 More opportunity, faster learning off the ground 09:08 The mental hurdle of leaving the tree 13:19 Moving through the woods: speed up or freeze 16:15 Using wind and conditions to time every move 19:34 The best teacher in the woods is the deer itself 34:13 Reading conditions to predict where deer bed 46:52 Reading other animals and the woodpecker "deer alarm" 54:05 Why the thicker the cover, the better 58:42 Staying patient with a buck at seven yards 1:03:05 Why deer can't see you as well as you think 1:11:45 The sign that says sit down — and the sign that lies 1:20:24 Deer drives and spooking deer on purpose 1:33:00 Becoming the deer: how Zach moves and calls 1:40:06 Calling on the ground and making rattling sound real 1:54:52 How turkeys and elk made him a better deer hunter 2:02:14 What Zach carries: the M2 pack, water, and gear 2:12:46 Shot angles, single-bevel broadheads, and shooting through cover 2:23:30 Do what makes hunting fun for you
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