stalking on all fours

[twitchstick]

I will do what is needed two legged stalking or on all four to keep the profile low. High elevations bucks seem to be in the open with very little cover and the low profile is handy. At times I like to do what I call the crab crawl. When stalking down hill I will go feet forward crawling down hill with the bow resting on my thighs and knees. I learned that if you are stalking through cows(beef) it is better to stay on two legs,if you crawl they see you as a predetor and get nervis.

[Ryan Sanpei]

Belly crawling and crawling on my knees are sometimes the only way that I can stalk our wary and wild axis bucks.  It takes forever and it aint easiest thing to do but it's well worth it on certian final stalks.

 

Notice the knee pads...

[tradtusker]

never used Knee pads but i crawl a lot whilst stalking. It depends on what and where you are hunting. Dont worry about thorns or rocks thats nothing a leatherman and some merthiolate can't fix latter.   :D  

From my experience you can trick most animals ears but you cannot trick there eyesight this is true for the majority of the animals i hunt.
I think its important that you can switch and change between crawling, crouch and walking depending on the circumstances, TIMING is also very very important.
I think if you limit yourself to just staking on 2... well then your limiting yourself.

I love stalking game for me its the most satisfactory and rewarding way to hunt.

[Cool Arrow]

I've had some success belly crawling into shooting range of pronghorns. Nowadays I'm more reluctant to do it. three or four years ago a four foot rattler struck and hit my longbow as I pushed it ahead of me. I don't know if he struck at me and the bow got in the way or what, but I'm sure glad he didn't hit me in the nose.
       Larry

[J-dog]

Mr. Stout that was funny! and I agree,

but have done it before - do whatever the terrain dictates at that point in time?

J

[tradhunter1]

I prefer to stalk on my good two feet but when cover runs out I go to a belly crawl. The key to not making noise is moving real sloooowwww.
A friend of mine, an ex special forces member, says that if you have to crawl to your odjective to avoid beening seen or heard make sure you have time. He said that if you are moving more than a foot or two in one move you are going to fast, 1" to 6" in one move is even better. His way of thinking is that if you had to go 20-30 yards on your belly it should take you up to 30-40 minutes, longer if in dry brittle/crunchy conditions. His way does work I've spent an afternoon on a hill waiting for him to see how close he could get to a muledeer. I didn't see him until the deer busted out of his bed and my freind stood up out of the grass within 2 feet of the bed. He has a lot more patience than I have.

[manfromthepast]

Surprised nobody mentioned dropping down and moving on all THREES (One hand and Two Feet).  I think it is much faster, easier to keep your head up, and just as quiet because you can still see where you are placing your feet.  Also, your bow is always at the ready in your bowhand.  You have to be in decent shape to do it very far, but  it can pay off bigtime in allowing you to maintain a low profile but move more quickly than crawling.

[BigArcher]

I have use all fours to stalk elk out in the sage brush.  Elk make noise so being quiet isn't so important.  With the diaphram call in my mouth I even kept up a conversation with the cows that could see me clearly as I moved towards the bull.  Put your head down occasionally to simulate feeding.  They accept you.  Just stay down wind.

BigArcher

[LKH]

Many times.  I have my elk of a lifetime because I crawled out into the open grass of a 8000 foot plateau with the elk.  They were really worked up.  It was dark by the time I hit camp and I couldn't figure out why the outside of knees burned.  Turns out I had worn 2 dime sized holes right into the raw meat.  Think I was excited???