Stalking tips and tricks

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

It has been briefly mentioned/let slip, but using good binoculars all the way through your stalks will help a lot!

I like the raking of leaves idea...never woulda thought of that.

[Knawbone]

I think someone already mentioned the importance of good scent control. Playing the wind works well if you have steady reliable winds. If not, scent control is of utmost importance whether on the ground or in a tree stand. Wood smoked clothing is one of the best cover scents there is, but don't forget the rest of the regimen. Keep your body clean and as scent free as possible. Always keep your foot ware away from human odors and scent free inside and out. Your head creates a lot of scent, so keep it clean and wear a hat or covering if possible.Brush your teeth with baking soda and chew grass or anything with clorophil. If acorns are present you can keep one or two in your mouth and chew them upon a deers approach.Keep exposed skin to a minumum and wear clothing the wind can"t blow threw.
Don't get sweaty.Dress at bare minumum. Being a little cold is better than sweating.

[JGoemaat]

On one stalk for turkeys they hung up along a creek with nothing but open fields around. Well the creek had banks almost 3-4' deep so I hopped in the creek and waded waist deep until I was bout 20 yards away. Popped over the bank and let one fly. I missed but still remember the hunt.

Sometimes it pays to be aggressive and think outside the box. Even if you don't get your quarry you come away with some fun memories.

[flyfisher76544]

Plan your next move and slow down. Use natural cover to your advantage. Open your ears not just your eyes.

[Del Savio]

I understand there are those who stalk dee-especially in the West for mulie but in our eastern autumn hardwood forest it is not a productive(a shot) tactic in my opinion. HOWEVER. on a wet,misty or foggy day,you have a real chance-if- you still hunt.  Hunting the sides of hills, especially their benches has provided me with a few shots over the years hunting in this fashion. The strategy is to have the deer moving to you with as little adjustment in your position as posible  This probably isn't strictly speeking "stalking." But on these grey days it's an attractive alternative to stand hunting. Lou

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I don't know how ya'll eastern blokes survive. I can't stand not being able to see a long ways, even in the "thick timber" that I occasionally hunt I can usually see thirty more yards.

Oh yeah, as you can see by the various experiences shared above, sometimes you have to be cautious and other times it pays off big to gamble it all on snake eyes. Making the decision to attempt, or hold off on, a stalk is a skill in and of itself.

I lean towards the "try anything, even the crazy stuff" camp, especially if I am in a time crunch. The stalks that work out for me seem to be the craziest ones.

[pdk25]

Stay to the shadows if at all possible, even if you think that you are in cover.  Got busted on a hunt in Georgia with RC when I was crouched but moved through a beam of sunlight.

Sunlight to your back is a good thing, if possible.

All critters are different, but I learned that Buffalo in particular hate lateral movement.  Alot of times you can close the gap in very open ground by pretending you are a tree and moving straight line, but only when they are not looking.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Walk softly and carry a big stick....

[Knawbone]

Kirkll, Being as big and hairy as you are must have it's advantages and disadvantages. Stay down wind!!      

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Kirk wins!

[kill shot]

Windy days while stalking thru a dry standing corn field also works well. The clattering of the field is very noisy. Stalking cross wind works the best as deer mostly face looking down wind.

[Thumper Dunker]

Get low real low. When your on your hands and knees you look like an animal not a human.No eye contack, donot stare at them.Slow, slow, slow,

[Tradcat]

GO SLOW and look for "horizontal lines" in a "vertical world" !

[Ground Hunter]

Don't spare money on good glass.

[Al Kidner]

Lots of really good points here so ill add in a few from over the pond as most, if not all of our hunting here in aussie and in NZ is spot & stalk or ambush.

* Once you have you animal spotted and are stalking in, try and keep cover both in front AND behind you to stop your outline being silhouetted.

* Hunting in the rain is super if you can put up with it. The deer get all sulky.

* Always remove your shoes and stalk in on your socks. 100% quieter.

ak.

[mmgrode]

- I like to scoot on my butt for the final stalk.  This allows a comfortable position to remain motionless should a stare down ensue, compared to crawling on hands and knees.
- when topping over a rise where I believe an animal might be, I sneak bit by bit while standing, surveying the area that comes into view.  Should I spot the animal I can quickly duck out of sight and plan the final stalk/reevaluate my position.
- Don't be afraid to change plans half way through a stalk.  Conditions, weather, animal movement, additional animals, wind direction, unforseen terrain obstacles, will all determine approach routes and timing.  Think of the stalk as multiple stalks.
- Always be looking for additional animals in the group. Probably busted more by this than most other factors.
- Choose landmarks when stalking mountain country.  Everything looks different when you get over there!
- Have fun! Stalking really makes a man feel like a predator!

Cheers, Matt

[threeunder]

If you are hunting where there are other noises being made, time your moves to when the other stuff makes a racket.
This morning we got right under a rooster gobbler tah was basically eye level to us due to the terrain.
We only moved while the Whipperwills were singing.  Works with traffic, crows, trains, boats, wind, or whatever else is out there not being quiet.

[Burnsie]

Sorry, somehow got double post??

[Burnsie]

Here in the midwest the crunchy leaf thing is always an issue.  Going out after a good soaking rain you can be very quiet and the animals are usually up and moving.  I've had success getting close (but not closing the deal) a few times by sneaking up on deer that were in or near the edge of hay fields.  Once while driving with a friend I noticed two nice doe standing about 200 yds out in the field.  I told my friend to drive a about 20 yds past the tree line, stop and then take off after I bailed out with my bow. Once he left I basically sprinted down the edge of the brushy fence/tree line and cut the distance in 1/2.  When I got to the end where the fence lines met at a "V" I peeked around the corner and verified the deer were still there feeding.  Between me and the deer was a bout 50 yds of open hay field and then about another 30 yds of waist high tall swamp grass where the farmer could not till in a low area.  I quickly decided that if I belly crawled from the end of the fence line to the opposite side of the tall grass they wouldn't be able to see me over the grass. Once I got to the grass I began to slowly crawl on my hands and knees through the grass in their direction.  I was focused so much on going slow and quiet that I somewhat lost track of how far I had went and where I was in the middle of the patch of tall grass.  So I decided to peek my head over the top and get my bearings.  Turns out, I was about 3-4 yds from busting out the other side of the grass and when I peeked up over the top, I found myself staring into the face of one of the does who was right at the edge of the grass.  I think we were both equally surprised.  She stood wide eyed and taken off guard for few seconds and then bolted.  That was fun!  Had another time where I used large round bales and tall raked hay wind-rows to duck and crawl behind to get very close as well, but that ended with the deer bounding away snorting as well. One of these times it will all come together.
So I guess if I had a stalking tip, it would be to use whatever natural and unnatural objects are available to your advantage.

[lpcjon2]

TTT