Being stealthy.....

[Stixbowdrew]

Wanting to do more stalking and still hunting, for those of you that do this, please give me some tips on how you become a shape shifter, David I know you have something to say about this....

Thanks guys!

Drew

[frassettor]

  I'll be watching this one

[njloco]

Ground has to be wet if there are crunchy leaves, I also on occasion use Irish setters with the spongy type soles, but mostly moccasins.  Move only when the wind blows, or extremely slow, play the wind, I wear some type of 3-D leafy clothes but any browns or greens will do, I also use a body or clothes spray like Dead Down Wind, or any sent killer, and be ready all the time.

You'll love it, have fun and don't get frustrated, it'll come as you will get better at it.

Good luck.

[joe skipp]

I enjoy still hunting, especially on rainy days and when snow carpets the ground.

One key is move slow, use your eyes more than your feet. Binos are great for scanning the entire surroundings before easing out.

Play the shadows. Nothing hides you more than quietly standing in shadows and checking the area. You need to find the right pace while easing through. Walking too slow isn't always the best method. By this I mean don't spend 20 minutes covering 10 yds.

It pays to know the feeding and bedding areas. Working your way to or from, depending on the time of day. Either keep the wind in your face or cross
wind at all times. I prefer to cover real slow maybe 50 yds, then sit for 30 minutes before planning my next route.

Plant your feet down easy so you can feel any twigs or sticks that might break under your feet..hidden by the leaves. Deer love bedding down on small knobs or ridges and I've found it's always with the wind to their backs. My theory is they can see whats coming in front and smell whats sneaking up behind them. So, a north wind in my face means, in certain areas, I'm easing in East to West.

Quiet clothing is essential. Still hunting gets better when the rut hits. Deer are usually travelling all over the place, never know when you might encounter a nice buck. Some may criticize me but I always have an arrow nocked when still hunting. At times getting off that quick shot is critical. I'm always ready.

Hope this little bit helps...to much info to write down. You will learn the more you attempt this. Keep a log of your mistakes with each encounter, you will learn from them. This log will come in handy when you start discovery areas you never knew where there...along with rubs, scrapes, added food sources etc...Good luck....

[RecurveRookie]

I agree with the other guys.  No kills yet, but I mostly still hunt for hogs.  Always think, there's an animal nearby that you haven't seen yet.  Makes you move a little more cautious and look around more.

[Knawbone]

What Joe said, He gave you an excellent summation to get started. Experience will teach you the rest.We never stop learning in this sport.Have fun and remember what Joe told you. Learn as much as you can about the game you seek.Read all you can, and keep asking those that know.

[bearsfeet]

This is how I hunt quite a bit and have killed a few bucks still hunting. I prefer spot and stalk though.

I am the minority on philsophy about still hunting... I don't really stay "still". My method is more about covering ground to increase my chances. If I am thick into animals then yes I stay still or move extremely carefully.

This past late season after I took my buck I took my neighbor out for his first hunt. He was nearly crawling moving so slow once we got to where I told him we were starting to get to a money spot. I couldn't handle it anymore so I told him to pick up the pace and cover some ground at regular walking pace. We walked about 1/4 side hill and ended up walking right up on a small fork that was bedded just below us. The buck obviously knew we were there but thought at the rate we were moving he would hold tight and we would walk right by... We didn't    18 yard broadside shot hit its mark.

I have walked up on a lot of critters by just walking along. I feel that it has something to do with the fact that this cadiance of foot steps sounds less threating then someone who is "sneaking" along. IMO both have a time and place that are effective it's just a matter of learning the when and where. All that takes is time and getting out and doing it.

Good luck
Levi

[Matt Fowler]

Agree with all but also think you need to get your head right. Mentally you need to become a predator. Forget about time. Try to get tuned in to your senses, sight, sound, and smell. Learn about wide angle vision. It might sound corny but it works for me.

[gnihsifnamk]

Read Tom browns book on tracking. And Fred asbells book on still hunting.

[NBK]

I agree with Bearsfeet on using a normal pace at times.
If weather conditions aren't great for still hunting I will "go for a stroll" trying to appear as non-predatory as possible.  (I seem to remember some native tribe of the Pacific Northwest that were known for this...).
Example:  This past December I had an afternoon out at our land and just didn't feel like sitting.  Crunchy snow with just a light breeze mean't that I could be heard from a mile, so I simply went for a walk on the old logging roads keeping a steady pace.  I saw several deer that moved off well ahead of me.  Little further I see a smaller doe cross the road right to left about 80 yards up.  I never broke stride, nocked an arrow and tried to maintain her location with peripheral vision.  She'd moved 10 yards off the road into a clump of small balsam.  As I got nearer I could make out parts of her and saw that she was quartering away from the road eyes and ears locked on me.  Never make eye contact.  I just kept slumping along with fingers on the string and as I came parallel with her I searched for a window through the branches using peripheral vision.  About 3 strides past her there was the opening and I drew back in midstride coming to a stop.  10 yards, quartering away, the first deer I would have ever taken from the ground... it was awesome.    Couldn't loose the arrow because I'd promised my daughter that she'd get to do some late season sits with me and I only had one tag, but viewed it as counting coup.
Point is I believe there is a time to be stealthy, and when you can't, be as non-predatory as possible  and you'll be surprised how many times you can get close.

[ThePushArchery]

Joe hit it on the head.

A trick that works unbelievable which is covered in Fred Asbells book, is the deer walk.

I use the deer walk when the ground prohibits quiet movement. I use it walking to and from my ground blinds or tree stands at the end or beginning of a hunt. I also use it while stalking.

It will blow your mind how close deer will let you get in plain view when their senses are telling them different things. (see a human, but boy it sure sounds like a deer!)

Caution on using the deer walk coming out of the woods on an evening hunt. Deer will allow you to get 10 yards away from them, until they blow out of there. If you're like me, and don't use a flashlight coming out, be prepared for your heart in your throat when they bust a short distance away in the dark!

[Over&Under]

Its amazing how quiet you can be by simply stepping toe-to-heel instead of heel-to-toe and moving slowly.

[JimB]

The quiet clothing can't be over emphasized.I also like a silent pack and the only materials I like so far are wool or fleece for that.I like to cover plastic buckles with camo duct tape.You would be surprised how much that quiets them if a twig were to make contact.The water bottle should be quiet and not too light colored.

For that matter,it is a good idea to go over every piece of equipment that might come in contact with limbs,rocks etc.Nothing should rattle or clink and don't forget items in the pack.

It can be very windy in the West,especially in semi-open or open country.I like to roll up and tape down any loose,hanging pack straps to keep them from flapping in the breeze or snagging on brush.You can stand stock still but those pack straps can flap like you were flailing your arms.

Foot ware that lets you feel what is under foot is an advantage,if the terrain allows it.When you have to wear heavier or stiffer boots,you can take them off and put on a heavy pair of wool socks to do a final stalk.It's not a bad idea to mark where you leave your boots or pack.Things can go farther than expected and not always in a straight line.

I used to carry a small pair of pruners in my right pocket.When moving through very thick stuff,it was sometimes easier to quietly snip a branch,than move it out of the way.They could also come in handy if you needed to set up a quick,temporary blind along the way.

Fred Bear used to say take one step and stand still for four.

[Hill Hunter]

I am going to throw my method out, this will go the opposite of what most have posted, but since I have started this 3 yrs ago, I have killed a Coyote sleeping at 12 yards, a 150 buck raising from his bed at 18 yards, and missed a 130 at 25 yards, had several small buck and does withing 29 yards.
Here goes;
it does  not matter if wet or dry, the key is just not sounding like a human, we are going to make noise.
I shuffle my feet, no steps long enough to see daylight between my legs from the side i.e. 10 -12" I do not pick my feet up more than a couple of inches, just slide them along, you never get caught off balance, and can move with game looking at you.
I try to never break out of the shuffle after starting, it is hard to get back into it and you may alert game you spent hours getting close to.
Shadows are great, but I disagree with the predator mode, you need to belong and avoid any predictor moves, i.e. squatting, hiding behind trees etc.
I had a 6 point walk by me at 30 yards while standing in the open, after he walked by I decided to take a knee and let him get out of the area, when I did he was 50 yards past me and alerted and flagged out of the area, I realized I had made a classic predator move.
if you try this you will be amazed at how you stalk right by feeding squirrels at 10 yards, but a warning, it seems effortless, but you may not be able to get out of bed the next day... Good luck.

[high desert rambler]

i just use my superpowers, one of which is the ability to make myself invisible with a mere snap of my fingers...i can't even begin to express just how useful this is when it comes to stillhunting.

[high desert rambler]

on a more serious note, i think bearsfeet makes a very good point with:  


I have walked up on a lot of critters by just walking along. I feel that it has something to do with the fact that this cadiance of foot steps sounds less threating then someone who is "sneaking" along.

i think it was david petersen, maybe, who wrote something about this as well, that animals get a lot less spooked when you don't act like a predator... i live way back in the mountains with tens of thousands of acres of public lands as my backyard, so i see deer EVERY SINGLE DAY, and quite a few other critters (turkeys, rabbits, bears, coyotes) with some frequency... and what i've noticed with deer is that if i'm out hiking and spot some, if i just keep meandering along casually, they'll often just sit and watch - alert, ready to bolt, but more times than not, they'll just let me pass (as long as i don't get too close) without fleeing.

on the other hand, if i notice them and suddenly slow down and start "stalking" and directing my attention at them, they'll usually take off and run almost immediately...

[4dogs]

I dont know, the strolling along thing may work sometimes but they still know you are there and keeping an eye on you. I dont like taking shots at an animal that is alert and knows I am there. I will stick with being the predator and trying to spot them before they spot me

[57HOP]

I'll agree with the above posters that animals DO take note of hunting behavior. Many times I have just walked right up on game. But stealth works too, I have used spot and stalk to to reach to within 4 yds of a young buck,(killed)on wet leaves and within 20 of a BIG old mature buck in the snow. The big boy was in brush at 20yds - no shot. He got up and moved to 30. I tried to follow and he busted me as I climbed over a log.

[M60gunner]

"Do not step on anything you can step over" Old saying but is very true. I know how game can just be there when you are walking along at a normal pace. Been there also, and not have an arrow ready!

[high desert rambler]

Originally posted by 4dogs:
I dont know, the strolling along thing may work sometimes but they still know you are there and keeping an eye on you. I dont like taking shots at an animal that is alert and knows I am there. I will stick with being the predator and trying to spot them before they spot me

yeah, that's a very good point too... i wouldn't take a shot on a deer that's aware of my presence for obvious reasons (too much risk of a bad shot if they're ready to run) and also just because it doesn't feel right... something about killing an innocent animal that's aware of me and is "trusting" that i'm not a threat just feels wrong... at least somewhat "unfair."