Still Hunting/Stalking with an arrow nocked.

[Hopewell Tom]

I appreciate the danger involved, especially with a broadhead, but is it basically "poor form" or just too unsafe to chance? When stalking/still hunting you're going very slowly and carefully anyway.

[JC]

For me it depends on the situation. If I'm actually still hunting and the terrain allows me to see the animals well in advance (like south Texas), or the animal will probably let me know it's there (like pigs) I don't put an arrow on the string until I see something and actual go into "stalk" mode. If I was hunting really heavy cover where the animal could be hiding I will be in stalk mode pretty much the whole time and will have an arrow knocked. The exception would be in places with really poor footing where there is a higher likelihood of tripping/falling (like when climbing or the whiterock or west areas of Texas) in which case I won't put an arrow on the string until the last possible minute without giving myself away.

Just my personal measure, your mileage may vary.

JC

[joe ashton]

In my view it is too dangerous.. If you fall on a broad head that broad head will what broad heads do IN YOU.  

[Blog on Bottom]

I used to have an arrow knocked, thinking it would save me from being busted when the time to prepare came.
Authors of books/magazines convinced me that it was too unsafe and that only fools do it. So...out of shame, I quit doing it. I've found that I almost always have time to get an arrow out and nock it without spooking a deer.
Is it really that unsafe? Probably not - you are going slow, but there are some trip hazards and such. (Remember that I hunt fairly flat ground and not treacherous slopes.) The real chances of cutting or impaling yourself are slim - but since it is fairly easy to nock without detection, why take the chance?
Also, the chances of dulling your broadhead on honeysuckle or brush/leaves/dirt, as well as the noise made when it catches on limbs or when it falls off the shelf are higher. You also have to make unnecessary motion to navigate the long arrow through brush, which increases the chances of being seen.
That's my opinion for what it's worth  

[trad_bowhunter1965]

If I am setting in my tree stand I nock and arrow if I am stalking I don't and arrow until I am under 50 yards.

[Paul_R]

You don't run with scissors but it's accepted as perfectly safe to walk with 'em. If my stalking should involve running I'll start worrying about it....

[Bowwild]

A bowhunter was found dead in a small creek near ST. Louis in the mid 90's. It was surmised the solo hunter had fallen on an arrow he had nocked while walking.

I don't even like the TV footage of nimrods slipping up on supposed dead animals with an arrow nocked.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Falling on your arrow is always a possibility.  Even the nock end could puncture you.

For what its worth, unless animals come charging in or past, there will always be time to nock an arrow after the final approach.

Walking through brush is a P.I.A. with arrows nocked and as b.o.b. mentioned will cause more noise and movement trying to navigate woods and not get hung up.

this also causes a secondary issue, I spend too much time looking at the arrow instead of for game.

Unless I am stalking across an open field for a wood chuck it stays in the quiver.

[joe skipp]

Walking up or down hill, I put the arrow back in my back quiver, otherwise I always sneak around with my arrow nocked.

[-snypershot317-]

i admit that i used to do this until i tripped and almost landed on my arrow.       granted i was using blunts/field points for small game but it was enough of a wake up call for me. also the noise that it makes while stalking is about the same as shouting 'HERE I AM!!!' at the top of your lungs...i know this from experience where i have had several deer bust me because of the arrow catching on a limb.       to me its just not worth it unless i am within my shooting zone and am just moving closer for a better shot opportunity or in my stand. just my $.02 worth.

[njloco]

I stalk with an arrow nocked, whenever possible.

Be carefull & good luck.

[kill shot]

I love this thread. It reminds me of the day when about 4 of us would go out about a half an hour before day light. All of us walking down a two track with arrows knocked. We were just full of hope. Not a bad thing.

[kill shot]

Just a thought. Would you go rabbit hunting with your bow without an arrow knocked.

[Blog on Bottom]

I do, but it doesn't have a broadhead.

[Bjorn]

If I am closing in on an animal, or if the hairs on the back of my neck tell me something is close, it is time to nock an arrow. Sometimes you can hear them and smell them and I nock then too.
If there is steep lousy footing I will either stand in place or put the arrow back in my quiver.
Lotsa' risks and dangers out there, the most dangerous by far is driving to your hunting spot.  

Strict fundamentalisms really don't apply to all things, common sense does.  On the other hand, some have no common sense, so they perhaps are better off with strict fundamentalisms.  If you say it is alright to walk with an arrow, you just know that sooner or later someone doing a death march down a steep snowy hill is going to fall on a broadhead.

[kill shot]

Hugh

[Paul_R]

Originally posted by pavan:
Strict fundamentalisms really don't apply to all things, common sense does.  On the other hand, some have no common sense, so they perhaps are better off with strict fundamentalisms.  If you say it is alright to walk with an arrow, you just know that sooner or later someone doing a death march down a steep snowy hill is going to fall on a broadhead.

Well said.

[TSchirm]

There have been several articles over the years in Traditional Bowhunter magazine where someone has badly injured themselves, or someone else walking with an arrow nocked.

[reddogge]

Originally posted by pavan:
Strict fundamentalisms really don't apply to all things, common sense does.  On the other hand, some have no common sense, so they perhaps are better off with strict fundamentalisms.  If you say it is alright to walk with an arrow, you just know that sooner or later someone doing a death march down a steep snowy hill is going to fall on a broadhead.

Good obvservation on human behaviour.