stalking with a bow

[rachunter]

do any of you stalk deer with a bow.i'm not talking about seeing a deer and stalking to it on your way to a stand. but stalking around looking for deer. 

[BowmanMike]

That is how i got my first bow doe,but the conditions were perfect. Damp ground,and windy. I saw her bedded down and snuck to within 20 yds.

Last year i almost got a buck,but he was head on,so no shot....

[erussell]

Killed the first 5 deer i shot this way. then I got old and lazy lol. Plan to do it this yr tho.

 

 

Edited September 24, 2017 by erussell

[Jeremy K]

My dad loves to hunt that way ,unfortunately the property we hunt is longer then it is wide and doesn't allow for stalking into the wind for very long distances. He wears noninsulated muck boots and is dead silent when he walks.

[Buckstopshere]

I've probably killed as many deer still-hunting as from a stand, actually, probably more. To me, still-hunting is when you move quietly through the woods looking for deer, hoping to hear and see them first. While stalking is when you see a deer and make a move on it.

Lots of techniques...one of my favorite is walking quietly and slowly down the edge of a cornfield, next to the woods during the rut, quiet in the plowed up soil and listen back in the woods for deer walking and running through the leaves. 'Course the wind has to be right. But my favorite and most successful way is still-hunting in full snow camo in a snow storm or snow squalls.

[Buckmaster7600]

Yup, killed a bunch of deer still hunting with a bow. It's the only way I bow hunt in the ADK's


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[rachunter]

cool I think this is going to be my plain of attack Wednesday for the adk early opener. 

[Doc]

My first bow kill was while I was still hunting my way home. However, my preferred style of hunting is stand hunting where I have more control over the situation (Known yardages around the stand, adequate cover for drawing, walking and hopefully unaware deer for the shot). Also, the older I get, the more I begin to sound like a charging rhinoceros crashing and thrashing around. I guess, I have lost my "sneak". With the right quality snow, I do a heck of a great job of still hunting with the rifle, but then I don't have to be sneaking around at 25 yards max from the deer with a rifle.

Another nice benefit of stand hunting is that I can carry all those fried egg sandwiches and the pail of coffee to really enjoy myself.

[growalot]

Just a few times,once I had a shot on a doe 10'yrds away with the recurve..she looked at me as I released and I swear her feet were on hinges. She literally tipped over sideways  and I watched the arrow slice justst the fur along her side. She popped up and ran..It was at the time one of the most bizzar sights I'd seen..stood there dumb founded then laughed out loud.

Once I had my Renzo decoy  in front of me and put a stalk on a group of doe in the lane way..just as I got in range a school bus driver out on the road spotted me..and laid on the horn the group turned and bolt past me on a full run. I could have literally reached out and grabbed one.

Edited September 25, 2017 by growalot

[Jeremy K]

46 minutes ago, growalot said:

Just a few times,once I had a shot on a doe 10'yrds away with the recurve..she looked at me as I released and I swear her feet were on hinges. She literally tipped over sideways  and I watched the arrow slice justst the fur along her side. She popped up and ran..It was at the time one of the most bizzar sights I'd seen..stood there dumb founded then laughed out loud.

Once I had my Renzo decoy  in front of me and put a stalk on a group of doe in the lane way..just as I got in range a school bus driver out on the road spotted me..and laid on the horn the group turned and bolt past me on a full run. I could have literally reached out and grabbed one.

Any idea how the driver was able to spot you ? Nice to know their eyes weren't on the road. 

[Core]

My first day hunting two years ago as a newb with no mentor I managed to walk to within 25 yards of a doe eating. I had a good breeze in front of me plus some hardwoods I was using to block my approach. I had a perfect broadside shot on this unassuming doe and blew it, arrow over its back. In the couple of dozen times trying since with a bow all I've ever been reward with were hissing deer. It is outrageously difficult.

Others reading this thread should not take the above responses to mean it is easy. I may try it again this year but with a crossbow at least and preferably a gun.

[growalot]

There is a spot just at the end of our line that shows the 300 yrds lane way..They were dropping off kids. There isn't a vehical that either comes up the hill or goes down that doesn't slow or stop to look down that lane way. That was before I put up the fence and the pines got so big. Dang do you think that stops them? Nope I'm told of more buck in that field than I ever see. The neighbors,delivery people,Mr B,our son, "Did you see.....?" They are better than all the cameras..Lol one neighbor came right out and told me how ticked they were I planted the pines..even made up this whole scenario about someone cutting road side trees,for Christmas trees...I immediately knew what they were doing and replied,they'll get a surprise...I wrapped the trunks in hardware wire...the facial expression was priceless..Lol

BTW....Anytime I move with a decoy I have an orange camo cap and or gloves on..especially since cross bows got popular.

Edited September 25, 2017 by growalot

[moog5050]

Tried it once and successfully killed my second doe with the recurve after blowing a stalk twice earlier that afternoon.  It was pretty cool and I think I was surprised as the doe that when I rose from the high grass, she stood there long enough for me to put a good shot on her.  That said, it only works when hunting alone.  We usually have 3 hunters on parcels from 20-40 acres in size and still hunting really isn't an option without blowing your friends' hunts.

[BowmanMike]

what is really hard is to get close to a deer older than 1 1/2. I find they loose their curiosity after that age...

[dbHunterNY]

yup.  need to keep tabs on them. once closer only move when something is closer to them blocking you from line of sight or they're looking far away.  short steps.  long steps might find you freezing to hold a position out of balance.  hard to shoot a bow that way.  also need to know where the wind is going even if barely noticable. once you get close enough they might pick you out as something that looks off but not necessarily a problem.  deer will circle to cut a marginal wind to check you out if it's close enough.  if you know where they're headed you can plan when you can draw and shoot them.  you need more time and setup unlike with a gun.

[NFA-ADK]

Love still hunting with my bow, such a challenge.  I also can only do this on public land that has enough for me to roam without bumping into tree stand hunters.  Lucky for me we have a few properties like that on Long Island only issue is they are also the least populated. 

[gfdeputy2]

how I hunt 99.9% of the time. not a fan of heights & I have never been one to be able to sit long I like exploring anyway & I feel I have been pretty successful hunting this way