Stalking while bow hunting

[Drew2255]

My buddy ran into two guys the past two days who are “stalking” deer while bow hunting. I thought this was kind of funny as he states he saw these guys walking all over. Eventually he got to talking with them and apparently they got “five deer” last year in westchester doing just that. I can understand maybe with the rifle doing this but with the bow it seems a little crazy. I know out west that it’s a different story but northeast stalking with a bow seems to me like an impossible odd... anybody here have success in the northeast slowly walking the woods with your bow and catching deer?

[BizCT]

My buddy ran into two guys the past two days who are “stalking” deer while bow hunting. I thought this was kind of funny as he states he saw these guys walking all over. Eventually he got to talking with them and apparently they got “five deer” last year in westchester doing just that. I can understand maybe with the rifle doing this but with the bow it seems a little crazy. I know out west that it’s a different story but northeast stalking with a bow seems to me like an impossible odd... anybody here have success in the northeast slowly walking the woods with your bow and catching deer?

No different than with a shotgun in heavy cover. They probably catch them bedded and either shoot them in their bed or make a sound to get them to stand and then shoot. I just started bow hunting last year but killed several bucks still hunting (walk 2 steps, stop listen, walk 2 steps, etc.). I do it on my out of the woods in the mornings with my bow in case I spot something.


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[BowmanMike]

i got my first bow deer that way,but there has to be luck involved for sure. More than with stand hunting i think. I got close to getting a 1 1/2 year old buck my 2nd year,i just popped over a rise and caught movement. Plus the little dummy was curious.

Also got very close to a 2 1/2 year old last year,but he ambled off when i was 45 yds out,not because he saw me either. His nap time was over.

I would guess the deer see me first over 80% of the time though,they can detect movement even through brush like nobodys business. So you can alert the herd fairly quickly if you do it often...

[Drew2255]

Just now, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

No different than with a shotgun in heavy cover. They probably catch them bedded and either shoot them in their bed or make a sound to get them to stand and then shoot. I just started bow hunting last year but killed several bucks still hunting (walk 2 steps, stop listen, walk 2 steps, etc.). I do it on my out of the woods in the mornings with my bow in case I spot something.


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I have to say that is impressive, just the idea of getting that close on the ground with the bow around these woods seems like a really difficult task. But I certainly give credit to those guys finding success with this tactic....

[Billdogge]

Have you ever watched the Whitetail Adrenalin guys? That's all they do. 

Some spot and stalk and some still hunting. 

 

[JRod 8G8H]

A wet and windy day can let you sneak around pretty well.. I've had success doing it before

[Drew2255]

6 minutes ago, Billdogge said:

Have you ever watched the Whitetail Adrenalin guys? That's all they do. 

Some spot and stalk and some still hunting. 

 

Cool video, thanks 

[PREDATE]

Been killing deer by stalking for 20+ years.
I've even stalked flocks of turkeys to within bow range a number of times.

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[Hunter007]

I  and my dad lots of my cousins like to do this with  both bow and  gun on both small and big game all the time not saying it is  better way to hunt  but it sure is more fun, stalking.

 

 

 

[nodeerhere]

I love to do this while scouting. Slowly wonder thru. Few steps! Stop. Check out the land. I've killed deer this way too. U just have to see them before the see you 

[moog5050]

I did the spot and stalk with the recurve on a doe once.   It is one of my more memorable hunts.  Creeping through the tall grass to get in position was a blast.  

[Doc]

The first buck I ever got with a bow was when I was on my way home. I have gotten a few still-hunting, but I have to say that the most effective hunting for me is still out of a stand. But I will not argue that still-hunting can not be successful.

My problem is that still-hunting requires some very precise control of balance and muscle control and I have reached a point in life where that sort of thing is not my strong point.....lol. I have lost my "sneak".

[Buckmaster7600]

Better than half my bow kills have been stalking. I hate sitting so when the conditions are right I love “stalking” with the bow!


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[G-Man]

ive killed many buck with bow while walking, including my droptine.main reason i use a hip quiver and keep arrow nocked

[landtracdeerhunter]

I stalk while bow hunting when the wind is blowing pretty good. Capitalize on what some hunters think is a bad hunting day.  Get a way with a lot more movement during wind events. Have caught deer plenty of times, off guard. Have to be quick with the aim and shot placement. I practice plenty, for this.  

[518BowSlayer]

never actually connected on a stalk but have come within bow range quite a few times. usually on my way back to the truck, I either lose shooting light or can't get a clear shot. really gets the heart pumping though. if I hunted bigger properties I would probably try it more often but I try to sneak in to my stands like a ninja without spooking anything or leaving scent everywhere. always seem to run into deer while run and gun turkey hunting every spring though

[Robhuntandfish]

i have stalked up on a few deer.  Had two 5 points fighting one time they didnt even pay any attention to me at all.  Got a tree between me and them and got to within 25 yards.  peaked around tree and pulled back to shoot as they kept turning but finally got a shot......and caught a branch on a sapling and arrow went haywire!  

Also stalked up on a 6 point on a thin treeline and he was in the field but could never get a clear shot.  Got to within 70 yards of a bruiser 9 point last year that was dogging a doe but he ran off following the doe before i could get closer for a shot.  It is pretty fun but tough  and then to get an open shot.  Whereas in a stand ive already cut shooting lanes.  

[Hunter007]

I think its instinctive to want to stalk when hunting .

The native Americans tribes in africa are ancestor stalked and drove game in hunts this way way before, long before any other method , And they didn't have weapons  that were nearly  as good as the ones we use today . 

 

[grampy]

Been sneaking up on critters since I was a boy. Not sure if it's the Native American blood in me, but I find doing this very natural. I've been fortunate enough to kill a number of deer by stalking with the bow. Including two of my top three bucks. I never just 'walk' to and from a stand, or through the woods while hunting. Most times I'll see them far enough out, as they are moving, to either intercept them in place, or try to move closer to intercept them. I tend to mostly stalk tree to tree, or cover to cover. And try to keep a tree between myself and the deer when possible, especially when the deer is close. I find stalking a bedded deer a bit more difficult, and challenging. It has to be done with even more caution and stealth, as when they are stationary, they catch movement even better. Doing this takes a lot of patience. All movement is done in SUPER slow motion, especially when the deer is close. If you think you are moving too slow, move slower!

The last deer I stalked, was when I was hunting with moog last year. Came within a couple steps getting a shot at a nice 8pt. while moog watched and silently cheered me on. That was my best hunt of 2017.

[philoshop]

Please understand the difference between "stalking" and "stillhunting". They are not the same thing. Stalking is when you spot game from a distance and then sneak up on the animal. Stillhunting is when you attempt to be stealthy and see the quarry while sneaking through the woods.Two very different things. Both require extraordinary woodsmanship skills , but they are very different. My apologies for being a stickler on terminology here, but it's important to know the difference. Stalking and stillhunting are not the same thing.

[moog5050]

51 minutes ago, grampy said:

Been sneaking up on critters since I was a boy. Not sure if it's the Native American blood in me, but I find doing this very natural. I've been fortunate enough to kill a number of deer by stalking with the bow. Including two of my top three bucks. I never just 'walk' to and from a stand, or through the woods while hunting. Most times I'll see them far enough out, as they are moving, to either intercept them in place, or try to move closer to intercept them. I tend to mostly stalk tree to tree, or cover to cover. And try to keep a tree between myself and the deer when possible, especially when the deer is close. I find stalking a bedded deer a bit more difficult, and challenging. It has to be done with even more caution and stealth, as when they are stationary, they catch movement even better. Doing this takes a lot of patience. All movement is done in SUPER slow motion, especially when the deer is close. If you think you are moving too slow, move slower!

The last deer I stalked, was when I was hunting with moog last year. Came within a couple steps getting a shot at a nice 8pt. while moog watched and silently cheered me on. That was my best hunt of 2017.

That was awesome to watch and Grampy sure showed some skill in almost pulling it off.  Sneaking in for a shot through some thick vines and blow downs and the buck never caught him.  I for sure would have fallen trying to get through that stuff in stealthy fashion.  lol

[OtiscoPaul]

I'm terrible at it with my bow....I have connected stillhunting with an xbow the first legal year up here last day of bow season.

Even though I know some people are extremely good at this I would prefer if they atleast waited until the "lul" to start actively pressuring deer if they can't hold off til artillery season....but whatever floats your boat.

[adkhunter71]

26 minutes ago, philoshop said:

Please understand the difference between "stalking" and "stillhunting". They are not the same thing. Stalking is when you spot game from a distance and then sneak up on the animal. Stillhunting is when you attempt to be stealthy and see the quarry while sneaking through the woods.Two very different things. Both require extraordinary woodsmanship skills , but they are very different. My apologies for being a stickler on terminology here, but it's important to know the difference. Stalking and stillhunting are not the same thing.

Thanks for pointing that out.  Was thinking the same thing and wondering when someone would make the distinction between the two.  Also like to point out to the OP that hunters don't "catch" deer.  It sounds like you might be a new hunter based on using this term and it will save you alot of ballbusting in the future if you don't refer to killing deer as "catching" deer.

[turkeyfeathers]

I'm not sure I could sneak up on Stevie Wonder wearing ear plugs    and I've got the advantage of keying ( no pun intended) in on the piano sounds

[OtiscoPaul]

5 minutes ago, adkhunter71 said:

Thanks for pointing that out.  Was thinking the same thing and wondering when someone would make the distinction between the two.  Also like to point out to the OP that hunters don't "catch" deer.  It sounds like you might be a new hunter based on using this term and it will save you alot of ballbusting in the future if you don't refer to killing deer as "catching" deer.

I read "catch" as sarcastic but it might not have been...

and I say you are still-hunting til you see one then if you take atleast one more step you are stalking...teehee 

Edited October 3, 2018 by OtiscoPaul