Stalking while bow hunting

[Hunter007]

50 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.

 That is true , Some times you are kinda of doing both what I mean is we remember where we have seen  deer beds or jumped deer in the past and will stalk up to that area but will be still hunting on the way there . If you know where the deer like to  hang out  or bed in your  area it improves you chances dramatically when doing this .

 

[nyantler]

Getting in range of small bucks and does with a bow while stalking is not as difficult as you might think, but getting close to a big boy is extremely difficult... especially 20 yards and in. I have stalked many a big buck to 10-15 yards only to find no place to get an arrow through. Even harder if you use a call to help cut the distance because a big buck will use every precaution to use cover when coming in until he sees what he thinks he heard... while trying to get down wind of the where the call came from. I can say that, whether you kill the buck or not, the experience is about as jacked up as a hunter can get on a hunt.

[philoshop]

I suppose I understand calling to a deer that you want to move closer to your position, like if you're in a stand or something. But why would you ever call to a deer that you are trying to get closer to? Doesn't compute. If you want the deer to know exactly where you are just jump up and yell like an insane  lunatic. "I hate Trump" would work. I've had deer brush against me and even step on me in thick stuff. The last thing I would ever want is for them to know that I'm even there.

[grampy]

2 hours 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.

Yes, there is a difference in the terminology.

But I just call it all........hunting.

[Doc]

3 hours 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.

I suspect  that most successful still-hunting turns into stalking before the shot becomes available. However, I have had some situations where still-hunting actually became stand-hunting as a deer that I spotted was walking toward me. I used a tree as cover while I waited for him to close the distance to within bow range. And so that hunt started as still-hunting and morphed into stand hunting. So whenever I have been still-hunting, I never know what style of hunt that it may eventually become.

[philoshop]

Very true, Doc. But it's a fine line between seeing or spotting a deer and sneaking up on it, and moving through the woods and  having a deer appear in front of you before it even knows you're there. Both are cool.

[ncountry]

I have taken a few stalking. One of my most memorable hunts was a stalk on a 6 point .maybe my 2nd or 3rd year archery hunting.  He was in the middle of a meadow. Instead of having a time walls the old timers piled the stones in a dozen different mounds scattered across the field.. it took me an hour to go from behind one like to another in my sock feet. Another what seemed like an hour to crawl across the last  50 yds in plain sight of the deer. 

Finally I was within 20yds. I pulled up, and shot 10' over his back. Turns out my old sight had loosened up and dropped down as far as it would go....lol

[stubborn1VT]

2 hours ago, philoshop said:

I suppose I understand calling to a deer that you want to move closer to your position, like if you're in a stand or something. But why would you ever call to a deer that you are trying to get closer to? Doesn't compute. If you want the deer to know exactly where you are just jump up and yell like an insane  lunatic. "I hate Trump" would work. I've had deer brush against me and even step on me in thick stuff. The last thing I would ever want is for them to know that I'm even there.

Many very successful trackers grunt as they walk, especially in noisy conditions (dry leaves, crunchy snow etc).  The deer thinks it is another deer and allows the hunter to get closer.  Just another approach to consider.

[philoshop]

6 hours ago, stubborn1VT said:

Many very successful trackers grunt as they walk, especially in noisy conditions (dry leaves, crunchy snow etc).  The deer thinks it is another deer and allows the hunter to get closer.  Just another approach to consider.

That kind of thing I understand. In really crunchy leaves i try to sound like a noisy idiot squirrel looking for nuts. It works.

[BowmanMike]

I am going to go still hunting and then hopefully stalking right now before that front comes in. Should be nice and quiet and maybe i can catch a deer off guard,and then go beyond catching it...haha.