Still/stalking

[Tiredtim]

Hello, does anyone happen to still/stalk hunt?  I'm looking to be more proactive in my hunting.  Also, I really stink at picking trees for tree stands. Here's an example of what I mean by the tree statement.  I'm looking for advice such as the types of shoes to wear, cover up, basically anything.  Thanks

[sleek]

Good grief man what happened there?!

I have gone barefoot several times. It forces you to move slowly and choose your footing wisely. Also it makes you step toe down first rather than heal first like when you wear shoes. Mocs would be better for some. Cold wise, I walked barefoot in the snow before and that sucks. after a few hours. I know there is a way to do that and keep your feet warm but I think it takes lots of building your feet up to it. Frost and rain is no problem. Depending on where you live you may be better off with mocs. Remember toes first and keep the wind off your back. Check for tracks, trails, and establish an ambush point. I wait a bit, and if I get bored, I pack up and walk again. Best to bring two or three arrows, no quiver. They get caught on brush and low branches. Walk with the arrows in the bow hand keeping the bow ready to draw.

No need for all that full camo. Just a plaid or camo shirt, any color but blue, and dark pants is all I wear. Beyond that, just remember, you just need to be more patient than the deer. Don't get in a hurry. You don't have to shoot anything today, and the deer doesn't have to die today. There is no hurry what so ever. Good luck.

[chamookman]

If You try mocs, check out the soles first. I tried wearing My Dyer Mocs Hunting once - Dang near killed Myself slipping around on damp forest litter & leaves. Things were like roller skates - the smooth sole is great around Camp but dicey in the woods. For still Hunting, My trusty 40 year old LL Bean boots are the ticket. You can feel every twig and are VERY quiet and waterproof. Have fun - Bob.

[Pat B]

I use my old LL Bean boots too. A few years ago I got a pair of high top sneakers with thin soles that seem to work pretty well too. They are made for stalking. I think I got them from one of the online outdoor stores.

[Tiredtim]

Thanks guys.  Yeah, Sleek, that's what about 4 inches of rain, high winds and an old cutover will do for your stand. But, I got it for free from a friend who had it for about 10 years.  I had it for 2 months.  This is my life.
I think I saw some of those shoes for stalking. I'll look for them again.  Thanks again, guys!

[Weylin]

I recommend reading "The Still Hunter" by Theodore S. Van Dyke. It's an old book and about rifle hunting but it has a lot of great wisdom about stalking deer.

[BowEd]

Tim...Sometime go through a stare down with a number of deer that think they see you.Maybe you've done this.They don't smell you but are suspicious.It can last a long long time.Can't tell you exactly how long but I would say at least 5 to 10 minutes of being frozen still.That might help you imagine what it takes to stalk.Making sure you've got everything seen before you move,and then don't move very fast.Deer are motion detectable animals and are about 90% close to a nervous breakdown to begin with,and when they smell ya that's the clincher.There gone.Spotting where they are before stalking can make it a lot easier.
Looks like you might not have the best type of choice of trees to choose from there either.Say you've got a well used deer trail with a scrape on it.Set your stand so that when the animal is going by that he comes from the left hand side from behind you for a right handed shooter then he'll be by you already in the stand.For a quartering away shot.That's for a right handed shooter now.Now he might come from the other way too.Hopefully he won't bust ya,but if he cooperates you'll get a shot.Knowing where they come from their bedding to feed somewhere is the key.Remember wind direction is very important.Percentages of success are low....That's why they call it hunting you know.....lol,but when it comes together it's great.Before sunrise to 10:00 A.M.Then 3 to 4 hours before sunset to dark are the best times here,but now these bucks in rut will move through any time of the day.

[PrimitiveTim]

Wear cheap flip flops with socks 

[BowEd]

What you wear has little significance.....lol.

[crooketarrow]

 
   Let me start out by saying your first statement. I want my hunting to be more productive. Never happen still hunting unless you haver a rifle. You can get more satisfacton out of what kills you get.

   I love buck hunting with a selfbow but by know means could I could kill 1% of what I arrow now.
  I'm no stalker nor do I want to be. I've try 50 times. I did learn to stalk one place. Standing corn fields. In the wind 25-30 mph ghillie. I arrowed 3 bucks on in his bed. One of the others I arrowed with a TEXAS chert head I knaped.

  Crooketarrow as old shool meat hunter. That killed every deer he'd ever killed by stalking.

  He had it down I've watched him dozzen times. But Tired or anyone intereste. Here's how CROOKETARROW did it. It'll even made some of you try it out.

  First off it's the time you try it's most inportant. Early or late when deer up moveing to or frorm a food scorce. You don't stalk the deer persay. You need to catch the deer moveing in between food and bedding area.

  What you do have to do is see the deer first. Then he would'nt stalk the deer he's stalk a place somewhere in front of the moveing deer so the deer have to come to him.

  Ofcorse he'd stalk every deer he saw no matter how long it took. He told me other than stalking a place for the deer to pass is favoret. Just seeing a deer and stalking it killing it. He'd say I'd have about a 70% chance. Jokeing he'd say you have 2%. WAS'NT NO JOKE.

  BUT HE'D STALK EVEN THE ONE'S HE HAD NO CHANCE AT. What I saw repetely was he never got in a hurry. Time did'nt matter he did have to get back home. I spent lots of all dayers with him.

  To the IROQOUS time dos'nt matter. So if you learning to stalk learn paintance.

  As far as shoes mocasons when it was warm no snow. Snow I've seen him with leather boots on.

  Just starting out stalking if your after lots of deer get a gun.

[Tracker0721]

3-7 steps, hunker by a bush or stump and look and listen. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Step on a twig or something loud stop and look. A small pair of binos or a monocular are amazing for this method. If making noise while making bring a turkey call, doe bleat, buck grunt, something to take some of the edge off anything hearing you. Yesterday I was stalking through crunchy snow(love snow but it ruins stalking) and I was doing doe bleats every so often on my way to trail crossing and I looked to my left and there was a buck walking parallel to me on the ridge maybe 50 yards away. He didn't even stop for the bleat so I kept going hoping we'd meet up at the crossing and he never even looked at me crunching and bleating a bit behind him in the draw. He got to the crossing before me so I have a soft grunt and he started coming back! But then a doe that musta been in heat walked past about 75 yards off and he turned on a dime and started chasing her.