Anybody out there bowhunt without a treestand/blind? ie scour the woods, spot a buch, and stalk up to within shooting range? Seems like the stand is the most popular for bowhunters. Stand hunting is nearly impossible for the kind of terrain out here in CA, so I was just wondering if anybody had any perspectives on stalking deer with a bow?

Thanks,

It all depends on the ground that you want to hunt, the ability of the hunter to spot and stalk, and most importantly the animal that you will be "spot and stalking". For example, the reason that you find the treestand to be the most popular is that the majority of bowhunting is done east of the Mississipi River. It's a fairly safe assumption to make that we have more public land out west than the others east of us. Therefore, treestands offer a better chance of a hunter being able to hunt the land that they have access to. Also, you have to take into the account what you are hunting. Blinds offer better hunting opportunities for a few species. Antelope and turkey are two of these. Both of these species have tremendous eyesight and can see movement in great detail. Here in Idaho where my husband (Idahoelkinstructor) and I hunt, I've never been on a hunt for deer when I haven't used the spot and stalk method. I will admit that I've only been in a treestand once during an elk hunt. Didn't quite like it up there that high! [] So, I'll stick to the spot and stalk method for that to!

Don't do it much but the best I've been able to do was with a good amount of background noise from a group of starlings on a windy day after a rain. I was also wearing moccasins.

I've read that animals communicate through ground vibration. Never heard that when a deer stomps it's hoof it was also sending a signal until lately, I thought it was just leaving a scent, so learning to walk lightly is a desired trait. Never putting weight on your front foot until it's all the way down is how I've heard it is done.

pretty much all i do is stalk, been doing it for quite a few years now. i do use natural ground blinds at times, butnever been in a tree stand.
up close and personal, talk about a heart beating adrenaline rush.

practice and patience, are the two most important tips i can give.

I’m new to archery, but have hunted in California for years; all spot and stalk. The most important things are wind/scent control and good optics. I hunt in the Trinity Alps and the wind in my area always comes down the hillside in the morning before sunrise. Since the deer are at the bottom and work their way toward the top to bed, this forces the hunter to stay at the bottom of the hill and view the bucks/pigs high on the hill. As you spot them bedding down at sunrise and start your stalk, you have to be quiet, yet fast. Since you have about 1200 feet in elevation to gain to get to their bedding area you have to do it quick because when the sun rises and hits the mountain the wind starts getting turbulent then the wind will change direction 180 degrees and start drawing your scent up hill and right into their nose. There are hardly any trees in this area (all granite rock), so this is how it has to be done. Tree stands can be used in other areas, but with walking in several miles with a 60 pound pack, hauling a tree stand is out of the question. I’m learning about a couple areas that a tree stand would be great when the bucks get spooked; however, I still have the problem of hauling the tree stand in several miles. I’m planning to just spot and stalk most of the time or set-up an ambush in heavy traffic areas. I couldn’t imagine sitting in a tree stand all day waiting, I think I would go nuts, especially if a big buck was just out of range. In short, pick an area you want to hunt and study the wind currents and the time of day they change, buy good optics for long range spotting and practice shooting your bow at longer than normal ranges. That would be my advice for California.

It depends on the area for me. But I do a good amount of spot and stalk bowhunting every year.

He y MilDotMaster,

I have friends in Lewiston, and hope to do some hunting up there in B2 this year. Thanks for the advice, I hadn't realized the wind currents up them steep mountains.
Do you hikein all day, camp, and hunt for a couple of days, then hike out? Or do you hike in for a day, hunt, and hike out the same day? I hiked Granite Peak once and thought that there would be some good hunting ground around the lakes behind the mountain (I forget what they are called).

Treestands? What are they??? I live in a part of South Dakota where there aren't many trees. The trees that are here aren't suitable locations either. I've harvested 1 buck and a few does out of my treestand. The rest I have killed on the ground, spot an stalk. I like to wait for the wind to pick up to 20-30mph. Then I go glass my CRP fields, locate a deer I want to harvest, get the wind in my face and start stalking.

When I'm out West mulie hunting, its pretty much the same way.

The minimum is a weekend trip with driving 3.5 hours after work just to get there, and walking in past midnight on a Friday night and setting up base camp. Wake up Saturday morning and hunt 1-3 miles from base camp. Hunt Saturday night, Sunday morning and walk back out Sunday before dark and drive 3.5 hours back to Sacramento, CA.

During season opening day my trip will be more like 5 days. Anymore than that the weight of food really wears on you. The MRE’s get pretty heavy when you have to bring enough for 7 days, plus I don’t have the room in my pack. The Alps is really a great place to hunt if you have the right gear. Getting the gear is the hard part. I spent over 3K (not including bow/rifle) just getting all the lightweight gear needed. I didn’t have to spend this much, but I’m glad I did.

Get ready for turkey season!!!

I primarily do my hunting from a treestand although I took my first buck from a ground blind (popup) this past season. When the conditions are right, I've been known to ground/stalk hunt but again, I can usually be found in a number of favorite trees.