Stalking advice
12-07-2006, 11:33 AM
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 447
RE: Stalking advice
did I ever tell you the story of stalking that doe in the snow. If ya get a good snow over in VA this year it would be the perfect time to practice. Get on a trail and follow the tracks to the bed. Its tones of fun. What did Kat e-mail you? I know about the bow.
12-07-2006, 01:10 PM
#12
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 753
RE: Stalking advice
Thanks for the advice so far, especially Killer Primate, who gave lots of advice that sounds good to me. I guess I should have mentioned that I use a whisker biscuit, so that helps keep the arrow on the rest and not make noise, etc.
Depending on the wind, I plan to stalk hunt one of three places. I am pretty sure that one place, the place I will most likely hunt, is the bedding area of a specific large, mature buck I have seen twice coming from that general area and who I think I have heard thrashing small trees in that area when I have been hunting nearby. It’s a stand of mainly fairly small pine trees growing close together with a few larger red and white oak and hickory sentinel trees. I have also see a lot of turkey in that vicinity, which may make it harder to get in without spooking anything. I planned on using a diaphragm turkey call for when I step on any sticks or make too much noise, so the deer think it’s a turkey (advice I heard on the HNI forums (Rob, was that you?)).
Also, I read an article on here called something like bump ‘em and dump ‘em. I had thought about using a variant on this hunt if I jump any deer. The article said that deer, including mature bucks, are very picky about their bedding areas, and will likely return to them soon after you jump them there, if they think you are just “passing through”. It occurred to me that if I jump one stalking, if I make sure that I keep walking one direction (into the wind) so that the deer is thoroughly out of the immediate vicinity, I would keep my stand and sticks nearby and pick a stand site that would cover the likely downwind approach of the buck returning to his bed. Has anyone tried this?
BTW: I am very familiar with the areas I plan to hunt, so I think I will be able to plan out a good approach, as long as the wind doesn’t shift around too much (it’s mountain land).
Depending on the wind, I plan to stalk hunt one of three places. I am pretty sure that one place, the place I will most likely hunt, is the bedding area of a specific large, mature buck I have seen twice coming from that general area and who I think I have heard thrashing small trees in that area when I have been hunting nearby. It’s a stand of mainly fairly small pine trees growing close together with a few larger red and white oak and hickory sentinel trees. I have also see a lot of turkey in that vicinity, which may make it harder to get in without spooking anything. I planned on using a diaphragm turkey call for when I step on any sticks or make too much noise, so the deer think it’s a turkey (advice I heard on the HNI forums (Rob, was that you?)).
Also, I read an article on here called something like bump ‘em and dump ‘em. I had thought about using a variant on this hunt if I jump any deer. The article said that deer, including mature bucks, are very picky about their bedding areas, and will likely return to them soon after you jump them there, if they think you are just “passing through”. It occurred to me that if I jump one stalking, if I make sure that I keep walking one direction (into the wind) so that the deer is thoroughly out of the immediate vicinity, I would keep my stand and sticks nearby and pick a stand site that would cover the likely downwind approach of the buck returning to his bed. Has anyone tried this?
BTW: I am very familiar with the areas I plan to hunt, so I think I will be able to plan out a good approach, as long as the wind doesn’t shift around too much (it’s mountain land).
12-07-2006, 01:10 PM
#13
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location:
Posts: 11,472
RE: Stalking advice
Some good advice so far. The only thing I would add is when stop to scan the area always stop with your body in a position where you can draw with minimal movement and shoot easily. In other words don't stop in a fetal position with your fee together where you'll have to make extra movements to get in shooting position if a deer heads your way.
