Spot & Stalk
 

How many of you spot and stalk for deer. I live in mule deer country and will try it this year. I will have about 11 sections of prime mule deer hunting and really have most of the season to hunt it. I could use some pointers if any one has any. I have hunted mule deer all my life but not with a bow. I will be going the first weekend of Sept. mostly because I can't wait.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

i now nothing about mule deer because i only hunt white tail.

but some times with white tail i spot them and then i stalk them down untill i get a shot with a bow, and sometimes i go and sit in my stand but its weird because most of my luck is when im stalking them.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Hey neb, does that stand for Nebraska by chance? Just curious because I am going on a spot and stalk mule deer hunt of my own on Setember 15th in western Nebraska. I guess I could use a few pointers myself, for this is my first time going after mulies. I can't wait though, it is going to be exciting!

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

I live in MT. and really have all bow season to hunt about 11 sections of land. It is my passion for mule deer. I do know the rut will be the best buT i WANT TO HUNT THE FIRST WEEKEND. As much as I know about mule deer I could use some pointer and really can't give much on stalking. The country is tough going and all packing and climbing. The worsts is the rattlers because it is so warm here.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Tried it on some crows this evening....no luck.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Mulies have great eye sight and an unbelieveable sense of smell not to mention those dang ears. Best advice I can give is to slow down. When glassing pick apart the shadows. I always found it easiest to find a buck feeding in the morning follow him till he beds durring the middle of the day,get the wind in your favor and make a very slow calculated stalk. I have found that most boot soles are very hard and noisy so I carry a pair of felt covers for my boots, I think they are made by carlton calls. Like I said the best advice I can give is to go slow, cant even tell you how many times I've blown a stalk by getting in a hurry.

Hope this helps

Rogue

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

i don't know about muleys but what i have done with whitetails is put a grunt tube in my mouth and hold the bow over my head.just give a few toots and walk slowly toward some cover so you can get you bow ready to shoot. hope this helps

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Get to know the terrian very well! Try to have a rangefinder in your pocket if all possible. I usually get up high on a point and glass in the morning. Once I catch one moving, I'll develop a game plan and usually try to get ahead of where he is going, rather than stalking to where he is

If it's later in the morning, I'll usually watch where he beds down for the day. Then make the stalk!

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Some great tips on here already, but just to add to the "slow down" tip.... If you have spent a long time sneaking into an area you saw a buck, don't give up because he isn't in the same spot anymore. I don't know how many times I blew an opportunity because I gave up 5 minutes early. I would think that there is no way he is there anymore, stand up to look around and BOOOM he busts out 20 yards from me.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

I would definately try the ambush tactic before I tried to sneak up on one. Just because my sneakiness is not very......um...sneaky perhaps....especially on dry leaves. All the deer I have stalked have been from dirt road or worn fourwheeler trails that make the going easy. Just "head 'em off at the pass."

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Rogue was right on! Either maccasins or felt/velvet boot covers. I've lived in N.E.-Orego, S.E.-Idaho, N.W.-Nevada and Central California, The wind is your best friend, those afternoon thermals need to be usedto your advantage. A recent book I skimmed through and am ordering is Backcountry Bowhunting by Cameron Hanes a great resource for the Spot and stalker. Talk about a rush, Spot and stalk is it!. Let us know how it goes.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

THANKS FOR THE INFO WHT EVER THE OUT COME IT WILL BE A NE THING FOR ME. THE AREA IS BAD LANDS ON THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER. I CAN HUNT IT ALL YEAR AND WILL TREASURE EACH STEP. IT'S ALWAYS FUN BEING IN THE BALANDS.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

I can summarize what you need into 3 words: patience, patience and patience :D



Take your time, be patient. Be on the lookout for other deer and use the lay of the land to your advantage. I’ve had the best luck when there is a fair amount of wind to help cover the noise.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

With whitetail it's always been Spot and Spook for me!!!

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Spot and spook usually works for me too.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Here in East Texas spot and stalke is a very hard thing to have any sort of succes at with a bow. I have tried it here and have gotten close but no cake.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Can someone explain the thermals to me. As far as wind we have wind here and I do know that is a great time to stalk but deer are harder to find. Also wind is a disadvantage when using a bow or it can be.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

First, the wind is your best friend when used correctly, not very often when hunting in mountains have I experienced the wind swirling like you can have in dense wooded areas. The thermals are strong and when utilized in a spot and stalk can make for an exciting hunt. The thermals= you can google this, but in the morning-early afternoon the wind will blow uphill- its the hot air comming in forcing the cool air out. Just the opposite in the evening, the wind shifts and blows down a canyon/ mountian forcing the hot air out and cool air in. Know the times this is going to happen and dont get caught off gaurd. Talk to locals or go a couple of days early to get the feel of the place. Enjoy!

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

So if understand you correctly I should be up high in the morning and late afternoon be down lower. Please correct me if i understood you wrong. Of cource I will take your advice on checking area first.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

yep...most thermals here in CA work as winds go up the ridges in the AM and in the afternoon will tend to go down the mountain..

good binoculars are needed...good spotting scope..lots of patience and time...also it really helps to practice shooting (if using a bow) in the type of set up you will be hunting..ie shooting across a draw, over grass, next to brush etc...differnet positions also help....never once will you get a perfect stance and the deer in a perfect position to make a shot so practice for the realistic type shots

get a good pair of sneaky peeks...work very well for me....use the wind to your advantage.. and big one.. DON"T RUSH....take your time and make it count

Josh

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

So what you are telling is that mornings I would be up high and glassing and late afternoon evening be down lower. Of course I will have to do some checking of area like you said. But please correct me if I haven't understood you correctly.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Neb, I dont know if it will help you much...
I have stalked whitetail before and have had success when stalking during high windsand/or rainwhen they are more likely to bebedded down. I always stalked into the wind so it hit me directly on the face.
Good Luck on the Mulies...the videos of people doing that looks like a Ton Of Fun!

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

I really do want to thank everyone that has replied. It is alot of common sence but it is nice to talk to people that may have had success stalking. The termal thing is really something I guess I never thought much off so I did learn something along with many of the other tips. I will post on my sucess if that happens. I do have a passion for mules and the tough country I live in and always a blessing to be out in the badlands. I might be differant then most but getting an animal out of the back country no matter how hard it is can be some of the most rewarding time of the hunt.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Invest in the best binos you can afford and use them a lot! Hunt the area with your eyes, not your feet.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

Neb, sorry for the delay, I am a paramedic so I get to check this in between calls, I start high on a ridge and glass and glass some more. When you see the bucks you can make your plan with the knowledge of the thermals it will help in planning. If you see them bed down, perfect. It gives you time and better for landmarks.

RE: Spot & Stalk
 

This is my first year bow hunting, but I have hunted mulies with a rifle and have been scouting them for years using spot and stalk method. You are going to get busted more often then not. Like others have said move slowly. If you are busted, drop to the ground and lay down. Don't move a muscle.The deer will slowly walk away and find close cover a lot of the time. Back out a ways until you can find another approach angle. I have waited well over an hour on several occations beforeI could move again without spooking the deer.Good camo helps.The only part of my body not in camo is mytrigger or release hand. I have had a lot of deer confused on what I was and theycome close to get a better view. I had a doe come within 20 yards of me about a month and a half ago. She was real curious as to what I was. I also like to get within range ofheavy coverthat I think deer are in and make a small sound to see if anything is in it. I first wait a while. Then I throw a small rockas far away as I can to make just a littlesound. This can get a beddeddeer up. That is how I got my whitetailbuck last year during rifle season.

I may learn a little more in the next couple days. Speed Goat season opens tomorrow and am hoping to put a stalk on a couple with my bow. Sunrise can't come soon enough.:D