Need Help on Stalking Tips

K

koonsdawg

Guest
I have only been bow hunting for two years now and am having trouble getting close enough to get a shot off. Here is a typical scenario. I am walking very quietly and all of a sudden out jumps a buck from behind a tree about 80 yrds. away. He looks at me for a second and then begins to trot off into the woods. What do I do?

1. Run after him as quietly as I can straight at him
2. Just sit it out and see if he comes back
3. Cut him off in the direction he was headed
4. Follow him moving slowly and quietly trying to catch up
5. You tell me

I've had this happen to me four times this year and am getting frustrated not knowing what to do.
 
The biggest thing is to spot him from a distance BEFORE he "jumps up". Use your walking less and your field glasses more.

Once jumped, if you do follow him at all, do so only in hopes that you see where he beds down again. Chasing or going after a buck that is in escape mode hardly ever gets a archer any kind of a decent shot. Slow way down, use your glasses! Spot the deer before he spots you! Then, use the wind and cover to plan and make a good stalk, then have you a good shot.

Joey
 
Lets say you do jump a deer from his bed or bump him. If he stops moving and turns to look means he wants to know whats after him. Means he questions himself and is unsure of what is there.
What I do in this case is I get down and do not move wait for him to get out of an area and watch where he goes. Then make another attempt to stalk him. If you stay down and do not move then I feel the buck starts to wonder if there was anything there and is just being jumpy. I have found that half the time the buck will stay in the area and not leave for other counties. Make sure you are not moving so he can pin point you.
Just a suggestion.
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-08 AT 09:49AM (MST)[p]Just a suggestion, right...better listen, Supersider34 has taken some dandy's...

best pic i got of one of his...

48b6c8951c489f14.jpg
 
Once you have invaded a deers "comfort zone" and he runs, you have probably lost that particular animal.

For the next few hours, even if he beds, he will be more alert in the area of his backtrail.

He will generally bed down facing whatever direction he was spooked from and any movement in that area is going to bump him a second time and that WILL move him way far.

Following a deer or elk, that has actually confirmed your presence, is not real productive.

As stated above, best to see them first and then stalk accordingly.
 
Alright thanks for the help guys.. That's what I usually try to do is just sit there and wait for a bit and then try to sneak up on him again. So far I have been unsuccessful at doing this. I have ran into the same deer three times in the exact same spot. I'm going back up this weekend so we'll see if he's still in there.

I'll see if I can get on a hill to glass around a bit before I go into where he's at.
 
big bucks will almost always be watching their backtrail. 9 timesw out of 10 deer will bed down on the down wind side of their backtrail. slow down, get down wind of his trail, use your glass. i agree if a buck looks back he hasnt caught your scent. he wants to see what just spooked him. the trick is to see him in his bed before he sees you. if you know the direction he will likely feed out when he gets up, try to ambush him there. most times a buck picks a bed that you cant sneek within 40 yds of. be patient and glass glass glass
 
All great advice here. Just try to glass them up first if you can. I dont know how long you have been hunting or glassing but it is an art to be able to find stuff bedded in brush or in trees. But I started learning since bow hunting that glassing does pay off. But then again I dont know if it is thick where you are at and maybe you cannot glass. But find them bedded and you will have alot of success.
Good luck this weekend and hope your posting pics this next week.
 

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