-
- Species
- Whitetails
- Rut Reporters
- Deer Camp
- Big Game
- Small Game
- Birds
- Special Methods
- Bow Hunting
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Species
- Bass
- Trout
- More Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Catchbook
- Special Methods
- Fly Fishing
- Hook Shots
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Health & Fitness
- F&S Adventurer
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
-
- Rifles
- Shotguns
- 2nd Amendment
- SHOT Show
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
AnswersASK YOUR QUESTION
Print
Email
Share
Answers
Browse By
Top Users
Q:
Ive been stalking a monster buck with no luck and I need help. What is the best method for stalking?
Question by hunter007. Uploaded on December 03, 2011
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Today on Field & Stream
Loading...
Visit Our Sister Sites at Bonnier Corporation
| Enthusiast | Kiteboarding | QUAD | SKI | Skiing | Scuba Diving | Sport Diver | TransWorld Ride BMX | TransWorld Business | TransWorld Motocross | TransWorld SKATEboarding, | TransWorld SNOWboarding | TransWorld SURF | WakeBoarding | WaterSki | Warren Miller Entertainment | WindSurfing |
|---|---|
| Travel | Caribbean Travel & Life | Destination Weddings & Honeymoon | Islands | Meeting Traveler | Resorts & Great Hotels |
| Lifestyle & Shelter | Florida Travel & Life | Garden Design | Home Ft. Lauderdale | Home Miami |
| Luxury | SNOW | Spa |
| Marine | Boating Life | Cruising World | Fly Fishing in Salt Waters | Power Cruising | Marlin | Motor Boating | Sailing World | Salt Water Sportsman | Sport Fishing | Yachting | NewBoats.com | UsedBoats.com | YachtBroker.com |
| Outdoor | Field & Stream | Outdoor Life | SHOT Business |
| Parenting | Babytalk | Parenting |
| Science | Popular Science | Science Illustrated |
| Saveur | Saveur |
| Working Mother Media | Working Mother |
| Entertainment / Events | World Entertainment Services | World Sports & Marketing |
Fieldandstream.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2012 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Answers (5)
stalk slowly and into the wind.
Steve182 makes a great point in that scent will give you away long before you can close the deal so you have to really watch the wind direction. Wearing scent blocking clothing will help a lot - especially wearing a face cover with scent blocking to cover the odor of your breath. Going slowly will help keep your noise to a minimum and give you a chance to see the deer before it sees you (though this is really challenging). I have my best luck during or just after a rain - the leaves are wet and you can sneak down the trail with much less sound. Do not try sneaking cross country in dense woods - you will make too much noise and will give yourself away long before you get close. I also like to occasionally blow on a buck grunt - especially if I make some noise - this might make the buck think you are a rival deer rather than a hunter. You can try dragging a doe estrus scent pad behind you - if you wear clothes that cover up your scent (and deodorize your footwear) and drag the scent pad, you might have the buck stalk you. The best plan, of course, is to anticipate where the deer will be and set up to ambush them either with a blind or tree stand/saddle.
As I pointed out in another post, I recommend reading Eberhardts' book Bowhunting Whitetails - lots of good information and tips that will help you.
Why don't you just sit a stand for him?
I would recommend like woods walker said slowly and for a pretty short distance you should have a very good idea where the deer is and try to ambush that area with calls and scent. Deer when they see you will try to get back around you and go the direction your coming from and sometimes come back right to the bed they were in. when stalking with a gun and you kick something up it should go over a hill or cover and look back theres your shot. Also when the tracks become shorter distance apart the deer is most likely getting closer to a bed and it will be trying to overlook those tracks when bedded. good luck its really tough to repeatedly stalk the same deer without educating so keep that in mind and if you have him patterned to a spot set up a stand don't get impatient.
The right clothing is extremely important. Fleece or wool is the best for noise reduction.
Glad to see someone who is choosing to stalk rather than "sit". Pursuit is what hunting has been about ... for the last fifteen million years. While you're wandering around looking for your game and seeing owls, birds, or even just different trees others will be sitting in a stand/blind texting or reading or playing video games. For me variety is the spice of life. I'm not interested in looking at the same scenery for hours on end. And if I wanted to look at a screen or book, I'd do it at home. Stick to pursuit hunting and you'll be much healthier in the long run ... body and mind. That will give you much more than just antlers on the wall. Good luck.
Post an Answer
The right clothing is extremely important. Fleece or wool is the best for noise reduction.
Glad to see someone who is choosing to stalk rather than "sit". Pursuit is what hunting has been about ... for the last fifteen million years. While you're wandering around looking for your game and seeing owls, birds, or even just different trees others will be sitting in a stand/blind texting or reading or playing video games. For me variety is the spice of life. I'm not interested in looking at the same scenery for hours on end. And if I wanted to look at a screen or book, I'd do it at home. Stick to pursuit hunting and you'll be much healthier in the long run ... body and mind. That will give you much more than just antlers on the wall. Good luck.
stalk slowly and into the wind.
Steve182 makes a great point in that scent will give you away long before you can close the deal so you have to really watch the wind direction. Wearing scent blocking clothing will help a lot - especially wearing a face cover with scent blocking to cover the odor of your breath. Going slowly will help keep your noise to a minimum and give you a chance to see the deer before it sees you (though this is really challenging). I have my best luck during or just after a rain - the leaves are wet and you can sneak down the trail with much less sound. Do not try sneaking cross country in dense woods - you will make too much noise and will give yourself away long before you get close. I also like to occasionally blow on a buck grunt - especially if I make some noise - this might make the buck think you are a rival deer rather than a hunter. You can try dragging a doe estrus scent pad behind you - if you wear clothes that cover up your scent (and deodorize your footwear) and drag the scent pad, you might have the buck stalk you. The best plan, of course, is to anticipate where the deer will be and set up to ambush them either with a blind or tree stand/saddle.
As I pointed out in another post, I recommend reading Eberhardts' book Bowhunting Whitetails - lots of good information and tips that will help you.
I would recommend like woods walker said slowly and for a pretty short distance you should have a very good idea where the deer is and try to ambush that area with calls and scent. Deer when they see you will try to get back around you and go the direction your coming from and sometimes come back right to the bed they were in. when stalking with a gun and you kick something up it should go over a hill or cover and look back theres your shot. Also when the tracks become shorter distance apart the deer is most likely getting closer to a bed and it will be trying to overlook those tracks when bedded. good luck its really tough to repeatedly stalk the same deer without educating so keep that in mind and if you have him patterned to a spot set up a stand don't get impatient.
Why don't you just sit a stand for him?
Post an Answer