I want to be a better stalker

[endurance]

Most of my life I've relied on ambush as my primary method of take; go in early, hunker down, sit and wait and let the animals come to you.  In general, I've had success, but this year the deer just weren't moving in reliable patterns.  I think the wet spring gave us so much grass, they have little reason to move.

In any case, I did some stalking and discovered it's a skill I need a lot of practice at.  For one, conditions were far from ideal.  It had been over a month since the last significant moisture in the are, so every pine needle, blade of grass, twig and branch snapped with a tremendous report.  Moving quietly was not easy.  Compound that with the fact that since I'm an ambush hunter, I wear clothing that'll keep me warm for sitting down for several hours without moving.  That means a 1000g insulated hunting boot that wasn't designed for stealth. 

Should I look at getting a different shoe/boot for stalking?  Other than being aware of one's surroundings so you minimize twig snaps, etc, what other gems of advice would you give to someone looking to get better at stealth movement?

[Morning Sunshine]

Title double take.  Had to look at the board it was in to figure out what you were talking about.  Since you are a mod, I didn't figure you were breaking rule #1:

1) Any and all illegal acts will not be allowed on this forum. Any advocation or talk of illegal activity will result in immediate termination of membership.

but still wondered. 

[archer]

You can stalk game in legal hunting season. It's a way to hunt, like sitting in a stand waiting for the prey to come by.

[Carl]

You can stalk game in any season,learn to walk...not stomp...the ball of your foot striking earth first...not the heal.
Take a camera and stalk small,or large game...learn to walk in irregular cadence...at a varying pace.
Read TOM BROWN TRACKER series...great books.

https://www.princeton.edu/~oa/nature/naturobs.pdf

[soupbone]

Get a camera and try 'wildlife photography'. Make it a simple camera - without a 50X zoom - so you have to get close. A half-way decent point and shoot would be better than a single lens reflex as they are smaller, lighter, and most importantly, quieter. Don't try to sneak up on the critter. They know you are there long before you know they are there; trying to be sneaky will only be interpreted as a threat and they will react accordingly. Be cool about it and no telling what you may see:

NICE:



NICE:



Also, make sure you are not practicing your camera stalking with something that can kill you and eat you, or make you wish you were dead and digested.

NOT NICE:




 
soup

[archer]

great pics!

[endurance]

You mean I have to become more like my wife, Soup?



Of course, that's Rhoda, my wife's not-so-wild anymore deer and there's a definitive ban on hunting her.  She's come into the garage before while I've been getting grain for the horses.  Of course my instinct is to close the garage door and have her cut into steaks and in the freezer before my wife gets home, but that's cheatin'.   

I do get your point though, Soup.  What energy you're projecting out there in the woods impacts everything, from the noises you make when you're moving to the state of mind of the animals you're stalking.

[bbobwat33]

stalking is my primary way of hunting. the best way to describe what i do: there's not some great focus or concentration on my part constantly. atleast not on the act of stalking.  we call it still hunting btw. im usually planning a simple route, maybe fifty yards at the time, wind in my face. atleast half the time im looking at trees or birds, just nature just enjoying a slow easy walk in the woods with a rifle. im still way more than im moving.  i might stay in one place for 10-20 minutes before moving. theres not anywhere you have to go, you're already there. thats my attitude about it. i like to still hunt in the morning and mid day up until about a hour and a half before dark then move to the stand.  i hunt the same property so i like to look at things over time. watching the land change shape. noticing trees that i didnt notice before. i get excited when i see a tree and i dont know what it is, you know...  or a type of fern on a creek bottom that i dont know its name. i take pictures of this these things and look um up when im home. if you jump a deer. (and you will)just stop and wait awhile. i cant tell you how many times i've jumped one and it made a big circle only to come right back where it was bedded within thirty minutes. especially a juvenile buck.  some people will say you shouldnt shoot at running deer but i do it and i kill them. mainly because i pull the trigger when they are in the crosshairs and i can focus because my minds not tired, you know because ive just been on a walk in the woods. not really concentrating on everystep i take. ive got no place im going im already there. and you know try and take advantage of anything that lets you tread quieter. rocks, logs, roots and moss around the bases of trees. enjoy and good luck.

[endurance]

stalking is my primary way of hunting. the best way to describe what i do: there's not some great focus or concentration on my part constantly. atleast not on the act of stalking.  we call it still hunting btw. im usually planning a simple route, maybe fifty yards at the time, wind in my face. atleast half the time im looking at trees or birds, just nature just enjoying a slow easy walk in the woods with a rifle. im still way more than im moving.  i might stay in one place for 10-20 minutes before moving. theres not anywhere you have to go, you're already there. thats my attitude about it. i like to still hunt in the morning and mid day up until about a hour and a half before dark then move to the stand.  i hunt the same property so i like to look at things over time. watching the land change shape. noticing trees that i didnt notice before. i get excited when i see a tree and i dont know what it is, you know...  or a type of fern on a creek bottom that i dont know its name. i take pictures of this these things and look um up when im home. if you jump a deer. (and you will)just stop and wait awhile. i cant tell you how many times i've jumped one and it made a big circle only to come right back where it was bedded within thirty minutes. especially a juvenile buck.  some people will say you shouldnt shoot at running deer but i do it and i kill them. mainly because i pull the trigger when they are in the crosshairs and i can focus because my minds not tired, you know because ive just been on a walk in the woods. not really concentrating on everystep i take. ive got no place im going im already there. and you know try and take advantage of anything that lets you tread quieter. rocks, logs, roots and moss around the bases of trees. enjoy and good luck.

+1. That's a great way of putting it. Thanks. I'll get to practicing for next season.

[Zef_66]

stalking is my primary way of hunting. the best way to describe what i do: there's not some great focus or concentration on my part constantly. atleast not on the act of stalking.  we call it still hunting btw. im usually planning a simple route, maybe fifty yards at the time, wind in my face. atleast half the time im looking at trees or birds, just nature just enjoying a slow easy walk in the woods with a rifle. im still way more than im moving.  i might stay in one place for 10-20 minutes before moving. theres not anywhere you have to go, you're already there. thats my attitude about it. i like to still hunt in the morning and mid day up until about a hour and a half before dark then move to the stand.  i hunt the same property so i like to look at things over time. watching the land change shape. noticing trees that i didnt notice before. i get excited when i see a tree and i dont know what it is, you know...  or a type of fern on a creek bottom that i dont know its name. i take pictures of this these things and look um up when im home. if you jump a deer. (and you will)just stop and wait awhile. i cant tell you how many times i've jumped one and it made a big circle only to come right back where it was bedded within thirty minutes. especially a juvenile buck.  some people will say you shouldnt shoot at running deer but i do it and i kill them. mainly because i pull the trigger when they are in the crosshairs and i can focus because my minds not tired, you know because ive just been on a walk in the woods. not really concentrating on everystep i take. ive got no place im going im already there. and you know try and take advantage of anything that lets you tread quieter. rocks, logs, roots and moss around the bases of trees. enjoy and good luck.

Almost exactly the way I hunt. Excellent description.

[Mjolnir]

Another tip for stalking wild game is to stop often and look around at "their" level. It is amazing to me that i may be looking through the woods and not seeing anything, but when i stop and bend down to look at another level sometimes you can see through brush etc. and actually see what the prey may be seeing. It can really change your movement and help you avoid getting busted.