Stalk Hunt
11-21-2006, 09:10 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 753
Stalk Hunt
I wanted to bounce a plan of action off of you more experienced hunters, because it will be a new tactic for me. I usually sit on the stand all day. I’ve also done some still/natural blind hunting (almost with success!). I’ve never really done any stalking, other than stalking to a place where I think the deer will move soon.
Where I hunt (VA), I believe the deer have become almost nocturnal due to the pressure of muzzle-loading season. A couple of weeks ago, I saw 22 deer in one day, including one OK buck and one nice buck. Now I am seeing lots of turkey (which is out of season now) and maybe one deer a day. There is lots of fresh buck sign (rubs, scrapes, etc.) all over around where I hunt, so there are deer with antlers around, but they seem to not be moving much during daylight.
In a couple of weeks, the weekend after firearm season ends here in VA, I want to try hunting a good morning spot where I used to see deer a lot, but haven’t hunted in a while, so don’t know if it’s “current”. Then, if I don’t arrow something from there, I was planning to do one of two stalk hunts, depending on wind direction.
Stalk 1 would be up in national forest above my morning spot. I think I know about where the nice buck I’ve seen twice (once from the ground at 15 yards) is bedding down. It is an area on a ridgeside (partly steep, partly not), with a lot of small pines, as well as scattered larger pines, oaks, hickory, etc. There are a lot of turkeys in the area, too, so getting in unnoticed might be tricky, but worth it, IMO, for a chance at this buck.
Stalk 2 would be on our land in bedding areas surrounding a rounded hilltop, with a clearing with a lot of fresh rubs and scrapes on top. Other than a group of two or three deer I spooked in the dark, walking to my stand, the only deer I saw from my stand on top of the hill was a medium 6-pointer who came in with minutes of shooting light left, and decided he didn’t like something and left. But I think there are a lot of deer on the sides of this hilltop, but they don’t go up on top in daylight much. Their (I think) bedding area has lots of small and medium pines, with some scattered larger pines, oaks, hickories, etc.
My main misgiving about this new approach is: Is it wise to do a stalk/still hunt into a bedding area during the day? Is this the kind of pressure that caused deer to move their bedding area a significant distance? Would you/have you done this kind of thing and how did it go?
Where I hunt (VA), I believe the deer have become almost nocturnal due to the pressure of muzzle-loading season. A couple of weeks ago, I saw 22 deer in one day, including one OK buck and one nice buck. Now I am seeing lots of turkey (which is out of season now) and maybe one deer a day. There is lots of fresh buck sign (rubs, scrapes, etc.) all over around where I hunt, so there are deer with antlers around, but they seem to not be moving much during daylight.
In a couple of weeks, the weekend after firearm season ends here in VA, I want to try hunting a good morning spot where I used to see deer a lot, but haven’t hunted in a while, so don’t know if it’s “current”. Then, if I don’t arrow something from there, I was planning to do one of two stalk hunts, depending on wind direction.
Stalk 1 would be up in national forest above my morning spot. I think I know about where the nice buck I’ve seen twice (once from the ground at 15 yards) is bedding down. It is an area on a ridgeside (partly steep, partly not), with a lot of small pines, as well as scattered larger pines, oaks, hickory, etc. There are a lot of turkeys in the area, too, so getting in unnoticed might be tricky, but worth it, IMO, for a chance at this buck.
Stalk 2 would be on our land in bedding areas surrounding a rounded hilltop, with a clearing with a lot of fresh rubs and scrapes on top. Other than a group of two or three deer I spooked in the dark, walking to my stand, the only deer I saw from my stand on top of the hill was a medium 6-pointer who came in with minutes of shooting light left, and decided he didn’t like something and left. But I think there are a lot of deer on the sides of this hilltop, but they don’t go up on top in daylight much. Their (I think) bedding area has lots of small and medium pines, with some scattered larger pines, oaks, hickories, etc.
My main misgiving about this new approach is: Is it wise to do a stalk/still hunt into a bedding area during the day? Is this the kind of pressure that caused deer to move their bedding area a significant distance? Would you/have you done this kind of thing and how did it go?
11-21-2006, 09:23 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,120
RE: Stalk Hunt
I have done this before. It is harder than it sounds. You have to stay more focused than you do when you are in a stand.The weather conditions have to be right. You need a stiff wind and the ground wet.If you see a Buck before he sees you it can be the most nerve racking few minutes of your life.It is a great feeling though. It is hard but it can be fun. You can expect to see a lot of tails but have fun.
