Spot and Stalking

[Jkononen]

i am going to the quilomene archery hunting this year and was wonderin if you guys could give me some tips and techniques on spotting and stalking monster muleys. If anybody has any information please reply. Thanks

Jkononen

 

[easymoney]

Good optics and play the wind.
Set up out of sight, glass likely landscape, glass, glass and more glass. When you spot an animal with the glasses, check it out in the spotting scope, if it's what you want then plan your stalk. Note landmarks for reference, play the wind and get as close as you can. Take off the boots for the last 75yards and hope it all comes together.
Good luck...

 

[BOHNTR]

Some good advice from easymoney. Only thing I'd add is stalking a stationary animal is generally more successful for bowhunters, if possible. So if you can put a buck to bed and wait for the wind to stabalize, you'll increase your odds. Good luck and have fun.

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[easymoney]

Oh, one thing I forgot, bring ALL your luck... Stalks with a bow have a very low percentage rate for success. Kind of like any predator, it takes a few times before you score.

 

[Jkononen]

thank you i hope to use your advice and come across a nice mule deer this november and i'll try and post some pictures.

 

[Jkononen]

i have another question. I don't know for sure, but i think there is going to be some snow. Is there anything different that i might need to know.

 

[muzzle]

Pray it aint crunchy! Oh ya, move real slooooowly. Good luck

 

[NoBark]

One more thing. I'd be more worried and plan for FOG than I would snow. Snow will make travel easier but it usually gets crunchy fast. If that happens, you may be better off sitting one of the many trails that come up the draws off the river. Same idea if the fog rolls in. i had the tag once and spent 3 full days trying to see 100 yards in the fog. All day fog is the pits.

 

[easymoney]

Snow can be a very good thing. Makes tracking easy, especially if it's new snow.

 

[eastkoothunter]

spotting and stalking is not as easy as it sounds, i thought for my self the easietst was move slow and out of site, and watch where you walk (stay off crunchy stuff). Try to find the easiest, shotest route to the animal and it shold be a enjoyable hunt

 

[Cass]

Theres some things out there that can make spot and stalking in crunchy Terrain easy. They are called I think Sneaky Feet or somthing. I, personally used 1/2" Fur padded Sheep skin Mocasins when I get close or am on crunchy terrain.




-Cass

 

[TPanic]

The way i go about it is stalk and spot. i will walk quietly stop and look and listen for awhile or even sit and and scope out the terrain. Going slooooooow is the real key along with playing the wind and using it to your favor. Good Luck!!

Mathews LX
Gold Tip Arrows/Blazer Vanes
Trophy Taker Fall Drop Away Rest
Grim Reaper 100gr. Broadheads
Spot Hogg Real Deal
Staff Shooter
Humphries Archery
Richfield, Utah

 

[robinh00d]

i have to agree with everyone here, spotting and stalking, is a slow, quiet, and stealthy process, but it works
all of the animals i have taken with my bow where killed by spot and stalk

 

[supersider34]

Spotting and stalking is a skill but is easier than you think. takes practice but it gets done.
First thing you need is patience to move slow once spotted a animal and you find your route.
Snow is not a major obstacle. You need some kind of really warm clothes to do it though. Something that will take the cold out of your legs when doing this. If you have to stalk get on your knee's for the last 150 yds and when moving dont pick up legs and set it down. Pick them up alittle and slide them threw the snow and push it out of your way. Do it slowly at ground level and the sound will be minimal. Takes a little practice but works. You will need very warm clothing. I have done this till my knees where no longer cold but felt like they where on fire. Till I learned on the clothing.
Next I archery hunted my first year and used to hear that tale about putting the wind in your face always. Believe me I put on over 50 stalks that first year with this advice and came up with over 70 days of hunting. Finally getting a 138" muley by accident heading back to the truck with my brother.I am not saying that the wind in the face is wrong but it does not work for me. I hunt when it is windy out and love it the windy the better. You will find the bucks bedded with the wind to there backs. They will be facing away from the wind. Come in from the side of them. Forward danger as it comes around will be less danger till they are down wind no danger as they can smell you. There is where patience comes into play. make sure as you are moving you glass totally around the buck. Look for other deer. I have made this mistake many times in the beginning of getting tunnel vision and jumped a deer to blow a long stalk. You will get this down pretty fast if you can take the time on them.
Sometimes it takes a few days or weeks to wait for a buck to get into the right position to get on them. Hopefully you have spent time out learning the areas you will be hunting. This is also a key for hunting them. Different ways they come and go. Where they go into if jumped from one area to the next.
Also if you do spook them do not move till out of sight. Dont get up or move. They might or will just write it off as they where spooky. If they dont haul butt out of there then they will go over the next rise and bed down again if mid day. But if they know you are there then they will get out of dodge.
Good luck and keep us posted.
These techiniques have and does work for me in my area's I hunt. Hope you smoke the buck you choose.