How close have you snuck in?

[OXN939]

I believe it is the Accura!

Nice. Was yours this year? Velvet on my guy looked about the same and he was 11SEP23. Congrats either way, that's a dandy!

 

[Mish-pop]

That is impressive to stalk in on a deer to < 10 yards.

I suck.

For you guys who are good, what are the top 3-5 or so pieces of advice you have to be better, or what things do you always make sure to do?

1) Silence is key - I have shot 4 deer [8 years trying] with my bow and 3 out of 4 have been in socks (one time in socks on a thin layer of snow/ice). I also take my bino harness off and sometimes shed a layer or two. I don't like the layers or bino harness to get caught on something.

2) Patience - I had a day this year where I watched a buck from just after sun up to finally getting to make a stalk in last hour before sunset. He bedded 3 times during the day due to wind switching and each of the first two times I really wanted to put a stalk on but it wasn't quite optimal situation and when I saw him bed the last time it was my best opportunity. I got within bow range but a small spike buck I had no clue was bedded below him came up the hill and busted me just as I was closing in rhe last few yards. You do everything right but can still not get a shot

3) Freeze if you are spotted, don't duck. Still getting a reminder on this one almost yearly.

4) kinda relates to part in #2 but try to always locate other deer and wildlife so they dont mess up your stalk. Sometimes it will be impossible to find them all or even if you do they will move to somewhere less than ideal and mess things up during stalk

 

[ropeup79]

1) Silence is key - I have shot 4 deer [8 years trying] with my bow and 3 out of 4 have been in socks (one time in socks on a thin layer of snow/ice). I also take my bino harness off and sometimes shed a layer or two. I don't like the layers or bino harness to get caught on something.

2) Patience - I had a day this year where I watched a buck from just after sun up to finally getting to make a stalk in last hour before sunset. He bedded 3 times during the day due to wind switching and each of the first two times I really wanted to put a stalk on but it wasn't quite optimal situation and when I saw him bed the last time it was my best opportunity. I got within bow range but a small spike buck I had no clue was bedded below him came up the hill and busted me just as I was closing in rhe last few yards. You do everything right but can still not get a shot

3) Freeze if you are spotted, don't duck. Still getting a reminder on this one almost yearly.

4) kinda relates to part in #2 but try to always locate other deer and wildlife so they dont mess up your stalk. Sometimes it will be impossible to find them all or even if you do they will move to somewhere less than ideal and mess things up during stalk

Very well said. I would add keeping wind and thermals in your favor. Also knowing when they are in a non-stalkable/shootable spot. Not my strong suit but I’m getting more patient.
Tried these instead of wool socks this year and won’t go back. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09FT11CKJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Not cactus proof but better than socks.

 

[HighUintas]

Very well said. I would add keeping wind and thermals in your favor. Also knowing when they are in a non-stalkable/shootable spot. Not my strong suit but I’m getting more patient.
Tried these instead of wool socks this year and won’t go back. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09FT11CKJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Not cactus proof but better than socks.

Are they as quiet? It seems like the tough rubber Souter would be louder than a thick wool that would muffle sound.

1) Silence is key - I have shot 4 deer [8 years trying] with my bow and 3 out of 4 have been in socks (one time in socks on a thin layer of snow/ice). I also take my bino harness off and sometimes shed a layer or two. I don't like the layers or bino harness to get caught on something.

2) Patience - I had a day this year where I watched a buck from just after sun up to finally getting to make a stalk in last hour before sunset. He bedded 3 times during the day due to wind switching and each of the first two times I really wanted to put a stalk on but it wasn't quite optimal situation and when I saw him bed the last time it was my best opportunity. I got within bow range but a small spike buck I had no clue was bedded below him came up the hill and busted me just as I was closing in rhe last few yards. You do everything right but can still not get a shot

3) Freeze if you are spotted, don't duck. Still getting a reminder on this one almost yearly.

4) kinda relates to part in #2 but try to always locate other deer and wildlife so they dont mess up your stalk. Sometimes it will be impossible to find them all or even if you do they will move to somewhere less than ideal and mess things up during stalk

#2 and #4 I have a hard time with.

I've thought about trying socks but haven't done it yet. What distance do you put them on? 100yds?

 

[ropeup79]

They are a pretty soft flexible rubber and it’s not a real thick layer, maybe 1/4”. You still have to watch for noise makers such as twigs but you have to with socks also.

 

[ropeup79]

Distance depends on situation, but usually at least 100 yards out. Usually I spotted them from a different direction and it’s sometimes hard to judge distance coming in from different angle.

 

[Mish-pop]

Are they as quiet? It seems like the tough rubber Souter would be louder than a thick wool that would muffle sound.



#2 and #4 I have a hard time with.

I've thought about trying socks but haven't done it yet. What distance do you put them on? 100yds?

Varies but usually the last 100 yards or so. A couple times it has been 200-300 yds because it was nearly dead calm. And yes a cactus sticker or something may stab your foot but usually on the way back to boots from a stalk as during the stalk I'm very conscious of my foot placement

 

[TXCO]

Closest Ive gotten. Shot him at about 15 yards. Its tough getting in there!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mnbuckfinder]

Great thread topic. Love seeing pictures and hearing stories of close encounters, also brings back memories of failed stalks. Early Sept. I was trying to tag my first archery velvet high country muley. After knowingly blowing out his buddy that was a beauty of a 4x4 at 160 yards, I proceeded to stalk the buck i was chasing I giant of a 3x4. I got above him, couldn't see through the brush. tried to get a peak of him from the front side, again no way to see through brush. After being within 15 yards of the bucks bed for roghly 20-30 minutes trying to figure out a way to find him, no doubt a wind swirl or two, and the steep terrain sending a couple smaller rocks rolling downhill, I had no doubt in my mind that this deer had pulled a magic trick and evaded me. This turned out to be incorrect as I finally found his bed, which at that time I have to take a step into to keep from sliding down the mountain. The last step brought into view the giant 3x4 laying perfectly in his bed looking right at me. As so as I saw him he saw me and of course bolted. After 6 days living off my back in a brand new area, I had blown my only stalk opportunity at 8 yards. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement, but it also makes me want to get back out in the mountains to chase those velvet antlers again in 2024.

 

[The_Real_McQueen]

Not actually on a Mule deer hunt, but I was an observer on a sheep hunt with my dad in Arizona a few years ago. Managed to slip within about 30-40 yards of a group of mulies, i didn’t have anything to take pictures with on me though!

 

[Tbonespop]

They are a pretty soft flexible rubber and it’s not a real thick layer, maybe 1/4”. You still have to watch for noise makers such as twigs but you have to with socks also.

The issue I have in the desert isn't the sound the shoe makes, its the rocks moving under your feet moving against other rocks that makes the noise. Not sure how socks would make any difference. Would love to hear ideas others have that squelch the rocks squishing with every step.

 

[HighUintas]

Socks, especially thick socks, would muffle that noise better than a hard rubber sole. I'd like some moccasins to try

 

[Tbonespop]

Socks, especially thick socks, would muffle that noise better than a hard rubber sole. I'd like some moccasins to try

This may sound crazy, but I've even tried gluing shag carpet to those goofy looking foot shoes with the toes and still couldn't muffle the sound of the Arizona pea gravel squishing under my feet to deaden the sound. Same result......still not quiet

 

[ropeup79]

The issue I have in the desert isn't the sound the shoe makes, it’s the rocks moving under your feet moving against other rocks that makes the noise. Not sure how socks would make any difference. Would love to hear ideas others have that squelch the rocks squishing with every step.

The biggest thing that socks do for me is makes me slow down, especially in rocky ground. It hurts my feet if I don’t really pay attention wear I put them. These soft rubber covered ones help protect more than plain socks and have a little more grip also.

 

[ropeup79]

This may sound crazy, but I've even tried gluing shag carpet to those goofy looking foot shoes with the toes and still couldn't muffle the sound of the Arizona pea gravel squishing under my feet to deaden the sound. Same result......still not quiet

Some terrain is almost impossible to be silent no matter what you do.

 

[HighUintas]

That is true! So often, the terrain I hunt in is pointless to try to still hunt mid-day because the ground is so loud

 

[outheretryin]

Here’s a couple more from a distance. My wife free handed these while I was on the stalks.

DANG! those are sweet pics. It looks like you have a specific type of terrain you prefer to do stalks in. do you spend most of your time looking for deer in these particularly "vulnerable" beds? seems like a guy could have a "circuit" of beds such as these that he would check in with everyday until a decent buck was bedded in one of them, rather than looking for bucks in more deer dense areas with questionable stalking scenarios.

 

[Duh]

DANG! those are sweet pics. It looks like you have a specific type of terrain you prefer to do stalks in. do you spend most of your time looking for deer in these particularly "vulnerable" beds? seems like a guy could have a "circuit" of beds such as these that he would check in with everyday until a decent buck was bedded in one of them, rather than looking for bucks in more deer dense areas with questionable stalking scenarios.

Yeah I definitely have a few beds that I know hold deer. One of them in the picture only seems to have them in late September into early October before they disappear. Until then I’m still glassing and bedding bucks down in thicker areas.

 

[ropeup79]

DANG! those are sweet pics. It looks like you have a specific type of terrain you prefer to do stalks in. do you spend most of your time looking for deer in these particularly "vulnerable" beds? seems like a guy could have a "circuit" of beds such as these that he would check in with everyday until a decent buck was bedded in one of them, rather than looking for bucks in more deer dense areas with questionable stalking scenarios.

I try to find them early in the morning when they’re still active and watch where they bed then make a plan. I’ve tried watching previously found beds but it can be pretty random.

 

[kpete]

That's great! I'm new to bowhunting, this was my second year and I got my first few good stalks in - wasn't able to close the deal. I watched a wide 5x5 bed in some brush and was able to stalk in to 14 yards before I took a bad step that he heard. Several great but painful lessons learned this year.