Thinking about ditching the pants....

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
....bino harness, boots, and hat. Got to figure out how to be sneakier.

Thinking socks, rangefinder around my neck, and a bow.

Who goes in super light for that final stalk?
 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
224
I’ve rolled my pant legs up like shorts. Honestly ditching them all together seems to work for south cox
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2021
Messages
327
....bino harness, boots, and hat. Got to figure out how to be sneakier.

Thinking socks, rangefinder around my neck, and a bow.

Who goes in super light for that final stalk?

....bino harness, boots, and hat. Got to figure out how to be sneakier.

Thinking socks, rangefinder around my neck, and a bow.

Who goes in super light for that final stalk?
Have you ever tried vibram five fingers?
Paired with injinji toe socks.

The toe socks work well regardless of footwear, and under a thicker pair in cold weather. They help stop blisters also.

My recommendation for which vibrams is the, Trek Acent model.

Can you range find different spots on the final stalk and then leave it with your chest rig?
 
OP
Fatcamp

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
I’ve rolled my pant legs up like shorts. Honestly ditching them all together seems to work for south cox

If I start asking myself, "What would South do?" prior to stalking I would probably solve a lot of my problems.
 
OP
Fatcamp

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
Have you ever tried vibram five fingers?
Paired with injinji toe socks.

The toe socks work well regardless of footwear, and under a thicker pair in cold weather. They help stop blisters also.

My recommendation for which vibrams is the, Trek Acent model.

Can you range find different spots on the final stalk and then leave it with your chest rig?

They often move. Got to have a rangefinder. I think.
 

wapitibob

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
5,936
Location
Bend Oregon
I Elk hunted in light weight next to skin btms and short pants for a week in AZ, snuck in on 4 Bulls. Spent 2 hours 15 yards from one with nothing but grass between us.
 
OP
Fatcamp

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
I Elk hunted in light weight next to skin btms and short pants for a week in AZ, snuck in on 4 Bulls. Spent 2 hours 15 yards from one with nothing but grass between us.

I wondered about using long underwear type bottoms. I have some soft ones I don't think would make noise.

Either way, I'm getting rid of the excess before my next hunt. Even the rain falling on my hat brim sounded excessive yesterday.
 
OP
Fatcamp

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
I see we have some funny guys here. 😐

Let's hear your tips for stalking mule deer in their beds. That last 20 yards is killing me. All that time to get that close and then they boil out. I need help, bros.
 

Brendan

WKR
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Messages
3,875
Location
Massachusetts
Kuiu has lightweight zip-off merino bottoms. Drop the pants, leave on merino bottoms, throw on an extra pair of thick wool socks.

I wanted my binos with me for searching some heavy stuff this year, but was clipping open the rangefinder pouch or putting rangefinder in my pocket and wind checker in back pocket instead of normal locations. Noise issue with my harness was only when pulling out binos so had to be careful.

I didn't end up dropping pants, but thought about it this year. Found myself in that <30 yard range a bunch of times in thick aspens before having wind swirl and deer blow out....

I think my solution is find / hunt deer bedded in a more stalk-able location next time. Was having a hard time leaving deer to find deer though.
 
Last edited:
OP
Fatcamp

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
Kuiu has lightweight zip-off merino bottoms. Drop the pants, leave on merino bottoms, throw on an extra pair of thick wool socks.

I wanted my binos with me for searching some heavy stuff this year, but was clipping open the rangefinder pouch or putting rangefinder in my pocket and wind checker in back pocket instead of normal locations. Noise issue with my harness was only when pulling out binos so had to be careful.

I didn't end up dropping pants, but thought about it this year. Found myself in that <30 yard range a bunch of times in thick aspens before having wind swirl and deer blow out....

I think my solution is find / hunt deer bedded in a more stalk-able location next time. Was having a hard time leaving deer to find deer though.

Ya, going without binos would be a final approach thing once I'm sure I know where they are. The deer I am hunting are often in the open and at first glance seem like an easy stalk, but once you factor in where the wind is from and what they can see the avenue of approach is very narrow.

My thought is that going to socks and no pants will slow me down while being quieter. So much cactus where I hunt those steps would have to be slooooow. It's the main reason I haven't done it up to this point as I don't want a foot full of prickly pear.

I too have thought that maybe I just need to find an easier place to hunt. Problem with that is I have time invested here, and it holds some amazing deer.
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2021
Messages
327
I see we have some funny guys here. 😐

Let's hear your tips for stalking mule deer in their beds. That last 20 yards is killing me. All that time to get that close and then they boil out. I need help, bros.
If you don't like the idea of five finger try Vivo barefoot leather boots.
Very lightweight, but with a rubber to sole that'll give you protection against the vegetation.

When out running I regularly run into the middle of groups of deer by accident.
Light footed, in light shoes.
No heal elevation and thin soles forces me to be light on my feet.
 
OP
Fatcamp

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,816
Location
Sodak
If you don't like the idea of five finger try Vivo barefoot leather boots.
Very lightweight, but with a rubber to sole that'll give you protection against the vegetation.

When out running I regularly run into the middle of groups of deer by accident.
Light footed, in light shoes.
No heal elevation and thin soles forces me to be light on my feet.

I will take a look at those shoe options.
 

OutHeavy

FNG
Joined
Jul 18, 2020
Messages
72
Location
Altamont, CA
Here's another footwear option to take a look at. And you need to bring a boat load of patience. The slower you move the quieter you'll be. Slow beats light weight every day.
 
Top