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Stalking (Read 11165 times)
Douglas
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Just give me a good stone
and plenty of room!

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Stalking
Apr 2nd, 2004 at 11:26pm
 
Not stalking as in following a celebrity around like some kind of loser... Sad but sneaking up on game, such as deer, using stealth.

Anyone done this style of hunting, or do you have experience in stalking deer etc just a sport???
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english
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Re: Stalking
Reply #1 - Apr 3rd, 2004 at 2:58am
 
Well, I have done a bit of the stalking thing, but never really tried to hunt the deer (except a couple of shots with a sling).  I can tell you a few things; a deer's brain is not good at shape recognition, so if the deer sees you, make sure it does not see your arms, and it will not know what you are, and won't run away.  Go in the morning, and try to find out wind direction.  There are loads of things to remember.  And tracking the deer itself is very difficult; it is possible to tell a few things from tracks, like the gender of the animal, but it is actually very difficult to tell when the animal made the track.  Try to find some books on it, or something.
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WalkingBird
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Re: Stalking
Reply #2 - Apr 3rd, 2004 at 10:45am
 
Douglas

Stalking is an art. The term is mostly used to indicate that you have located the animal of interest and that you are attempting to get closer to it.
Still hunting is that term used for moving through an area looking for game which you have not spotted yet. Both share certain techniques. english is correct about keeping the animal from seeing you arms, but in a more general sense use every method to break up your outline. Work facing and moving toward the wind and the game to hide your sent. Use all natrual cover and topography to help hide you as you move. You want to keep the game barely in sight. Never stare at game, somehow they can sense it. And most of all do not walk in a manor that creates any kind of rythme, it spooks game every time. Take a step or two rest take a step rest take two short steps rest take one long step, that sort of thing. If you create a rythme when you move you will spook the game long before you can either see it or get close to it. Listen for all the natural sounds around you when they have stoped everything it that area knows you are there, and you've done something wrong. The best thing to do when getting into an area you want to work in is sit down and listen for 5 to 10 minuets this allows the animals to return to what they normally do and it gives you a chance to hear what that area "sounds" like at that time of day. The basics are really quite simple after that it's a matter of pratice pratice pratice. Hope this helps

WalkingBird

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srgs9
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Re: Stalking
Reply #3 - Apr 28th, 2004 at 8:25pm
 
Well put WalkingBird... Tracking and stalking are things that take alot of practice. Also tracking helps when looking for missing sling ammo as well.
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english
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Re: Stalking
Reply #4 - May 14th, 2004 at 4:15am
 
There is a deer that comes along some days and eats my mum's flowers.  It just so happened that I was in the house during the day and saw said deer.  I ran outside, and it bolted, but it was evidently a stupid and forgetful creature because I managed to follow it to the woods near the house.  It was a small deer, but it's coat was quite red, so it was fairly distinctive and there was a lot of sunshine.  I remembered all the things said here and didn't stare, didn't make a definite shape and made sure I was never shadowed or silouetted.  I followed it for some time, before realising that I had no weapons to kill it, and that even if I did, it would be illegal etc.  But it was fun just stalking it.
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Douglas
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Just give me a good stone
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Re: Stalking
Reply #5 - May 27th, 2004 at 5:50pm
 
I assume you are in England. Was that a Red Deer or a Roe deer? It's a lot of fun, you feel close to nature when you do that, don't you?

I wonder how you would creep up on a pair of deer, while they're browsing. If one eats, the other could watch... Might make for a real challenge...
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srgs9
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Re: Stalking
Reply #6 - May 28th, 2004 at 9:26pm
 
Years ago I tracked two deer for about 3 hours. When I was about 20 feet from them I jumped out from behind a tree and yelled "booga booga". I thought for sure one of the pair had a heart attack. Nature paid me back later when I thought I was creaping up on a noisy hiker...Turned out to be a bear. Lucky for me it paniced a ran off leaving me ghost white and wide eyed in the woods. I must have aged 10years in under 10 seconds that day.

There is a good book on tracking. Though I was taught by another guy and IMHO Tom Brown can be a bit preachy...His book "The Science and Art of Tracking" is a pretty good nuts and bolts take on tracking. (ISBN # 0-425-15772-5)
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Re: Stalking
Reply #7 - May 29th, 2004 at 7:56pm
 
I have killed two deer using the stalking method. Watch were you step, keep the wind in your favorer and you can get pretty close to deer. As for the looking at the deer I think this is wrong. Both of my deer i killed i staired right at them and smiled from ear to ear ( no face mask. there was no time to put one on ) It is a bad habit but everything i have ever killed i smile from ear to ear. First deer was 15 yards a way. The other was 45 yards away both with a bow. Also i have heard that when deer's head are down it is very hard for them to catch you move. That dosn't mean to run at them when their heads are down but move slowly. Watch out for other deer also because their is safety in numbers
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"A Knifeless man is a lifeless man" Old Nordic Proverb
 
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nwmanitou
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Re: Stalking
Reply #8 - Jun 8th, 2004 at 11:01am
 
Still hunting with a bow is my prefered method. Often I'll use the terrain and folliage to cover my stalk. For instance, if I know where an animal is, I'll move until a large rock or tree is between me and the animal or at least covers its direct line of sight and hearing to me then head straight for him. Another one is if I can see their direction of travel, I'll make a large semi circle around their route to get a head of them. Then I just sit patiently as they walk within range. Deer and other Cervids are amazing animals, completely built to evade predators. They can smell you from up to a mile away, have impecable hearing, and their eyes are sensitive to UV light. Most commercial detergents contain UV dyes to brighten colors. For deer this means you tend to glow bright blue, particularily durning dusk and dawn, prime hunting times.  That's why I like archery, it forces you to really respect the animals abilities and take much greater care to effect a clean, quick, kill.  My rifle will reach out to 1000 yards, but there is just something much more rewarding about playing the game closer to the deer's terms, whether succesful in harvesting an animal or not.
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Re: Stalking
Reply #9 - Jun 8th, 2004 at 2:31pm
 
Well put reply Nwmanitou,  my sentiments exactly......it seems you have been applying those same skills to the forum as of late......work projects got you squeezed for time?  Wink    I too have had rifles that will reach out to 1000yrds.......however I was able to bag game out to only 600 or so. Embarrassed  I have loved bowhunting for the same reasons you cited.   When I designed a CO2 powered arrow gun it was out of love for the hunt, yet I quickly became bored as it took all the challenge out of it.   That is why I redoubled my efforts with the sling and other primitive hunting methods.....upon revisiting my old friend, the sling,  I realized just what a mistake it was to have put it aside for so long.   Your particular style has proven just the cathartic shot in the arm I needed to get my creative juices going again.  I hope to produce a video showcasing the effectiveness of the sling for hunting a variety of game.  
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nwmanitou
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Re: Stalking
Reply #10 - Jun 8th, 2004 at 11:56pm
 
Yup, things have been busy. We are still unpacking from our recent move. Which move we had to pause for a week while my brother was visiting. Then two days after he left, my sister stayed for the weekend, and finaly, this weekend we have to fly out to attend my other sister's college graduation. Pile on top of that some tight deadlines at work, and well, not much time to do much. I think I'm getting the bug again though. I may be pulling my bow out and waxing the string soon.

On a side note, I took my brother shooting while he was here. I borowed my friends AR-15 to add a little variety to the usual arsenal I haul out there. We went through about $50 of ammunition and one exploding target (BOOM Grin). Now here's the interesting part; I pulled out my sling and within 5 minutes everyone at the pit stopped shooting and crowded around to watch me sling stones. Nevermind my fancy sniper rifle, or the AR-15 with the 40rnd bannana clip, they were absolutely enthrawled by two bits of string and a leather pouch. This is the second time in as many trips to the shooting pit that the sling has captured everyone's attention.
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Yahweh Bless you in Yeshua
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Re: Stalking
Reply #11 - Jun 9th, 2004 at 12:05am
 
I am blistering with envy......which would be giving way to weeping pustules if you had only added that everyone had gathered round to watch you set off that exploding target with a single cast of your sling! Smiley
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Slinging  Viking

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Re: Stalking
Reply #12 - Jul 1st, 2004 at 10:08pm
 
Maybe next time you could attach your sling and have a sling for your AR. When you run out of bullets take the Sling off of the AR, and sling. Tell everyone that it is you last resort.
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"A Knifeless man is a lifeless man" Old Nordic Proverb
 
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chris S.
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Re: Stalking
Reply #13 - Jul 1st, 2004 at 10:41pm
 
it is true not to stare, but also keep in mind that in the class of mammals, predators have both eyes on the front of their heads, (people, dogs, cats, etc.) this is how animals can sense friend from foe(in general) if you only let the animal see one side of your face or quickly scan the area as if you dont see the animal it will not feel as frightened/intimidated
this has worked for me, i have walked up about 10 feet from a rabbit before and it would continue eating/grazing and when i looked straight at it, it froze, and ran away, so this proves as a factor in stalking animals in my opinion
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lobohunter
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Re: Stalking
Reply #14 - Sep 2nd, 2004 at 3:12pm
 
this is after my first hunt here in oregon
I am back from hunting, no deer this time; just a lot of experience. Hunting the pacific north west wilderness is an experience. The top layers of the forest floor are twigs, then moss followed by decaying everything. So you have to walk in a special way heel down first followed by toes pushing twigs out of the way so as not to snap any twigs.
Of all logs you step on, 80% crunch under your weight. Most of the terrain is at a 40-degree incline so often you must use three points of balance to stay balanced.
Then the little antalope squirrels in the wild, they are natures tattle tale. They have a call that sounds like a bird tweet. If they see you, they tweet; therefore to stalk a deer you must stalk the squirrels so they don't see you. So you can get to the deer.
So still-hunting takes a bit of practice. I did find a thicket where the deer were bedding for the day. What is some times called a deer super highway is a high use deer trail going in and out of the thicket. It ran across this plateau on the side of the mountain. There was a natural moss covered bunker above the trail. So I took shelter in this, waiting for the deer as I arrived there late in the morning. I could here the deer in the thicket.
The young buck were rattling their antlers and so forth. They came out that night a good hour after dark. Next morning they went in a good hour before sunrise. Can't legally shoot them in the dark. No way to get in the thicket during the day without running them out. Just a story of not doing enough scouting a head of time, but I learned so much and it was a lot of fun.
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