Am I Sick?

[MW]

As I was sitting in my blind all weekend my mind drifted.  I am a western hunter transplanted to Florida.  One who prefers to spot and stalk the wide open spaces and cover lots of ground.  Now don't get me wrong, I will take what I can get and am blessed to just enjoy sitting in my own patch of woods.  Even so, as deer drift through I cant help but think how much fun it would be to stalk the woods in search of... well anything bunnies, squirrels, ect.
I know some well meaning member will hop on and say stalk deer where your at it can be done though not the high percentage hunt it can be done! And of course they are correct...

I guess I just wondered am I alone in this and is there a support group?

[RedShaft]

I don't stalk deer here in pa. Still hunt sometimes.

But I do and love stalking small game with bow. LOVE IT!

[J. Cook]

It's all about what you're use to I guess.  I love the feeling of sitting in a stand or ground set up and watching the woods come alive around me - that fuels my fire.  

However, my cousin, whom I grew up with like my brother, moved from WV out to California to be part of the Cal Forestry Fire Service.  He's been out there now since the mid-90's so he's converted to a western spot & stalk hunter.  He comes back home to the family farm back in WV each year where we all meet the week before Thanksgiving for 10 days of mountain bowhunting.  The rest of us "eastern" hunters typically stand hunt and make adjustments throughout the week.  We all have opportunities at deer and are pretty successful.  He, on the other hand, puts MILES on the his boots and covers some serious ground still-hunting and stalking.  He is also successful.  

Both methods work, but for me...I'm not successful on the stalking of eastern whitetails...I've never developed the skill set.  But it can definitely be done.  

For you - I'd say get out there and get on your feet and cover some ground.  Since that's the method you're most comfortable with, I'd say your success rate will be just fine.

[Stumpkiller]

I do both.  I sit for dawn and dusk and still-hunt mid day.  Also a GREAT excuse to stump shoot and check out the property.

In the woods I have stalking starts from about 50 yards.  There just aren't the "wide open spaces" to formulate a good stalk.  Back in the 90's I set myself a goat that I would take a buck on foot and it took me five seasons of trying.  But it made for some great if meatless hunts.  One of my best shots that never came to be were where I spotted a deer and tried to get close enough for a shot.  I had a HUGE bedded buck I did almost everything right until a doe nearby walked from behind and winded me and wheezed the alarm.  I spent an hour up to that point ooozing up silently on that buck as he chewed cud and scanned his surroundings.

But I have to say as I mature I find it easier to sit quietly and wait for the deer to come to me.  Less adventure but it is a higher success rate.

When deer season is over or the freezer is full - THAT's when you go after the bunnies

[DanielB89]

MW,

I am the same way.. I much prefer stalking around trying to pursue the quarry over sitting and hoping.  For hogs, i always stalk them.  I can't stand the idea of sitting in a stand and waiting, even if there is bait.  

For deer, especially our deer here, I don't see stalking up on them very feasible unless the conditions are perfect(decent wind speed and some moisture on the leaves).  So, I am confined to stationary hunting if I want to harvest a deer.

[McDave]

I agree MW.  The last time I hunted from a stand, I sat there for 5 days and missed the only shot I had.  My a$$ was sore, my dog was pi$$ed at me for leaving her at home all week, and I was slightly disgusted with myself, not only for the missed shot, but for being somewhat more out of shape than when I started.

At least when I'm walking, I'm getting some exercise and feel good about myself at the end of the day.  Seems like a good tradeoff for a somewhat lower probability of getting a shot.

[Captain*Kirk]

Originally posted by McDave:


At least when I'm walking, I'm getting some exercise and feel good about myself at the end of the day.  Seems like a good tradeoff for a somewhat lower probability of getting a shot.

...not to mention it's not nearly as boring as sitting in one spot...

[YosemiteSam]

I rarely see deer while sitting.  When I do, they're often pretty far away.  But I struggle to sit still for long.  On the other hand, I can blow several hours taking just a few steps at a time & watching for several minutes.  I see more wildlife this way.  But since I also spend more time doing it, I don't know which is actually more productive.

[John Malone]

My hunting grounds can be pretty thick, spot and stalk is a challenge but its the method I prefer. early morning as the sunrises or late evening while it sets I love to sit and watch, after an hour ive got to move. The best technique ive found is to figure were the game is at a particular time of day and stalk into that area. No different than any four legged predator would do it. Of course I'm the only hunter in these woods, you try that on public land ya might get shot, something to consider.

[Sam McMichael]

I have tried spot and stalk many times, but I clump like a lame mule. I am just too noisy. Therefore, the only times that I have ever tried it is when the woods are very wet and the leaves don't crackle. Besides, I now sleep much more comfortably while sitting in my ground blind.

[nineworlds9]

MW

I'm in FL and all I do is ground hunt.  See plenty of critters.  Some of the bush here is awful thick, and you have to content with bugs and snakes and such, but if you study maps and Google earth and do some preseason scouting you can find some great areas to sit and or stalk.

[stagetek]

No stalking for me. I have as many as 6 tree stands, and depending on wind sit them all. A waiting game for me.

[Nantahala Nut]

I think stalking can be effective in the right situation. Most of the time its a low odds hunt but it is a little more fun to do sometimes.  If you have a major terrain feature that funnels movement you can be productive still hunting along it. Think river, stream, edges of thickets. You probably don't have the topographical funnels like we do in the mountains but there are still features that will channel deer movement. If you encounter something just stop and let them come to you through that funnel.

[centaur]

I hate sitting in a stand. Mobility may mean less shots, but so be it. I hardly ever sit, and trees are for the birds. Still hunting and stalking is much more enjoyable to me,, and occasionally I even kill something, but if the hunting is slow, stumps are always available to maintain my interest.

[Tim Finley]

I love stalking mule deer ! I have to drive about 4 hours to get to them and that's not bad . At home I hunt whitetails I sit in a box blind or pop up, you cant see out and around you I feel blind and confined .

[Hud]

Whenever I sit to long, invariably I discover a critter is stalking me. Now I know how a how a herd of elk felt when I interrupted their late morning snooze.