Approaching deer across open ground

[Roe]

A short film with some pointers for the beginner on how to approach deer in open terrain: You basically use the binoculars to find the route & avoid dead ends. (I know this is not as open ground as a proper praire, but still...)

 

[NorCalMikie]

Try walk and stalk. Native Americans have been doing it for YEARS++!!!
Deer has it's head down eating? Take a few slow steps. Dear raises it head? STOP and DON'T MOVE!!
Deer puts it's head back down and resumes eating? Make a few more steps.
I've tried in my back field. Got maybe 25 feet before I jumped and the deer ran off. Patience IS a virtue. I've heard deer don't see that well? You're fine till they see you MOVE.

 

[Roe]

I agree. Problem I have is that with hundreds of deer out, there's always one watching.

 

[1lnbrdg]

I walked a quarter mile with a herd of does 1 time. Never over 30 yards away. I did have a deer grunt, would bump it when 1 would get a little overly interested in me. I only stopped when they were crossing the fence into my neighbors property.

 

[1911nut]

When I stalk pronghorn I reverse my belt buckle to the back, I turn my cap backwards and as I approach I continuously with every few steps get shorter. That way the pronghorn think I’m walking away and go back to feeding. By the time I’m walking on my knees I’m in range

 

[snert]

I prefer approaching lightly, about 168 grains, at 3000 FPS MV.

 

[MikeT49]

The way the daylight deer movement has become minimal during the hunting seasons, I plan to do a lot more still hunting. Get back to my roots. Would using a Ghillie suit be cheating? (archery, muzzle loader seasons). Then again, seeing as how deer are colorblind, why not make a 50/50 blaze orange/camo suit for modern firearm season? Mike

 

[Bugs]

If you buy this stuff, you can walk up to them & give them a pat on the ass. . . . as seen on TV
https://hecshunting.hecsllc.com/

 

[NorCalMikie]

Reminds me of the Old Texas Cowboy that lived next door to us when I was a kid.
I was probably 12 or 13 and he HAD to be around 70 or so?
He always mentioned running with a rabbit, reaching down and feeling it to see if it was fat enough before he killed it.

 

[MQ1]

I’ve spent alot of time still-hunting with a bow, and I’m continuously surprised at how close you can get to deer once you learn how to really slow your movements, keep your eyes open, and move with the elements. The hardest part to learn was to turn my head slow.

Some people will never learn the patience required to move slow and blend into the enviornment.

I played with a ghille for awhile, and I’m sure there are some advantages...but I’ve found just basic camo is as effective for deer.

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Haha..I just went to the HECS site to see what was up...I’d love to see the wind direction in the video...IMHO that is what matters most when still hunting outside of slowing down.

MQ1

 

[Kurz]

Back when I thought reading gun magazines was O.K., I remember reading an article about a bow hunter using his bow to simulate antlers while he stalked deer and antelope. He turned the bow horizontal, holding it curve up just above his cap. At the time, writers were paid by the word so the explanation was much longer and more detailed since he wanted to make a good wage for a stupid idea.

 

[1CTShooter]

The deer in my area are mostly urbanized and are used to people in the woods. I see more deer if I just wear a flannel shirt, grab my bow and go for a walk in the woods.

 

[std7mag]

I've noticed wearing a camo baclava has helped me.
I hunt gas lines mostly, 30-40 yards wide but miles long.

The other year during rifle season spotted group of does 550 yards away. Even though i had orange cap & vest on was wearing baclava.
Walked slowly to within 400 yards when they started getting a little antsy.
Made impromptu shooting bench & made a good shot with the 7mm-08AI & 140gr Berger VLD-H.

 

[MClark]

I watched the cat stalk a group of five dove in the middle of a large mowed yard. She is black and white and is easy to see against the green grass.
She watched until all the doves were looking away and would quickly move about three feet and drop flat not waiting for birds to look her way. Covered 50 feet getting to 6 feet away and last move was a big lunge catch one.
My takeaway was to stay low and not wait for whatever you are stalking to start turning back where it may catch movement in peripheral vision.

M

 

[Brians356]

When I stalk pronghorn I reverse my belt buckle to the back, I turn my cap backwards and as I approach I continuously with every few steps get shorter. That way the pronghorn think I’m walking away and go back to feeding. By the time I’m walking on my knees I’m in range

I saw Moe do that in a Three Stooges episode.
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[Jim Bridger]

Try walk and stalk. Native Americans have been doing it for YEARS++!!!
Deer has it's head down eating? Take a few slow steps. Dear raises it head? STOP and DON'T MOVE!!
Deer puts it's head back down and resumes eating? Make a few more steps.
I've tried in my back field. Got maybe 25 feet before I jumped and the deer ran off. Patience IS a virtue. I've heard deer don't see that well? You're fine till they see you MOVE.

The NA people preferred to use fires and run game off "Chugs" or cliffs. When feeding tribes of starving people mass harvesting is a necessity.

 

[Brians356]

Stalking or "still-hunting" was once considered elementary, hence five pages devoted in my 1959 Boy Scout Handbook. Here's an article from Outdoor Life that largely retraces the same ground:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/7-steps-for-still-hunting/
-

 

[1911nut]

I saw Moe do that in a Three Stooges episode.
-

Moe was an accomplished hunter for sure, but it was Curly who taught me the nuances of open country stalking. I miss that guy.

 

[fyrewall]

How about hiding behind a large mirror with the sun to your back and when the deers looked at your direction all they would see is a reflection of landscape.

Actually, MClark's description of the much lower tech method that cats have been using for millions of years would be more effective.