Spot and stalk or hunt from a blind?

[Murph24]

Hello,

I'm new to coues deer hunting, and seeking some advice. I plan on hunting the upcoming early archery season and was curious if it is more beneficial to hunt water from a blind or spot and stalk? I prefer spot and stalk, but if there are more opportunities from a blind, I am flexible. I can't hang cameras in the area so that limits scouting the water. Thanks for the help.

Coty

[metau]

I sit water in August.

[AverageJoe]

I have tried spot and stalk for 20 years and still no archery deer for me in august. This year i am sitting a water hole lol.

[DesertBull]

Depends on the monsoon.

[oz31p]

I have successfully spot and stalked coues deer in August. There's way more opportunity

[mattys281]

You can always do both. Try glassing through the morning & if you haven't found anything you like by early afternoon, find a nice trail to sit on for the evening.

 

I personally think you have much higher odds of killing by hunting ambushes, but you'll see more deer with your binoculars & tripod.

[Murph24]

Awesome, thanks for the info.

[pahncho2121]

I have been racking my brain going over this as well. First time archery coues hunt for myself and the area I am looking at has lots of natural water pockets and creeks. I think I will try glassing in the am and sitting in the afternoon. There is just so many spots I could sit with all that water and monsoon season is upon us. I am hoping if I can locate some through my binos then perhaps it will shrink down the area I need to sit. I really don't know but that is what my gut is telling me anyways. Good luck on your hunt

[trphyhntr]

I have been racking my brain going over this as well. First time archery coues hunt for myself and the area I am looking at has lots of natural water pockets and creeks. I think I will try glassing in the am and sitting in the afternoon. There is just so many spots I could sit with all that water and monsoon season is upon us. I am hoping if I can locate some through my binos then perhaps it will shrink down the area I need to sit. I really don't know but that is what my gut is telling me anyways. Good luck on your hunt

sounds like a great spot

[Edge]

I have been racking my brain going over this as well. First time archery coues hunt for myself and the area I am looking at has lots of natural water pockets and creeks. I think I will try glassing in the am and sitting in the afternoon. There is just so many spots I could sit with all that water and monsoon season is upon us. I am hoping if I can locate some through my binos then perhaps it will shrink down the area I need to sit. I really don't know but that is what my gut is telling me anyways. Good luck on your hunt

What's on your map ain't neccasarily on the ground. And thus far monsoon 2016 is AWOL.

[CatfishKev]

I see your also in SV. I've had cameras on water but it really came down to rainfall. Every time it rains there's more water sources available which would make huntin water sources unpredictable. I just started glassing with the 15's this year instead of sittings holes and canyons all day being bored out of my mind. I made it my mission one year to find all the water sources I could but I think I would go for glassing and try n make a stalk. A close encounter that I totally screw up is still more fun than sitting a canyon bottom all day and seeing nothing. I know where several water sources are in the area though if you your interested.

[rageinthesage]

Depends on the monsoon.

Yup, this. But if I can get away from work I'll be sitting water.

[GreyGhost85]

you will have more opportunities glassing, but sitting in a blind you will have much higher quality opportunities. you might make 5 stalks a day and for a week and not kill a deer, but i have never sat a blind and had a deer hit the salt or water i was sitting that i couldn't kill.

[bigorange]

you will have more opportunities glassing, but sitting in a blind you will have much higher quality opportunities. you might make 5 stalks a day and for a week and not kill a deer, but i have never sat a bind and had a deer hit the salt or water i was sitting that i couldn't kill.

This. I've always been told that you see more glassing (and I do) and tough chance for a shot, but if you sit long enough you'll get a better shot opportunity. I've never sat long enough for deer myself. Grew up hunting out of treestands and got my fill of sitting. I'd much rather spot n stalk. But I haven't had many shot opportunities in August either.

[mattys281]

 

you will have more opportunities glassing, but sitting in a blind you will have much higher quality opportunities. you might make 5 stalks a day and for a week and not kill a deer, but i have never sat a bind and had a deer hit the salt or water i was sitting that i couldn't kill.

This. I've always been told that you see more glassing (and I do) and tough chance for a shot, but if you sit long enough you'll get a better shot opportunity. I've never sat long enough for deer myself. Grew up hunting out of treestands and got my fill of sitting. I'd much rather spot n stalk. But I haven't had many shot opportunities in August either.

 

 

To spot & stalk coues deer isn't like jumping into the big leagues of hunting, it's more like skipping the big leagues all together and jumping straight into the World Series for your first at bat.

 

It's not impossible by any means, some guys are very good at it. It took them a lot of mistakes to get good at it. If this is going to be your method, spend some serious time working on your long range shooting, at least out to 80 yards, and don't try to get too close. I'd rather shoot a deer at 50 yards than 20 all day long. Much less likely to string jump, and your not inside that 'eminent danger, BOLT NOW!' red zone they seem to have around them. If you make a noise, they may just look at you instead of fleeing. Make the same mistake at 30 yards or less and they're gone with zero hesitation.

 

I also think stalking is much easier during the rut than it is in August, plus August is too dang hot for me in open stalking country. I prefer my treestand in the tall cool pines.