Spot and stalk or hunt from a blind?

[pahncho2121]

 

 

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.

 

Do you glass an area early on to locate used water sources or rely on trail cams? I almost get nervous sitting purely for the fact that I feel like I am doing nothing. I know it is the more productive method and being that I personally blown a majority of my stalks on rutting mule deer, I will most likely lean towards sitting. Its a test of mental toughness for sure and I do have a legitimate worry of not sitting long enough. All too soon the thought of "am I sitting in the right spot?" will set in. Any suggestions on helping sit there longer? When I glass, I quietly listen to a downloaded podcast with a single ear bud in. I found that increases my willingness to sit for hours on end without just sitting there watching the clock tick by. Especially helpful on slow glassing days. I just haven't done much sit and wait type of hunting.

[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.

 

Do you glass an area early on to locate used water sources or rely on trail cams? I almost get nervous sitting purely for the fact that I feel like I am doing nothing. I know it is the more productive method and being that I personally blown a majority of my stalks on rutting mule deer, I will most likely lean towards sitting. Its a test of mental toughness for sure and I do have a legitimate worry of not sitting long enough. All too soon the thought of "am I sitting in the right spot?" will set in. Any suggestions on helping sit there longer? When I glass, I quietly listen to a downloaded podcast with a single ear bud in. I found that increases my willingness to sit for hours on end without just sitting there watching the clock tick by. Especially helpful on slow glassing days. I just haven't done much sit and wait type of hunting.

 

 

I think you nailed it with mental toughness. Humans are restless control freaks by nature. We always think that we can do something, anything!, to turn the odds in our favor. The worst part about ambush hunting is the feeling that you're wasting your precious limited time. But, if you understand how deer move, you'll see that doing nothing is actually tipping the odds in your favor.

 

First of all, get it out of your head that there's some magical spot that's loaded with buck and nobody else knows about it and if you just hike further and look longer you'll find it and then you just have to sit for 20 minutes and you'll shoot a booner every year. That place is right next to the lost city of El dorado in the story books. It doesn't exist. Even a really good spot doesn't have deer in it every day. It's not uncommon to sit 2-3 days and not see much. I've sat 2 days in a row and not seen a thing other than birds & squirrels. But what happens is that at some point the deer move back into the area and things heat up, then you get one of those magic days that it seems like you can't dare to move to stretch or even yawn, because they're everywhere and you'll get busted. Basically, the more fruitless days you have the better the odds are you'll see something tomorrow.

 

In 2013, I sat 3 days in a row without seeing much. A couple does, that was it. I got my buck on the 4th morning. 2014, I lucked out and dropped a nice one on the second morning. In 2011 I missed a nice 3x3 at 9:00 am & shot a spike buck at 11:00 the same morning. The day before that I didn't see anything.

 

You never know exactly when they're going to be there, you just have to find a good spot and stick to it until they show up. I sit all day from before dawn until after dusk and I like to sit a minimum of 2 days straight before I think about switching spots. It'd be better to sit 3-5 days straight, but I get restless too and sometimes make the wrong decisions because of it.

 

As for scouting, to be perfectly honest I do very little of it. I've been hunting the same areas so long that I know the spots where they like to hang out and I know some good places to sit. Dont' get me wrong, I love scouting and running trail cams, but I almost never have the time for it, so I just go when it's time to hunt. I got a spot that I've killed two deer in already and missed 2 others from sitting on the same boulder. It's been good for the last 7 years, I'm sure it'll still be good this year.

[GreyGhost85]

it takes a lot of time, but you can pattern deer pretty well with trail cameras and kind of narrow it down the the times they hit certain spots the most. it seems to me that about 8:00-noon is the peak times on my salt licks. i also do sit all day though because i'm afraid of missing something and BIG bucks are really hard to pattern and might show up 3 days in a row at the same time, then not show up for a week. smaller bucks get pretty consistent. i sat 3 full days with a buddy in a blind last year and saw bucks every day. he missed one the first day, killed one the 2nd and i passed on one the 3rd day. patience and persistence are the keys to being successful in a blind or treestand. i prefer to get a good book and catch up on some reading because i am afraid i won't hear them coming in if i have earbuds in. staying awake in the blind is the hardest thing for me and it seems like i nap for about 5 minutes at a time throughout the day.

[pahncho2121]

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Do you glass an area early on to locate used water sources or rely on trail cams? I almost get nervous sitting purely for the fact that I feel like I am doing nothing. I know it is the more productive method and being that I personally blown a majority of my stalks on rutting mule deer, I will most likely lean towards sitting. Its a test of mental toughness for sure and I do have a legitimate worry of not sitting long enough. All too soon the thought of "am I sitting in the right spot?" will set in. Any suggestions on helping sit there longer? When I glass, I quietly listen to a downloaded podcast with a single ear bud in. I found that increases my willingness to sit for hours on end without just sitting there watching the clock tick by. Especially helpful on slow glassing days. I just haven't done much sit and wait type of hunting.

 

 

I think you nailed it with mental toughness. Humans are restless control freaks by nature. We always think that we can do something, anything!, to turn the odds in our favor. The worst part about ambush hunting is the feeling that you're wasting your precious limited time. But, if you understand how deer move, you'll see that doing nothing is actually tipping the odds in your favor.

 

First of all, get it out of your head that there's some magical spot that's loaded with buck and nobody else knows about it and if you just hike further and look longer you'll find it and then you just have to sit for 20 minutes and you'll shoot a booner every year. That place is right next to the lost city of El dorado in the story books. It doesn't exist. Even a really good spot doesn't have deer in it every day. It's not uncommon to sit 2-3 days and not see much. I've sat 2 days in a row and not seen a thing other than birds & squirrels. But what happens is that at some point the deer move back into the area and things heat up, then you get one of those magic days that it seems like you can't dare to move to stretch or even yawn, because they're everywhere and you'll get busted. Basically, the more fruitless days you have the better the odds are you'll see something tomorrow.

 

In 2013, I sat 3 days in a row without seeing much. A couple does, that was it. I got my buck on the 4th morning. 2014, I lucked out and dropped a nice one on the second morning. In 2011 I missed a nice 3x3 at 9:00 am & shot a spike buck at 11:00 the same morning. The day before that I didn't see anything.

 

You never know exactly when they're going to be there, you just have to find a good spot and stick to it until they show up. I sit all day from before dawn until after dusk and I like to sit a minimum of 2 days straight before I think about switching spots. It'd be better to sit 3-5 days straight, but I get restless too and sometimes make the wrong decisions because of it.

 

As for scouting, to be perfectly honest I do very little of it. I've been hunting the same areas so long that I know the spots where they like to hang out and I know some good places to sit. Dont' get me wrong, I love scouting and running trail cams, but I almost never have the time for it, so I just go when it's time to hunt. I got a spot that I've killed two deer in already and missed 2 others from sitting on the same boulder. It's been good for the last 7 years, I'm sure it'll still be good this year.

 

This is why I love this forum. So much information here. Reading this calmed my nerves a lot. Not saying it is going to make sitting easier but I feel what you said makes it justifiable. And that magic spot in my head is playing mind tricks on me. I like the book idea GreyGhost.

[GreyGhost85]

sitting is a lot of fun when you get used to it. you see and hear a lot of things you would normally miss. i lizard running on some dry leaves will make your heart skip about 10 beats. last year i had a BIG flock of turkeys that were actually scratching my blind when i was in it. their toes were poking inside the blind. watched a doe whip a coyote last year too. neat stuff

[mattys281]

Yeah, all day sits would be completely unbearable without a nice comfy butt pad and a paperback book.

[mattys281]

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=coues%20fawns%205%20yards&sm=3

I had these fawns dang near crawl into my lap a couple summers ago. Probably the best hunting memory I have so far. Never been that close to a live deer that had no idea I was there. Momma was 10 yards away and also oblivious and I was sitting on the ground under a juniper. Good times!

[pahncho2121]

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=coues%20fawns%205%20yards&sm=3

I had these fawns dang near crawl into my lap a couple summers ago. Probably the best hunting memory I have so far. Never been that close to a live deer that had no idea I was there. Momma was 10 yards away and also oblivious and I was sitting on the ground under a juniper. Good times!

That's awesome!

[6ANut]

That video is sweet

[varnco]

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=coues%20fawns%205%20yards&sm=3

I had these fawns dang near crawl into my lap a couple summers ago. Probably the best hunting memory I have so far. Never been that close to a live deer that had no idea I was there. Momma was 10 yards away and also oblivious and I was sitting on the ground under a juniper. Good times!

 

I bet you were all sprayed down and had a few ozonics going... or did you just have the wind in your favor....lol.

[mattys281]

 

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=coues%20fawns%205%20yards&sm=3

I had these fawns dang dcnear crawl into my lap a couple summers ago. Probably the best hunting memory I have so far. Never been that close to a live deer that had no idea I was there. Momma was 10 yards away and also oblivious and I was sitting on the ground under a juniper. Good times!

 

I bet you were all sprayed down and had a few ozonics going... or did you just have the wind in your favor....lol.

Ive yet to try the ozonics, but am a believer in scent killer products. It seems like no matter where I hunt in this state, im constantly plagued by swirling wind that cant make up its mind. I use the laundry soap, body wash, unscented deodorant and the clothing spray and often am less than 10 yards from deer thathave no idea youre there.

 

I think the trick more than anything is to use stuff that is not perfumed, try not to sweat as much as possible and layer good clothing that wicks sweat away. Scent is primarily carried on chunks of dead skin (scent rafts) that your body is constantly shedding, so I try to keep those as contained as possible by wearing long sleeves and gloves eveb in the summer time.

[Guest oneshot]

Odds of having Deer infront of me while sitting a blind/tree stand are higher then doing spot and stalk, but I really enjoy and have had success while still-hunting through thick terrain.

 

Ladder stands and brush-pile blinds, placed in highly scouted choke-points, are my main tactics. Stands/blinds set to take advantage of winds, sun-light, Deers dirrection of travel/range...

 

I'm a smoker and I don't use any type of scent control besides hunting clothes washed in a scent-free wash, hang my clothes outside (they get alittle smoke because I like alittle outside fire at home during Deer season) and the use of a scent wafer while on stand(doe-in-heat)...

 

Whatever tactics you use, Use a method that matches YOUR personality and gives you the most satisfaction...

 

Books??? Electronics??? While hunting???

Not for me, Nature is the greatest Show on Earth, and I don't want to miss a thing...

 

Coues from a ladder-stand, 3YARDS away from the base of the ladder...

[Phil Beavers]

Odds of having Deer infront of me while sitting a blind/tree stand are higher then doing spot and stalk, but I really enjoy and have had success while still-hunting through thick terrain.

 

Ladder stands and brush-pile blinds, placed in highly scouted choke-points, are my main tactics. Stands/blinds set to take advantage of winds, sun-light, Deers dirrection of travel/range...

 

I'm a smoker and I don't use any type of scent control besides hunting clothes washed in a scent-free wash, hang my clothes outside (they get alittle smoke because I like alittle outside fire at home during Deer season) and the use of a scent wafer while on stand(doe-in-heat)...

 

Whatever tactics you use, Use a method that matches YOUR personality and gives you the most satisfaction...

 

Books??? Electronics??? While hunting???

Not for me, Nature is the greatest Show on Earth, and I don't want to miss a thing...

 

Coues from a ladder-stand, 3YARDS away from the base of the ladder...

One of my buddies is a smoker too, I like when he uses his cigg to check the wind..lol

[mattys281]

Nature does put on a pretty entertaining show. Problem is theres a loooong intermission around midday when all the little squirrels and birdies hole up to wait out the heat. If I didnt have a book with me, I'd be spending those couple hours snoring in my treestand. That aint good for being sneaky.

[4Falls]

Much as I hate to admit it... I cant help but doze off from time to time when hunting out of the blind. But when spot and stalking and theres nothing moving, I've been know to catch a little cat nap as well then go back to glassing.