Number one rule slow slow slow
Keep your head low and on a 360 degree swivel always be watching out of the corner of your eyes.
Study the land a 8 inch low spot can hide a man crawling belly down face down.
Hide your face and hands,watches,wedding rings, glasses can spook animals.
I have never painted my face but I try to keep it shaded with a hat. Or neck gator. Ps be sure to practice shooting with your hat and other accessories.
Scan with your eyes as much as you can before turning your head and face.
Heading straight in at an animal if cover is not a avalible you will have a better success percentage than trying to approach parallel. Animals have a much harder time seeing movement directly towards them than they do across there line of sight. Put something between you and your target anything that can break up movement.
Be patient the last 100 yards can take hours to cover , 7 being my longest in +36 weather.
Take an exsesive amount of range readings study land layout and animal location take picture on your phone through scope/ take notes and metal pictures of landmarks rocks/ grass / fences could fenceposts. So you can reference back once you get closer you will loose orientation quite regularly when you start staking and zigzagging around while trying to approach.
Wind is your friend take notes I have my area to a science calam till 11 wind starts at 11-12 guy gets excited starts stalking in wind dies at 12-30 till 2 your stuck out there mid stalk with your ass in the burning sun till about 3-4 when wind starts blowing steady with less lulls and gusts around three animals usual stand around 3 for a stretch and a pee may feed a bit then lay facing different direction depending on how wind changed from the first time they bedded around 9:30 am.
On a windy day a guy can get a stalk done In 15 minutes but then try shoot in that gale force wind. On a calm day it can take hours and maybe not even worth it if you spook your target.
The amount of animals around can be a problem if you spot a deer and start stalking a km away you could run into many deer that can blow out and then spook your target always walk as if there is going to be something between you and the target sometimes this works out and you accidentally discover a better deer. Most times it just lets you spot other deer mostly does before they spot you. Use you binos slowly peek over unseen terrain looking for deer/ coyotes / rabbits / sharptail grouse / ears /antler tips. If you get a unwanted roadblock crouch down back out slow and try a new approach. Early season buck will really be alone the big boys always have a few your stranglers fallowing then around action as bodygaurds beefing down facing all direction. The younger bucks can be out witted but it’s rare to go in undetected with several deer watching. If a deer stands and gives you the stairdown and you stay low and absolulty still they can very well bed back down or just move off slowly. Try not to let them see you are a human figure.
Practice drawing and shooting these three ways in your yard will help you drastically
First lay flat on ground starfish bow in hand try knock an arrow then clip on your realease while still laying down then slowly get up to your knees and draw at the same time. Get on target and shoot as quick as you can.
Next practice the exact same scenario but when you draw back slowly get on target and hold draw for as long as you can then take a practice shot say 1.5min than as you get stronger hold for 2 min and shoot so on until you can hold and shoot accurately with a 3 min draw time.
Next practice drawing sitting on your butt I rarely parictice shooting from a standing position as I know I can already shoot that way and knowing I have only killed 10% of my archery animals standing 80% kneeling shots and 10% sitting is how I figure it.
Always shoot your bow at a draw weight you can comfortable pull in extreme environment. You may look like a hero shooting 80 lb draw at the range but you will feel like a zero when a 200” deer bounces away beaches you couldn’t pull your bow after a grewling stalk.
Every single time is a learning experience everything come into play there is so many moving parts it’s hurts thinking about it. I have made thousands of mistakes some you get lucky and get away with others and in hours or crawling with raw elbows and knees with nothing to show but a broken pride. Always try to remember all your screwups and learn from them for future stalks. Don’t be afraid to stalk other animals just for fun and to learn. On slow days with no deer to be found I will stalk coyotes/ grouse / gophers even the odd beef cow to see how close I can get.
Couple last things I have learned chug a bunch of Gatorade and eat a bunch before you start stalking it’s easyer to pee wile laying down then try pulling out water and snacks 5 hours into a stalk. Leave all your crap 200 yards back but be carful deer/coyotes will spook if they pass downwind of your packs and can blow a stalk
Long winded but lean from my mistakes and go out and make some of your own
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