I'll put in my 2 cents as a new Bowhunter who just had his first season hunting Mulies with a bow and what I learned. Take it or leave it.
Ya quiet is key, and I kept remembering everything about going slow said by experienced guys. I actually had a lil mantra, "If you think you're going to slow, slow down a lil more." It was taking me hours just to crawl 2-300 yards sometimes.
I got lucky, while out scouting I found a shallow coulee with from what me and my uncle counted was at least 12 mulie bucks. Some nice ones too.
As a new guy I took to heart all the things I heard. I probably played it more safe than anything by taking off my boots about 350 yards away from where the deer where bedded. (Almost couldn't find them once lol) I also used Ihunter and when I spotted a bedded buck, I would mark exactly where it was on the map. So when I got closer, I could take a second and make sure I was headed in the right direction.
90% of these stalks where on Mulies in a really shallow narrow long coulee. So staying out of there sight wasn't that hard. And the wind was at about 10 mph with real a shallow coulee so thermals weren't that bad there.
So I got within 30-40 yards of a lot of bucks. Probably 5 different stalks. Even one, I crawled on my belly for 3 hours right in the bottom of that coulee. The buck was bedded right behind some bushes, and I was actually able to get right to the edge of the bushes standing up, without boots. But the grass was so high I stood there for 10 minutes and couldn't see any antlers, then took a step thinking the buck moved off to the other side of another bush. He jumped up and pranced away, almost giving me a flippin heart attack... Need more patience. Also stalked into a group of 5 bucks, and was right at the edge of the coulee, and they were all within 40 yards, one feeding.
This is where I learned my biggest problem. Not practicing drawing from a laying down, to knees position. I tried, but my bow felt like a 100lb draw from that position. So I crawled slowly back 10 yards. Got up slowly, drew, and tried coming in to take a shot just over the edge. But I was shaking all over having held my bow drawn for about a minute and a half. So I just backed off and let down. Tried again but not drawing till I got closer, and they heard me and bolted.
So for me I learned I really need a lot more practise with my bow. Especially from different positions. And to strengthen up my shoulders, back till I can hold alot longer without shaking like a leaf while aiming.
I did get a doe, which honestly wasn't that hard. Probably due to the numbers here, and I already had a lot of knowledge on their routes, and when and where they go. It was also an ambush, instead of a stalk.
But it was fun as hell. Well frustrating as hell at times too. But It's given me some more knowledge, and I learnt a lot. Being a first year bowhunter, especially spot and stalk, I didn't have any expectations on getting a Big Buck first year. But it was still a great experience.
For me, I think the key to even being able to make decent stalks, if you can call them that. Was I knew this land very well. And the wind patterns that blew the same way 80% of the time. I hunt coyotes there every winter.
Things I learned, practise a lot more with my bow and not just shooting for accuracy from standing up. Get in better shape, not only for using my bow. But it's weird how much crawling at that slow pace can take out of ya, and just to stay alert to everything around ya, takes its toll.
Knee pads help a lot too I found. and good silent clothing. Knowing when you can move fast, and when to really get to the extreme slow seems like an experience thing. I just went extremely, painfully slow most of the time. But afterwards realized I probably could have moved a lil quicker at points.
And if you take your boots of at 350 yards away from your target. Put some bright red tape on them. I seriously almost lost my boots.lol Rookie.
I don't know if that helps you in any way, but just thought I'd put it down. Oh ya, and don't use RAGE BH's when stalking. The blades keep popping out. So I went with Grim Reapers. Which shot just as well as the rages. And didn't pop out even after hitting a branch with them.
Have a good one, hope you figure it all out. Cheers.
|