Lots of great points on here... the one i have to stress more than any other is quiet.
I’m an outfitter that does about 90% spot and stalk bowhunts for mule deer. I’m asked all the time by new clients about gear, camo, optics, etc.
The biggest and absolutely most important thing is silence. Camo pattern doesn’t matter NEARLY as much as people believe. The wind is the most important thing to consider - if you have a consistent wind from a constant direction, you go in from downwind, and they can’t smell you. But they can still hear you. Silence is the absolute most important spot and stalk goal.
Check all the clothes you’ll be wearing. Scratch them with a fingernail. If it’s loud, it’ll be loud when they brush up on bushes/grass/branches. When you’re walking, place each foot slowly, rolling your foot from the heel to toe, or vice versa. Even though it may seem to the contrary of everything, stay upright and WALK slowly as far as you can. The less your body touches the ground and vegetation, the less noise you make. When you’re close enough that you CANT walk and keep out of their sight, crawl - if possible, get a sling for your bow so you can sorta strap it to your back as you go. Move with gusts of wind. Remember - if you can see the eye of the deer (or elk, moose, whatever) he can see you..
As you watch the deer bed, ALSO watch all the other deer between you and him (or her). My biggest annoyance is bumping into unknown animals - doing everything correctly, but then being busted by the doe or small buck that i didn’t even know was there.
Have confidence in your shooting - but do NOT push your own limits. If you’re comfortable to 50, DONT stop your stalk at 55 yards, and think “I’ll just hold a little high”.
DONT be lazy... don’t take the easy way... an example: this past season, a nice buck bedded 145 yards from us in the truck, but with no cover between him and us, my buddy and i crawled out the rear, passenger door, walked almost half a mile AWAY from the deer with the truck as cover, before we were able to get into a coulee to use as cover to move in around on him from the other side. That resulted in my buddy Greg getting his first archery deer, and best buck to date.
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