Sneak-Mode ON: Ghillie, Stalking, Saddle, Bow/Crossbow (2024 Deer Season Tactics)

[Sammy231]

To Sit or Not To Sit? I'll be roughing it this year building on last season's lessons. Gonna give the ghillie a go but I'm not sure I can get my sneak on. Only been at it for a year.

The Setup: Recurve & Crossbow, Ghillie, Saddle, Natural Hide

The Terrain: North to South Ridge with 3 West to East Fingers that run down to a creek.
80' elevation change with pretty variable topography. Haynes Bottom/Cheatam/Shelton Ferry/LBL.

Plenty of ag and browse options. tons of cover, even after fall (leaf-off conditions). tons of water source options (covert and overt)

So.... How about you? Also, any tips? I'd like to learn more about how to play the wind based on immediate terrain features.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Also, any tips?

Quit watching YouTube and spend more time in the woods. Get up in a tree, be quiet, and still. The hunting methods you're using are tough for even the most experienced hunters. Kill some deer from your saddle and get some experience. Then you should move on to harder methods.

 

[Ski]

I say go have fun and be reckless. Bump some deer. Bump them all. Find out what you can do, how close you can get. If you're not seeing deer then move until you do. You've got the rest of your life to sit quietly and wait for deer once you've learned all about their habits. Until then get all up in the thick of it and make a mess of things. Enjoy yourself.

 

[megalomaniac]

Yup, you are overthinking it.

Predicting wind in hilly terrain is next to impossible unless you are at the top for me. You need to pick a spot, hunt it a few different days with different wind directions and figure out if the prevailing currents in that area are funneled in a different direction than prevailing winds because of the terrain.

If no wind, its easy. Early am and thermals are falling until around 8am when heating by the sun causes thermals to reverse and begin rising.

 

[deerhunter10]

You learn how to play wind and thermals by screwing it up. Other then all the other things you said, I wouldnt expect to see a lot of deer with that plan. But have at it.

 

[Iglow]

Yup, you are overthinking it.

Predicting wind in hilly terrain is next to impossible unless you are at the top for me. You need to pick a spot, hunt it a few different days with different wind directions and figure out if the prevailing currents in that area are funneled in a different direction than prevailing winds because of the terrain.

If no wind, its easy. Early am and thermals are falling until around 8am when heating by the sun causes thermals to reverse and begin rising.

This.
Moving (sneaking) … they will see you. They will hear you. And they will smell you. The only time I'd even consider slipping around is on a very windy day when everything in the woods is really moving and making a lot of noise. Then maybe you could get within rifle range of one but not bow range, they are professionals at not letting their enemies near them.

 

[Sammy231]

Thanks fellas, you're right. I've not given the animal enough respect and too much internet for sure. I'll just have to pick a spot and get invisible.

Most of it really is sitting in wait then, huh?

 

[Sammy231]

Yup, you are overthinking it.

Predicting wind in hilly terrain is next to impossible unless you are at the top for me. You need to pick a spot, hunt it a few different days with different wind directions and figure out if the prevailing currents in that area are funneled in a different direction than prevailing winds because of the terrain.

If no wind, its easy. Early am and thermals are falling until around 8am when heating by the sun causes thermals to reverse and begin rising.

This will help with positioning. Thanks!

 

[Sammy231]

I say go have fun and be reckless. Bump some deer. Bump them all. Find out what you can do, how close you can get. If you're not seeing deer then move until you do. You've got the rest of your life to sit quietly and wait for deer once you've learned all about their habits. Until then get all up in the thick of it and make a mess of things. Enjoy yourself.

Still at it Ski! Thank You!

 

[tree_ghost]

Thanks fellas, you're right. I've not given the animal enough respect and too much internet for sure. I'll just have to pick a spot and get invisible.

Most of it really is sitting in wait then, huh?

Yes sir a lot of sitting and waiting…whitetail hunting in the south is as challenging physically as it is mentally. Whitetail are too wary and move to slowly to still hunt them off the ground with a trad bow with any type of consistency. Your better bet is to make a natural blind and use your ghille suit there in an ambush style hunt. Try to pinch the deer down to a funnel with a shot between 12-17yards and you must play the wind like it's your gospel!! I can assure you killing them with the stick and string is hard enough by itself without needing to up the ante. Good luck buddy I love your ambition!!!!

 

[Iglow]

It's 90% about wind direction, it may not be right all the time but you may get a right wind direction long enough at the right time for one to get close enough. Understanding scent/wind direction is always the starting point.

 

[Sammy231]

Yes sir a lot of sitting and waiting…whitetail hunting in the south is as challenging physically as it is mentally. Whitetail are too wary and move to slowly to still hunt them off the ground with a trad bow with any type of consistency. Your better bet is to make a natural blind and use your ghille suit there in an ambush style hunt. Try to pinch the deer down to a funnel with a shot between 12-17yards and you must play the wind like it's your gospel!! I can assure you killing them with the stick and string is hard enough by itself without needing to up the ante. Good luck buddy I love your ambition!!!!

Cheers Ghost for the help. To say stoked is an understatement!

 

[Sammy231]

It's 90% about wind direction, it may not be right all the time but you may get a right wind direction long enough at the right time for one to get close enough. Understanding scent/wind direction is always the starting point.

I think I stunk too much last season and didn't mind the wind. Thank you Iglow, gonna give it a real go!

 

[lol]

Nearly all my experience is more than 20 years ago, I'm just getting back, but I just couldn't sit all day in a stand. I always preferred and had more success still hunting. It wasn't constant mobility but more moving from location to location then doing shorter sits to observe what was going on in the woods. When you first start most tye deer you see will be deer you jump, but after awhile you'll start get a feel for where to anticipate them and adjust you movement and eventually be able to approach without them realizing you're there. You'll be surprised how close you can get. With that said, I'm not sure it's best for archery season, but if you want to try, there's no better time than muzzleloader season. Muzzleloader is still my favorite time to be in the woods because it's the best time to still hunt. The deer aren't quite as spooked as they are during gun and the little bit of addition range you get over archery equipment gives you a little breathing room on your stalk.