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

[Kyler1985]

50+ white tails (40+ with bow),and countless hogs. Over half killed from the ground. All but 4-5 on public land throughout southeast and Midwest.

I have spent way too much time tinkering with ways to get up a tree. I do it, if the situation screams for it. And I almost always leave the truck with my gear to get up a tree.

But I walk until I find deer in the flesh, or the type of sign that indicates they're within 100 yards of me. Then I find an ambush spot. If that spot has a suitable tree to climb, and it will increase my odds enough to climb it, I do. If not, I find a spot to kill them from the ground. If neither exist, I keep walking.

I don't wear a ghillie suit. Sometimes I don't wear camo.

I'm not special. I'm not particularly good at hunting or shooting or hiding.

Tips for shooting them on the ground:

wet leaves, or enough wind noise to cover your steps

practice shooting from your knees at least a few shots every time you shoot.

Walking with the wind is a good recipe for an uneventful hike.

If you are purposely trying to stalk deer, you can't move slow enough. And you can't stop often enough. The key is to see them before they see or hear you. You can't do that if you never stop, and you go too fast.

 

[deerhunter10]

Get to your tree 2 hours before you originally planned to. Seeing more and more that deer will tend to ignore you in the dark dark compared to a half hour or hour before daylight.

Disagree with this. Zero point in having your scent float around with bad thermals in the mornings for an extra 2 hours before you can see anything.

 

[mike243]

Get to your tree 2 hours before you originally planned to. Seeing more and more that deer will tend to ignore you in the dark dark compared to a half hour or hour before daylight.

Get a hocky mask, was hit 2 times by a owl due to getting into stand way early, almost lost my eyesight due to strike in the face, I had my mask and a hat on the first time, suspect it seen the whites of my eyes and though squirrel, lost the hat on the first attack, the 2nd 30 minutes later something made me duck, 3-4 holes in the top of my head, first time under both eyes and on my nose, bled pretty good but I got it stopped when I quit screaming

 

[mike243]

50+ white tails (40+ with bow),and countless hogs. Over half killed from the ground. All but 4-5 on public land throughout southeast and Midwest.

I have spent way too much time tinkering with ways to get up a tree. I do it, if the situation screams for it. And I almost always leave the truck with my gear to get up a tree.

But I walk until I find deer in the flesh, or the type of sign that indicates they're within 100 yards of me. Then I find an ambush spot. If that spot has a suitable tree to climb, and it will increase my odds enough to climb it, I do. If not, I find a spot to kill them from the ground. If neither exist, I keep walking.

I don't wear a ghillie suit. Sometimes I don't wear camo.

I'm not special. I'm not particularly good at hunting or shooting or hiding.

Tips for shooting them on the ground:

wet leaves, or enough wind noise to cover your steps

practice shooting from your knees at least a few shots every time you shoot.

Walking with the wind is a good recipe for an uneventful hike.

If you are purposely trying to stalk deer, you can't move slow enough. And you can't stop often enough. The key is to see them before they see or hear you. You can't do that if you never stop, and you go too fast.

Good info especially the moving slow and stopping often, I always try to stop next to a tree. I have lost a lot of feeling in my feet and do not stalk hunt like I did. ambush with a little movement if the property permits, I trip and step on stuff that wakes folks up in the next county. have seen deer not move nothing but a ear for 10-15 minutes, that's why folks see the arse end first so much.