Stalking game on the prairie

[dadof5]

Help! I am new to bowhunting this year, and really enjoying it. However, most of my hunting takes place close to home on the prairies and in the coulees. Not a lot of cover to keep you hidden during the stalk. I was within about 100 yards of all kinds of mule deer, but can't seem to get much closer for the shot. Any ideas or help welcome. Thought about carrying a 2D decoy in front of me just to hide behind. Any one else ever try this?

[Pudelpointer]

Hunting mule deer out here is a process of watching them in the morning until they bed down. Then you work your way in to where they are - slowly and carefully - until you get within bow range. Then you either wait for them to stand up and stretch or otherwise get up on their own, or you try and make them stand by grunting or bleating, etc. Usually works best if they do it on their own.

Getting into bow range is the real trick. I usually end up closing the last 50 yards or so bare foot - tricky in our cactus ridden landscape - but it sure makes a difference to how much noise you make (unless you step on one of the aforementioned cacti). You will probably end up crawling, rolling, sliding, etc. to get into position, so again, look out for cactus.

FWIW, sometimes it is just better to leave some deer alone as where they are bedded, and the wind direction, will not allow you to get close enough. If left alone, the deer will likely be in the same area the next day, but if you bump them, they will find somewhere else to be.

I have managed to get myself within 50 yards of a big buck, 35 yards and 26 yards from 2 other bucks in three days of MD hunting this year, just have not managed to get the right opportunity.

It may take you a couple years of trying to get it all to work out right, especially if you are holding out for a big guy.

Good luck.

[dadof5]

Thanks for the tips Pudelpointer. I was hoping for a few more posts from other hunters, but things seem to be a little slow on this thread.

[slough shark]

I work the coulees usually about 1/3 of the way up so the deer don't skyline you, make sure you take your time, use your glasses a lot as you want to make sure you don't spook a deer until the arrow has already passed through. Make sure you don't spook the other deer in the coulee that you aren't targeting as once you do that it takes the deer a good half hour to calm down and that is if they bothered staying around. Take your time and use the contours of the land to hide you because there is often enough stuff to hide in. Also remember not every deer in the coulee needs to be stalked nor is every deer stalkable. The more you slow down the better usually and even during the stalk on your intended deer keep your eyes open for other unseen deer and glass as if one deer goes the others often do as well.

[Couleestalker]

Above posts are excellent, take your time, move slow, glass, and don't get to upset if you blow a stalk cause it will happen. One other method you could try if you have a friend that bow hunts aswell is set up one guy down wind on a game trail and the other work the coulee slow (and I mean slow) with the wind at his back. You don't want to spook the deer at a full out run, you just want them to smell you way in advance and get up and out. Often times they will run at first them slow to a walk, and hopefully they walk right by your buddy.

[dadof5]

Thanks for the posts. I was noticing the deer in the coulee seemed to circle, and had I simply stayed put in another small coulee for about 3 hours after my buddy pushed them, some of them would have likely come right my way. Perhaps patience really is a virtue. When sitting still, does anyone consider a blind? or just good camo on the side of the coulee hill?

[BigRackLover]

Dont they always bed in the willow thickets? Isn't it better to pattern them and wait for them to exit/entry those places?

How are you suppose to get within bow range and have a shooting lane in thickets?

Or do MD bed in the open parts of the coulees and I just haven't found any yet?

[Cal]

First of all I would like to stress that I am not an experienced stalker, the intensely thick brush and low visibility of the terain I hunt does not make spot and stalk an effective tactic. That being said I have, on rare ocaisions while still hunting had the opportunity, to stalk an animal. The most effective tactic for me is to keep some kind of cover between me and the animal, there is almost always some sort of bush, tree, or hill I can put between me and the animal. I've also seen people use round hay bales to effectively hide their progress.

Another thing I've found is to sound like a deer, silence is often impossible, even though deer are capable of moving nearly silently they often dont unless on high alert. The noise they make is different than that of a person who usualy marches steadily allong . Deer take a few steps and then listen and test the wind, then take a few more and repeat, when they step on a stick they stop moving and let things settle down before continuing. If I keep my progress like that of a deer they are far more inclined to be forgiving of any mistakes.

[dadof5]

Originally Posted by BigRackLover

Dont they always bed in the willow thickets? Isn't it better to pattern them and wait for them to exit/entry those places?

How are you suppose to get within bow range and have a shooting lane in thickets?

Or do MD bed in the open parts of the coulees and I just haven't found any yet?

I have seen deer in the open parts of the coulees, as well as in the thickets. Seems to always be a sentinel doe or two or more in the open, watching intently. Meanwhile, the bucks are lounging around in the thicker cover, prolly drinkin a soda and watchin the game.

[Marlin xl7]

For this exact reason I constructed a ghillie suit, I haven't gotten the chance to use it in archery yet, but I'm hoping to test it in Nov if it doesn't snow right away. It is a bit heavy but it blends in great and breaks up the human outline. Works great on coyotes, now to test it on deer...

[Redfrog]

I love the ghillies. They are deadly. That's why snipers use them. The trick with the ghillie is to get one that is user friendly, otherwise you won't use it more than once.

They don't make you inviisible, but they do trick the eyes into telling the brain, "There's nothing to see here, move along."

The second pic is from about 100yds,
The third pic is from inside 50 yards. two hunters sitting. One of those two had a magpie land on his boot while he was sitting.



I've had deer and coyotes within 4 feet of me trying to figure out what I was.

[Marlin xl7]

[QUOTE=Redfrog;715046]I love the ghillies. They are deadly. That's why snipers use them. The trick with the ghillie is to get one that is user friendly, otherwise you won't use it more than once.

They don't make you inviisible, but they do trick the eyes into telling the brain, "There's nothing to see here, move along."

The second pic is from about 100yds,
The third pic is from inside 50 yards. two hunters sitting. One of those two had a magpie land on his boot while he was sitting.



I've had deer and coyotes within 4 feet of me trying to figure out what I was.[QUOTE=Redfrog;715046]


Did you make your own? I've made 2 now, gave one away, they both turned out great.

[Redfrog]

I didn't make them. I'm not crafty enough. I bring them up from the U.S.

I put my clients in them when we are calling coyotes and wolves. It allows them to have some movement without spooking the beasties. Once they try them they buy them.
I use them for geese and ducks as well instead of a blind.

Have you got pics of yours. How did you make them? how long did it take?

[Marlin xl7]

I will get pics up as soon as I borrow a camera. All I did was take an old pair of cover-alls, sew netting on the back, strip the burlap, then tie the burlap onto the netting. If you would like a more detailed list and instructions feel free to PM me.

[Redfrog]

Marlin, as I said I can barely make a sandwich, nevermind a ghillie.

I'd like to see some pics and hear about how you did it and the pros and cons. Things you like and don't like or would change. I know a lot of guys have thought about making their own and some are quite creative.

[DuckBrat]

Had a bachelor group of mulies start moving in the Coulee. I stayed put but couldn't get a good lane. I waited till they passed me and when they were out of sight I ran back up to the ridge and ran down stream till I passed them. They stopped to graze so I set up on the leeside of the next corner and soon they walked right by at 35 yards. I hit a twig sending my arrow low thank god it didn't hit after that twig or I would have been chasing for days. Don't know if this helps but try to get in front of moving animals, it's worked for me.

[TreeGuy]

Never be able to see his eye.