Thinking about ditching the pants....

[MattB]

I would get quieter pants, I really like the Kuiu Tiburona I’m really hot weather here in CA.

Sounds like you need to work on slowing down when stalking, gearing up to force you to slow down is great right up until you need to move 20 yards quickly to make a shot happen.

 

[Maki35]

Why not, plenty of hunters wear shorts to hunt in Africa.
Or a pair of convertible pants... with the option to zip off the legs if you want to wear shorts.

I would rather wear something like the Vibram V-Trail shoes or even a pair of moccasins instead of only socks

 

[ZMT588]

I'm at the point where I need to invest in some moccasins. 4 stalks over the weekend and busted all of them. (None were big and really worth my time but I figured it'd be good practice). For mule deer this year I've been hunting in my trail running shoes Soloman speedcross 5's. Dunno why but I just haven't felt like putting "boots" on this year. I've been wearing a pair of Stone Glacier De Haviland Lite pants that I love but actually disappointed with how loud they are. Anyways, after a long drive home I got to thinking about each separate stalk. Wind was good, plenty of cover. What I figured out was I WAS MOVING TOO FAST. This is my first year archery hunting. I'm all giddy to get in the zone and get a shot. I'm not being patient and taking my time and working my way in there. My closest stalk was 80 yards. Last stalk of the hunt. Slowed down (Clearly not enough) and worked my way in and not exposing myself. At this point I'm realizing its less about my "Gear" and more about my hunt Tactics. Will moccasins and quieter pants help? Maybe, but I think its more about patience than anything.

 

[Fatcamp]

No doubt, socks are really quiet. Feet full of prickly pear sucks.

I think what I really need to do is stop trying to hunt bedded bucks and start stalking them when they are up feeding.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

No doubt, socks are really quiet. Feet full of prickly pear sucks.

I think what I really need to do is stop trying to hunt bedded bucks and start stalking them when they are up feeding.

I think you will probably find that far more difficult. Moving silently into position on a moving target is even harder than targeting a single focal point (i.e. buck bed).

 

[TheGDog]

My thought is that going to socks and no pants will slow me down while being quieter. So much cactus where I hunt those steps would have to be slooooow. It's the main reason I haven't done it up to this point as I don't want a foot full of prickly pear.

In areas like you describe heavy with cactus... DO NOT wear those over the boots covers that quiet your boots. They'll pickup a ton of quills and you'll have to throw them away afterward.

That type of terrain, if you've dropped down to sit on the ground to take a shot... make dang well sure you look back down at the ground if you then feel you need to scootch over a few and are about to put down both hands to scootch over a few. Otherwise you're likely to get a surprise from old dried up broken off pieces of cholla that are hap hazardly laying around. And F**K does it hurt to set your butt down upon one accidentally!

 

[Fatcamp]

I think you will probably find that far more difficult. Moving silently into position on a moving target is even harder than targeting a single focal point (i.e. buck bed).

In assessing what I've done over the last 3 years I think it would be easier and has proven to be so. The big difference being is once they are up feeding they are making noise.

Just finding bedded bucks in this environment is very challenging. In the end, I think a mix is going to be what works. Made it to 40 in a feeding group yesterday, stupid doe looped back and busted me. Close. Not close enough

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

In assessing what I've done over the last 3 years I think it would be easier and has proven to be so. The big difference being is once they are up feeding they are making noise.

Just finding bedded bucks in this environment is very challenging. In the end, I think a mix is going to be what works. Made it to 40 in a feeding group yesterday, stupid doe looped back and busted me. Close. Not close enough

I guess the cover available would be a determining factor. If you have lots of waist high sage, or the like, I could see that working better. Where I usually hunt in CO, their sight is a big enemy.

 

[Fatcamp]

I guess the cover available would be a determining factor. If you have lots of waist high sage, or the like, I could see that working better. Where I usually hunt in CO, their sight is a big enemy.

It's kind of flat but covered in grass and ravines. And cactus, lots of cactus.

Waaaay different than that high mountain alpine stuff. Most often when they bed you can't even see them until they can see you, and then it's over.