What time of day is best to stalk with a bow........

[DB Cooper]

This past August was my first real early season bow hunt. We found stalk-able deer everyday and had the chance to blow a bunch of stalks! Most were blown between 13-50 yards. Most were blown by not trusting that we were actually in position and trying to 1) get closer when there was no need to or 2) trying to "get a better view" when we should have just held tight until the deer made a move. Some were blown maybe due to our choice of time to stalk?

We would typically find a group of bucks between 545 am and 630 am. We would watch them feed until 830a to 1030 or even 11. Our stalks would begin not too long after the group had bedded. After umpteen failed stalks, its apparent 1) mule deer have very good instincts on where to bed (the wind is shifty or non-existent 2) maybe we should wait until later in the afternoon until thermals and/or winds are whipping up pretty good to help with the sound of stalking and to prevent being caught in a swirl?

Knowing every situation is unique, how long do people wait to stalk? What time of day is usually best?

I've always rifled hunted, but getting inside of 100 yards of these deer with a bow is a different kind of drug...…..

Here's some pics of some of our failures....

 

[bowuntr]

Wait til they bed for the second or third time and the thermals get consistent.... no set time on the clock for me. Ed F

 

[trophyhill]

Sounds like you did "almost" everything right and you know what you did wrong. A little patience goes a long ways better luck on your next hunt!

 

[Wrench]

You can't beat the wind. Let them get good and comfy.

You may want to watch South stalk a few. I don't think there's a better stalker out there right now than him....and he's kind enough to have a bunch of them on film.

 

[DB Cooper]

South is good

Thanks you guys

Hopefully we can share a pics of success next August......

 

[Trial153]

After they settle in a few hours and make their second bed I start thinking about making my move.

 

[GG9]

You can't beat the wind. Let them get good and comfy.

You may want to watch South stalk a few. I don't think there's a better stalker out there right now than him....and he's kind enough to have a bunch of them on film.

As a noob myself, where can I watch “South” stalk? This sounds great.

 

[d3ntalbliss]

As a noob myself, where can I watch “South” stalk? This sounds great.

Stalker Stickbows

www.youtube.com

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Wrench]

As a noob myself, where can I watch “South” stalk? This sounds great.

Google "south cox hunting video" there are a bunch of them. Dude is a little ninja.

 

[GG9]

Nice! Thanks guys.

 

[Fatcamp]

Word. I just need to learn to be patient. I made the same mistakes this Fall.

 

[GG9]

Just a quick observation. In High Country with South, it shows him stalking from above on the deer he ends up shooting, but when you look at it it seems like he is 15-20 yards away or so, then later you hear him describing his stalk and says, “I was 6 yards away.” Talk about a ninja....