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Stand and Stalk

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Just wondering if anyone has ever tried to stalk or cut off a deer that they first saw from the stand. Any success? Was just thinking back to a hunt from a couple years ago, where I was in a tree stand and saw a buck (ok, THE BUCK, as in the only one I was going to put my tag on that year) at about 80 yards in a bean field, following a doe or group of does. They were moving thru the beans toward the tree line that I was in, but then turned and went down the tree line away from me. This was beginning of November. I grunted several times and threw in a rattle, but nothing brought him/them closer (no surprise here). When they went out of sight, I had the idea of getting out of the stand and working my way in the same direction that they went, but then thought they could always turn and come back my way as there was an open lane that deer use on the other side of the trees. No such luck. I also thought by the time I let my bow down, get to the ground, and get to the point that I last saw them, they would be long gone, or I would end up spooking them in the off chance that they hung up there. Had I been on the ground, I may have went for it. So, just wondering, anyone done it?
 
I have not but several times over the years I have seen shooters chasing does out of range and have had them come back through on the same routes. Have often thought of getting down in this situation(been in tree wishing I would have) and could see where it could be successful.
 
I got out of my stand last year as I knew the route a buck was going to take when I first saw him 150 yards away. I knew he'd be behind my stand at 80 yards when he finally got parallel with me. I got down, crossed the creek and got into position. Wind was perfect he came into fifty yards and all I needed was for him to cross the fence and close a few more yards. However he had his own planned and turned back around and bedded down 20-30 yards further away. I made my way back to my stand and back up into it. I watched him for a bit before he got back up and headed back to where he came from.
 
Last year I had the buck I harvested coming in and he stayed on the furthest trail behind some brush. I threw him a couple grunts, but clearly he'd been fighting (broken tines) and kept walking away. The property is almost like an island of trees with him circling the high point. Once he was out of sight I climbed down and circled the opposite direction to cut him off on the other side. Once I hit the field edge I had a sneaking suspicion that he would come over the top of the hill instead. So I went back about 30 yards and worked my way to the high point to try and get eyes on him, and boom there he was walking towards me at 40 yards. I took a knee and he angled towards my left never knowing I was there, came to full draw and double lunged him at 20 yards from the ground. Wasn't my biggest buck ever, but a hunt that I will never forget.

Going forward depending on the property I'll have no issues climbing down and putting on a stalk. Several years ago I put an unsuccessful stalk on a great buck I watched bed with a doe in a cut corn field. I ranged him at 50, but must've been hitting corn stubble because my arrow went right under his heart. Still a rush and learning experience non the less.
 
Years ago I was working my way to a stand via creek bottom periodically popping out to check for deer, when I saw a good buck some 80ish yards away. I stood behind a tree and tried calling him over. Got his attention, but he started working his way to the creek way up ahead of me. At that point, I slowly got back into the creek and sprinted as fast as I could to the spot that I thought he would enter into it. Figuring I had a few minutes, I popped my head out to see if he was still coming. As soon as I cleared the bank, there he was! A whopping 10 feet in front of me, face to face. I don't know which of us was more startled. Needless to say, he spun around and was doing mach 5 into the next county after that. Made for a very cool encounter, though.
Boy that brought back some memories. Good thread!
 
I saw a buck a long ways off at the end of light a few years back and grabbed my doe decoy and walked out after him- he came right in and basically reaped him over the decoys back from 10 yards- adrenaline / nerves were pumping.

I may get a life-size canvas printout of a buck next year and weld a frame and stakes to the bottom to press into the ground and actually try reaping a deer during rut- I haven't decided if it is as dumb as I think it is (because of getting charged or shot by a poacher) still to be determined on that idea
 
A few years ago, I saw my target buck in a field going to the timber toward my stand. I ended up getting ready and sitting on the ridge waiting for him. Once I had him spotted, I knew my only chance was to sneak up on him. He ended up bedding down, wind was perfect, I took my boots off to make less noise and snuck in. An hour and a half later I was 30 yards away and needed a few more steps for a clean shot.

He ended up getting up just as I had an opening and walking off. I didn't make any apparent noise, he just had a feeling I guess. When you're on their level, it gets to be a lot tougher. It was an experience I'll never forget with one of the biggest bucks I've encountered.
 
The best encounter I ever had was on the ground stalking through some public land outside of CB. I hadn't seen anything in the stand on an all day sit so around 1 PM I got down and started slowly walking. There was a path through some waist high grass that I wanted to wander into as I knew the deer bedded in there. I was hoping to spot some antlers in the grass and get one to pop up.

About 30 yards into the trail I bumped a monster. Couldn't tell exactly how big he was he was only about 10 yards off the path and scared the bejesus out of me when he popped up and ran off 100 mph.

When he ran off he blew and I didnt know it at the time but another deer jumped up from his bed about 50 yards away. It was a 170 inch ten with the whitest antlers I had ever seen. He stood up and was watching the other buck (who was bigger) as he ran away. This ten point had no idea I was there and he slowly walked about 10 yards and bedded right behind a downed tree.

It was now game on. I knew exactly where this buck was. The wind was perfect. All I had to do was get close and get him to stand.

I got as low as I could and crept through the grass. I got to about 20 yards when he decided it was time to stand. I stood at the exact same time and drew my bow. He didn't even have a clue. He then started walking angling towards me. He had to be at 10 yards when he finally realized something else was there. I swear we made eye contact and I saw his pupils dialate. I settled my top pin and let go. Arrow went right under him. I must have hit my bow on something during the stalk. My sight was way off. Heartbreaking but at the same time one of the coolest things I will ever experience. This was 8 years ago and to this day I have never killed anything over 155".

Moral of the story is if you are going to get down and play on their level....don't get too excited in the moment and make sure you don't bump your sight!
 
BDAHMS said:
I saw a buck a long ways off at the end of light a few years back and grabbed my doe decoy and walked out after him- he came right in and basically reaped him over the decoys back from 10 yards- adrenaline / nerves were pumping.

I may get a life-size canvas printout of a buck next year and weld a frame and stakes to the bottom to press into the ground and actually try reaping a deer during rut- I haven't decided if it is as dumb as I think it is (because of getting charged or shot by a poacher) still to be determined on that idea
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I've been contemplating the same idea. At first it was just to have a more portable decoy than my 3d target and possibly to use as cover for entering a field or getting to my stand, then after seeing a video of reaping a buck (Whitetail Adrenaline), I thought it looks like a pretty cool hunt. Probably would not do it on public ground or possibly not even near private property edges, unless the decoy (and I) was marked with orange, and definitely not during gun season.

breckhawk said:
I got as low as I could and crept through the grass. I got to about 20 yards when he decided it was time to stand. I stood at the exact same time and drew my bow. He didn't even have a clue. He then started walking angling towards me. He had to be at 10 yards when he finally realized something else was there. I swear we made eye contact and I saw his pupils dialate.
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Did he give out an "Oh S***" grunt? :D
 
BDAHMS said:
I saw a buck a long ways off at the end of light a few years back and grabbed my doe decoy and walked out after him- he came right in and basically reaped him over the decoys back from 10 yards- adrenaline / nerves were pumping. I may get a life-size canvas printout of a buck next year and weld a frame and stakes to the bottom to press into the ground and actually try reaping a deer during rut- I haven't decided if it is as dumb as I think it is (because of getting charged or shot by a poacher) still to be determined on that idea
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Montana decoys make them
 
Bone Slayer said:
You guys have seen this right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=W93jY2lu0jg
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That is the video I was referring to. Haven't seen the full version in their DVD, but got the gist of it from that. This may be a little more aggressive than what I had in mind in my opening thread (stalking into range or cutting it off). Based on some of the videos of bucks trashing 3D decoys out there, I'd want to be ready to run if it came at the decoy. Or I suppose I could just have a red cape and use my arrow as a spear and buckfight it.
 
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