From Quora:   How do I stalk deer with a bow?
 
First off, let me give you some background. I started bowhunting whitetail deer back in the early 80’s. I spent 20 years as a bowhunter before my shoulder pooped out on me. I have not bowhunted since 2007. I have a 200 acre farm in Bracken County, Kentucky. My family and fill our freezers with venison every year during Rifle Season.

I am probably not the best authority on stalking. I’m a walking landform; my measurements pretty well match John Wayne’s year by year. I’m about as stealthy as a bulldozer in the woods. However, I tried; for 20 seasons I spent at least part of my time in the woods stillhunting on the ground with my bow. It never worked.

I took both of my sons to their mandatory Hunter Ed classes when they were young. I had been grandfathered in, and not taken the class, so the first time through was new to me. I have to say I learned a little here and there every time I went, even though the same instructor taught both classes.

One thing I took away from that class was the instructor’s admonition: “Don’t stalk your way to your bow stand. You’ll just hurt yourself. “ Indeed, that was something I had been doing for over a decade at that point. If it was during legal hunting, I’d take extra time and go to and from my tree stand with an arrow knocked and try to still hunt. I was never successful. In fact, I do not remember encountering any deer that way— certainly never got a shot at one.

Herb, the instructor, said, “More people get injured traipsing around in the woods with an arrow knocked than ever actually get a deer, so just don’t do it! Pick a spot. Go there and hunt, but don’t try to hunt on the way in or out.”

That was very liberating advice. By this time, I had spent over a decade trying my best to see deer while hoofing it to and from my stand. I’d managed to trip and fall. I’d managed to wreck a few arrows getting them snagged on limbs. I’d never had a shot. For the remaining years, until my shoulder gave out, I concentrated on being safe and only hunted from my stands and that was that.

Looking back on it all, I can see the wisdom in Herb’s advice. Not only had I had numerous mishaps while schlepping around the woods with a knocked arrow, but I had also had several run-ins with other hunters. Most of these were on public land, but some were on private venues.

I remember vividly one fellow who came right under my stand trying to stalk deer along a fence line. He was covered in camo all over, except for his head. His girlfriend had dyed his hair blond for the summer and it was growing out. I could see this shock of blond moving from a long way off. However, he otherwise sounded and appeared just as though he might be a whitetail— to the point where I was turned in his direction and at the read to draw when I saw the hair. He came within a few feet of my stand, oblivious to my presence.

In a reverse instance, I can remember numerous instances where I got within bow range of another hunter, up in his stand while on my way in the woods. When stalking deer like that, it is hard to force your eyes up into the trees when your attention needs to stay focused on the ground. Even on the ground, I have bumped into hunters trying to do as I was doing. My strategy in these cases was to let them come close enough and then announce my presence when their attention (and the bow) were pointed away from me. Usually a soft “You’ve got a hunter on your right,” or some-such, was enough to get them to put the bow down and walk over.

I’m sure you are going to get advice to the contrary

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