Drop your guard for one minute......

[brancher147]

And he's gone.

I don't know how many times this has happened to me, mainly while still hunting/stalking. You can be quiet and sneak around paying complete attention to every detail, and be ready to shoot at any movement or a single rustle of leaves or a twig snap. And when you drop your guard, just for a second, there goes a good buck. Had this happen twice in the last 2 weeks on the same ridge a couple hundred yards apart. Both times I surely had a shot at the buck, I was just not paying attention. On these occasions I was about 4 miles in from the closest public access, and if I had snow I could have picked up the track and probably had another shot, but with dry leaves these bucks were gone for good. Of course muzzleloader ended yesterday (and there is no other buck gun season) and it's snowing in the mountains today-could get a few inches or more. Oh well, at least I have some good intel for next year if these bucks don't move miles away, which I have seen happen also.

Paying complete attention and sneaking around always on the ready takes a lot of energy, especially in dry leaves. And sometimes it is hard to stay positive, especially when your body is tired after many miles, and you are not seeing much of anything. For those of you that hunt this way, what are some of your tricks, or successful/unsuccessful hunts on dry ground?

[Edcyclopedia]

Read my signature

[brancher147]

Read my signature

Yep. I read the signature. Care to elaborate or share an example? How would you stay focused and ready after miles of walking and live up to your signature?

[Edcyclopedia]

I've been the recipient more, times than none, to a flag (deers middle finger) than I'd like to remember

Try to stay positive and excited about every knoll you're about to crest. My biggest hold up is not looking far enough ahead when still hunting. That's a bad habit from all my upland bird hunting year...

Believe!

[Boogieman1]

I have had a lot of this kinda stuff happen to me while in the tree. Don't know how many times I've looked around to make certain there is nothing then lower by bow and gear and here he comes on que same with peeing from the stand, I will hold it as long as I can and when I'm convinced it's not prime time anymore and nothing should be moving I let it rip and here he comes caught mid stream with my u know what in my hand! Just part of it to me that makes for lasting memories.

[mauser06]

I've noticed the same while still hunting.

I think it's part of the learning curve.

A lot of times for me it has been times where I feel like deer aren't there or would have already blown out if they were.

This year in Michigan I had one bedded on a little clump of trees that jutted into a pothole. I knew it probably held a bed. I walked across 75yds of open ground to get to where I was when he blew out. Had I been paying attention, I might have caught him laying there watching me. I actually stopped and sent a text from about 30 yards away from it. Soon as I started walking he blew off.

Had another in Michigan last year. Finished my loop and was back near the road. Like 15 yards between me and the edge of a field. I was done..took a few normal steps and heard a deer run...walked to where it was and there was a freshly rubbed pine tree. Not sure if he was bedding there or if he was cruising the edge and rubbed the tree.

Years ago..long before finding this site..I was tracking a buck in snow. First time I've ever actually jumped on buck tracks and followed them. All the sudden the tracks make a hard right hook. I follow them up to a little knob and find his bed still steaming. The lightbulb went off. How smart I thought...he J hooked up into his bed. From there he can watch his back trail and monitor the hunters access trail. I never really stood a chance at killing him lol.


Always a sickening feeling..after all the hours and miles of sneaking around..

Tracking and still hunting is a tiring form of hunting. Between the physical aspect of it, you also have the mental aspect. Processing what you're seeing. Hyper-alertness, constantly scanning the landscape.

I think it just takes a whole lot of practice to get good at it.

[Killtree]

More times than I care to remember

[Killemquietly]

Tracking is no time for ADD. I can swear they watch you and wait for you to look at your phone/GPS to make a run for it.

[magicman54494]

not bare ground but snow tracking is pretty much the same. there is a zone to be in where you are focused but not so intense that you burn out. i find it easy to get in that zone but dont have a clue as to how to teach it. you have to clear your mind and be " in the now" not thinking about other things in your life. the guy that wrote one of the benoit books mentioned that lanny was in a zen like state when he tracks. you know when you are there because you seem to be real tuned in but yet very relaxed. im really into this because i believe that it is a big reason why some people are successful and others just cant get it done. the benoits mention this many times in their books about being in the right state of mind.

[Rich M]

Were you going too fast to look around and register what you are seeing - to notice an antler moving or the flicker of an ear or tail? Most guys move too quickly in the woods.

[brancher147]

I wasn't going too fast. Just wasn't paying complete and total attention to every detail as I should have been.

[Nocturnal]

not bare ground but snow tracking is pretty much the same. there is a zone to be in where you are focused but not so intense that you burn out. i find it easy to get in that zone but dont have a clue as to how to teach it. you have to clear your mind and be " in the now" not thinking about other things in your life. the guy that wrote one of the benoit books mentioned that lanny was in a zen like state when he tracks. you know when you are there because you seem to be real tuned in but yet very relaxed. im really into this because i believe that it is a big reason why some people are successful and others just cant get it done. the benoits mention this many times in their books about being in the right state of mind.

Solid advice!

[dakotablues]

Two approaches come to mind:

1.) Hunt like You're being hunted - because if you were, you'd do a lot of things differently, and

2.) I seem to recall from the Benoit books, if you're still hunting with a firearm, you actually CAN go to slow. you need to push towards the buck somewhat aggressively and be ready to shoot! That was while on a good track as I recall; move quickly, keep moving, and keep looking ahead to the pockets of cover on the line you're on. The buck may hold until you stop.