Basic Strategies

Basically there are three general methods of bowhunting. Those three being: "still hunting," "stand hunting" and the "spot and stalk" method. there are other forms such as animal drives, where an individual or party may work a particular brush patch, thicket, etc., attempting to drive the animal or animals to the hunter or hunter's. Personally I feel methods such as these alarm and educate the animals to your presence, causing more harm to your hunt than good.

Using the "still hunting" method, the hunter slips slowly and quietly through a given area, pausing often to listen and look for sign such as tracks, droppings, scrapes or rubs. Keep in mind, the biggest mistake most hunters make when "still hunting," is moving too quickly. Try slowing down and be as observant as you can. I like to refer to this as "becoming in tune with your environment." After all, you are the predator! When "still hunting," one needs to pay particular attention to things such as wind direction. I recommend using a wind checker such as "Smoke In A Bottle," or any other commercially available product, easily obtainable. Optics are also important. When "still hunting," I prefer to carry my 8x21 binoculars. Their compact, take up very little space, and their perfect for determining whether or not it's a branch I'm looking at, or the antlers of a buck. "Still hunting" can be a very effective method of hunting, as well as an exciting challenge for those willing to give it a try. Remember though as I stated above, the biggest mistake hunters can make, is trying to cover too much ground too quickly. Remember, keep it at a crawl! 15 to 20 yards then pause... and so on!

In "stand hunting" unlike "still hunting," the hunter positions himself in a specific location where he feels the animals will pass close by, on their way to feed, water or bed. Usually stands are placed along the animals travel routes and not at their food source or in their bedding area. Stands should be placed in areas where the animals travel routes can be funneled. A few examples of this are: in an area where several "Hot" trails come together, not far from a food source or bedding area, a natural water crossing, a canyon, or even something as simple as an area where the animals may cross a fence. The type of stand you require will depend on several things, including: what type of animal you're hunting, the type of terrain you're dealing with, and you the hunter, what you're comfortable and confident in. "Stand hunting" doesn't necessarily mean Tree-stand. I have used many different types of stands including: tree stands, tri-pods, windmills, ground blinds and pit blinds. Whatever type of stand you prefer to use, comfort is always an important issue! if you're unable to remain comfortable while hunting your stand, you probably won't want to remain in your stand much longer than a few hours. I personally prefer to use ground blinds, due to the fact that they can be constructed quite quickly and easily, using natural materials such as: tall grass, logs, limbs and brush. "Stand hunting" can be an extremely effective method of harvesting game. The thing to remember when it comes to "stand hunting" is that it's a real game of patience! Personally I feel that 99 percent of it is mental conditioning, telling yourself: "here I am, I'm here for the duration!" You might also try reminding yourself of how you've waited all year for this opportunity, and now you're ready to enjoy it!

The "spot and stalk" method of hunting is by far my personal favorite, no question about it. This type of hunting can be extremely challenging and yet very rewarding. Quality optics such as high-powered binoculars or a good spotting scope and tri-pod are a must. In this method of hunting, the hunter positions himself in a spot with a good view of the area he intends to hunt, and then begins glassing for game. While glassing a given area, I would recommend breaking down the area into sections. this makes it much easier to ensure that no animals are over-looked. After glassing a section if you have no luck, move on to the next section and so on, until the entire area has been covered. When you do find the animal you wish to persue, there are a few things you'll need to take a look at. One, you'll need to plan a specific route, to get yourself to the animal. Two, you'll want to make sure that there are no other animals that may be in your path, which could spoil your stalk, and three, you'd better be picking out some landmarks because once you've left your vantage point, the terrain will appear totally different! One of the main advantages of "spot and stalk" hunting, is being able to select a specific animal you wish to persue, where as in "stand hunting" you are waiting for an acceptable animal to present you with an opportunity.