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Stalking & Getting up Close...HOW?

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Speratus:
Hi, I'm a new BowHunter. I've got the itch to harvest some game with my self built oak LongBow pulling 45lbs @ 28".

I know that TradHunting you've got to get close - to take an ethical shot. I've been told over and over that to stalk to within 5-10-15yards of an animal (Deer) is totally possible to do. Almost nobody talks about how tho. Being that I just got my License her in BC, Canada - I haven't had an opportunity yet to get out there and learn by trying.  But are there any tips, advice or thoughts in beginning this journey? Especially with regards to BlackTail or MuleDeer as their behaviour is diff from WhiteTail.

Cheers!

Olanigw (Pekane):
Start now with a camera and practice.

Stay downwind, move slowly and don't make a sound.  It's that easy!

You are much better off starting out by ambush hunting.  Make your prey come to you.  You need to learn the habits and behaviors of your prey.  How and when they move, what they are after, how their behavior differs when it's bright sunny and windless and when it's cloudy with variable winds.

Still hunting is setting up an ambush on the move;  you need to know all that AND how to be a very convincing walking shadow.

Baby steps :)

steve b.:
Generally speaking, you will not be able to stalk to 15 yds. of some animal--only in rare circumstances where, maybe, an animal is bedded and cirumstances ideal for walking quietly.  I would abandon that idea until you've got good at stalking.
Rule number one of seeing animals is, "you have to be out there".  You won't see them sitting in camp.  And rule number one of getting close for a trad shot is, "you have to be out there alot".  Rule number two is, "do more looking and listening than you do moving".  With those two rules you have a 100% guaranteed success ratio for getting an animal within range, sooner or later,  IMO..  Obviously this implies that you are in an area where there are animals.
Even when things are not ideal or working for you, you will bump into a critter, probably when you least expect it.
Better to approach the thing by learning where the animals are and getting yourself in there as much as possible until you have some success.  It will happen.

The other alternative is the tree stand or ground blind thing where you, in hiding, wait for an animal to come to you.  That requires some patience but can be even more successful than slinking along the ground. 

Pat B:
If you can see your quarry's eyes he can see you. Deer don't have good vision as we know it but they do pick up on movement easily. Movement is one of your enemies as is the wind unless it is in your face.

Weylin:
I recommend reading 'The Still Hunter' by Theodore S. Van Dyke. It is old, (he was a friend of Teddy Roosevelt) but there's a lot of good info in there about stalking deer.

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