Old Apache deer hunting tactics.

[crooketarrow]

   I'm not a stalker not in my tatics for buck hunting. REALLY I SUCK AT IT. Exspecially here where the pressures really always on.

   But I learned this from my old freind CROOKETARROW and I've did this a 1000 times over.
 
  This is'nt a excuse for good woodsmanship but it works like a charm.

  This will only work it you have the wind to your advanage. If the deer smell you game over.

  If I've made any noise going to or getting in my stand. I'd also do this after I set up. To put at ease any bucks might be comeing my way. I'll low cluck low yelp,purr take my bow scratch leaves. Turkeys scratching leaves do it with a 3 note, stroke scratching motion .
    Deer are use to hereing turkeys plus they know nothing beats their eyes. If turkeys are over there it's safe. So if you make a noise walking in this calms them right down. As long as they don't see you or smell you.
  But I should say it here, TURKEYS DON'T BREAK LIMBS WHILE WALKING UNDER THEIR FEET. Do this and you'll surelly get a deers attention.

  I've even had a couple deer see me and before they spook I yelp stay put they'll go right back to feeding.

  My old freind  CROOKETARROW was a stalker it's just how he hunted 95% of the time. IT'S HOW HE LEARNED. He use'd this alot while still hunting or stalking if he made a noise and attracted the deer atention. I've never seen him make a noise. He walked qiuet even when we were just hikeing or walking anytime. He just did'nt do it. He always looked where he was placeing his feet.
 
  He also did this when the leaves were really dry and he had a peice of ground he could'nt be quiet at. He take his bow and use it as a third leg souning like a deer walking not the steadyness of a person walking. If the timeing was right he throw in a grunt or doe bleat. He not only sounded like a deer walking sound was added. Painting a more complete picture. Do this durning the late pre-rut,rut the buck come looking for him.

  He'd still hunted the slow easy pace bearly moveing but once he spoted a deer when the deer was'nt looking he move qiuckly and quietly almost at a running crouch before he'd stop again. Then when the timeing was right  and the deer was'nt looking he'd do the same again. Untill he was close the n he's slow way down to where he could get a shot.  He never wore camo just old brown or gray. He's he reason I qiut wareing camo years ago.

   He still hunt early and late always on the down wind side of a deer tail leading to or from food or a bedding area. where and when he had a better chance of running into a deer. IN OTHER WORDS HE'D LET THE DEER DO MOST OF THE WORK.

   Then when he saw a deer then he'd go into his stalking mode. He stalked ever deer he saw no matter what,when or where ,but he said only about 5,10 precent was actully stalkable BUT HE'D STILL TRYED. He said if you don't try you'll never do it.

   He was also a beleiver in if you don't shoot at the deer you never kill him. So he did always wait on that perfect shot to come about. If he's there and your there neither of you will never be there again do'nt wast the chance. I''ve always been that way also. HE'D SAY IF I  GET BLOOD 99% OF THE TIME I CAN TRACK THE DEER DOWN AND FIND HIM. HE MADE HE A TRACKER. LEARN TO USE A TRACKING STICK. Then its up to you. You have to forget about our clock. Deer are not on a set time like we are. So we always want to hurry.
   He never try stalking a bedded deer or bedding areas. He said might as well go ahead and walk right to him spook him and start over. Bedded deer are just to keyed on whats going on around them.  Bucks bed where they can see thier back trail and smell their excape route.
  THE PRAY COMEING OUT IN THEM.

   What you all have said about but your bow over your head is true. My brother went to CANADA and hunted woodland caribou with his bow. Here's how theyed get close to them. He's do the bow over the head thing.  They'd see a passing band they'd cut them off and get in front of them doing this. This would get their attention bit it never spook them and since the caribou was going that way anyway. They just set up in their paths.
  He killed 3 bulls in 3 years with his bow like this.

[RabidApache]

Cool stories. I'm a firm believer that deer (maybe all ungulates) see an antlered whatever (beef cow, elk, moose etc..)as a non-predator and is "safe" to let it approach. Body language is also a biggie. But who knows.

[RabidApache]

Too move silently whether hunting or warfare apaches would strip down to bare loin cloth cover and moccs.

I do the same but I choose to wear long johns and carhart carpenter shorts with homemade gaiters when I'm out hunting in cooler temps . Amazing how much faster and more importantly quieter to go without pants. For shoes I wear an ole ratty pair of leather hiking boots.
In warmer temps I wear shorts with gaiters I made from an old pair of canvas pants that I cut above the knee for protection from thorns and stickers. I slip the gaiters over my boot and tie above my knee when not in "predator" mode. But when in "predator" mode I strip the gaiters and commence to stalking with just the ole' stick and string.

[crooketarrow]

  SOUNDS COOL 

 BUT NOT HERE IN WV.

[stickbender]

     This is all great info. I was able to walk up on a bull moose once, to about twenty yards,by making a "Glunking" type noise, when they are in the rut.  Unfortunately, I didn't have a Moose tag, but I did have my rifle ready, in case he got silly, I had seen this on TV with a Wildlife Biologist and his assistant, in Vermont, or Maine.  I read in one of the outdoor magazines years ago, about a guy who was hunting in Central America, and one of the Indians there showed him how to get close to deer.  He said there was a deer in a clearing, feeding, about 100 yd.s away.  So the Indian waited till the deer put his head down, and started feeding again, and started silently walking towards the deer, then he would stop, and the deer would look up and around, and then go back to feeding.  The Indian, and deer would repeat this bit, till finally the Indian was within about 10-15 ft. from the deer.  Then when the deer put his head down again, the Indian reached down and picked up a rock, and hit the deer with it, which then bounded away.  He told the guy, that deer will feed for about ten seconds, and then look up for about 2 -3 seconds or so, and then go back to feeding.  If you are down wind, and walk slowly and quietly, for about eight seconds, and then stand still, the deer will look up and at you and around and then go back to feeding.  I tried this down in the big Cypress Swamp area, where we had a Cabin.  I saw a doe and fawn, this was in the Spring or so, and the fawn was still covered in spots.   Well they were about 70 some yards or so, and I told my buddy, to watch.  So I waited till their heads were down, and did the stalk.  I was about 40 yd.s or so, or might have been closer, it was along time ago, but I remember I was amazed at how close I was able to get.  But at about that distance from them before I could get any closer, Jr. looked up out of sequence, saw me take a step, and told Mama!  She looked right at me, not around as to see what the kid was talking about, but right at me!  Finally after doing the head turn and foot stomping, she finally relaxed, and went back to eating, but not the little brat!  finally I just started running towards them, making monster noises, (OK acting and looking like a lunatic) they took off, while the kid was saying, "See Ma, I told ya there was booger over there!"  But it worked great till Jr. didn't keep his head down long enough.  There is also the use of card board, or door skin wood cut outs, of cows, that are painted in the type that are in the area, if there are any, and you just put a small frame on the back and walk at an angle to the deer, stopping periodically, as a cow would, and don't be in any particular hurry. I have thought about making one of these with a swivel pin for the neck, so I could lower the head and neck as if it were feeding.  Maybe even pull up some grass for the sound effect. There was an article that just used a sheet of light ply wood or door skin (Luan mahogany) with a light frame on the back so the front was at an angle to the ground, and then covered the front with Mylar so that it reflected the ground.  So from the deer, or antelope's view, it looked like just ground.  Drawback,...... you can't use it with the sun in front of you.

                                                                            Wayne

[streamflyer]

Genius! cant wa
it to try this next season.

[Marks]

I love bow hunting but I rifle hunt mostly. My dad farms a field near my house that is probably 400yds² and has a ditch running smack down the middle of it. The ditch has sage and cockle burs in it but not real thick. This year the field had soy beans in it (my favorite). On 3 different occasions this year I've worn my dark brown carhart jacket and blue jeans and just bend over 90 degrees at the hip and slowly walk down the edge of the ditch all the way to the other end of the field where the deer were. I don't know if they just don't see me or they think I'm a deer. The carhart jacket is the same color as a deer. Each time I've walked within 100 yds. One time the ground was frozen and very crunchy. Our deer are usually super skittish.

[jojo]

RabidApache,

Thanks for sharing. I was just bow hunting some coues whitetail in the superstitions mountains (AZ unit 26b) a few weeks ago. I normally wait till their heads are down to approach but I may start trying this other technique. I stalked some does pretty close but I'm not allowed to take those, rules are prob different on the rez.

That's really interesting how the apaches used to hunt. I wonder if it would be the same effect if I were to secure a few branches to my head. Only during archery season, however, to avoid the omnipresent and dangerous nimrod who would shoot a guy with sticks on his head.

I work a lot with the Pima and Maricopa Native Americans (aka Akimel O'Othams and Pee Posh from Gila River). I talked with a guy who hunts the Estrella Mountains for big horn sheep. He said he would not take a shower for a week before the hunt and bathe in dirt to try to get rid of his smell. He learned this from his dad he said. Not sure if it was more of a ritual for him or if it really worked to fool his prey. Everyone has their own method I suppose.

-jojo-

[Marks]

He said he would not take a shower for a week before the hunt and bathe in dirt to try to get rid of his smell. He learned this from his dad he said. Not sure if it was more of a ritual for him or if it really worked to fool his prey. Everyone has their own method I suppose.

-jojo-

I hate to break it to him but I've had people come in my office that haven't bathed for a week. I smell them. Usually as soon as they open the door. Like you said, "Everyone has their own method I suppose."

[jojo]

I hate to break it to him but I've had people come in my office that haven't bathed for a week. I smell them. Usually as soon as they open the door. Like you said, "Everyone has their own method I suppose."
[/quote]

Ya, I sorta think he made this up and is probably not an actual tradition (maybe its more of a spiritual ritual than anything). I think I read in "Hunting With the Bow and Arrow" (Saxton Pope) that Ishi would bathe in the stream before a hunt to get rid of his smell.

-jojo-

[RabidApache]

When going on a hunt, the elders told me they would not eat for two to three days and take smoke bathes prior to hunting game.
I guess the reason being IMO, when hunting on an empty stomach you'd do anything for a bite to eat. So basically everything is more focused and your determined to kill.

[Marks]

When going on a hunt, the elders told me they would not eat for two to three days and take smoke bathes prior to hunting game.
I guess the reason being IMO, when hunting on an empty stomach you'd do anything for a bite to eat. So basically everything is more focused and your determined to kill.

Where I went to college we had a lot of Indian (from India) exchange students there. I could never sit by one because they stank. I was told it wasn't a lack of bathing, it had to do with the large amount of curry they ate and the smell came thru their skin. I don't know how much truth there was in it but maybe not eating for a few days would lessen body odor.

[Story Teller]

I've not tried any of the motions or noises you all have mentioned, but I have had some luck getting very close to mule deer in little or no cover.  I wonder if the trick isn't so much looking or acting like an animal so much as just not looking or acting like a human hunter.

I was out today (Colorado archery season is on) and had an experience similar to some above.  It was summer-time hot out and the deer went to bed very early, so I decided to go bed-jumping.  As Crooketarrow suggested, it doesn't often work, but I do have some luck.  I spotted a doe on an open slope in the shade of a trio of ponderosa pines.  I had a tail-side view and she was "meditating" so I thought I'd see how close I could get.  We haven't had rain for two weeks and it's been hot so the forest floor was about as quiet as bubble wrap.  I got to about 25 yards when my little noises finally made her decide to stand up.  I froze.  She looked around, looked at me for about 10 minutes and went back to bed, but this time she lay down facing me.  I had no cover.  I waited another 20 minutes without moving, until birds and squirrels had her attention instead.  I started moving at an angling approach (not directly toward her), one inch at a time.  She just watched me.  I got to about 20 yards (too far, by far,  for me to risk a sternum shot on a prone deer) when she stood up, stretched of all things, and moseyed a little to my left.  She took her time walking away, never alarmed, and she didn't run.  In fact she stopped to browse a little only 40 yards from me.  Clearly she was watching me ever since she stood up the first time.  There have been archery hunters in the woods for 3 weeks and muzzle-loaders for one.  Its an area full of people often, so I know she's not just "people-dumb."  I think that because I didn't make noise like a person, or act like a person, she decided I must not be a person to worry about, unless I got too close. 

I've busted deer from hide-hole beds on hot days and if they don't make me, and my noise wasn't overmuch, they will just wander 50 yards or so to another bed with less noise about.  Then, when I have seen where they bed, I can plan a route and put a sneak on.  It's really hard to get close enough for a traditional bow shot, but it's worked for rifle.

Experts say that deer will never return to a busted bed, but that's not true.  I scared a pair out three weeks ago and followed them as I mentioned above.  Their new bed left me no approach and it was right on the private property line so I waved at them and started to walk away.  One went deeper into private property, the other followed me back onto National Forest territory.  As soon as there were some bushes between us, she slunk off.  I was waiting for her to come out but never saw her.  Deduction told me there was only one place for her to escape without my notice so I followed that track and it led right back to her first bed.  She wanted her favorite bed back so badly that she followed me through the woods to get to it.  I tried to sneak up on it, but she was just too wary by then.  She busted out in a hurry.

Thanks, all.  Fun stuff.

[kleinpm]

Its been my experience that when experts say the words never and always they aren't experts!

Have you thought about using a decoy? I have the cow elk heads up decoy that i can hold in bow arm. I have closed the distance from 100 to about 50 yards on elk and really confused some mule deer with it.

Patrick

[Dharma]

I'd be afraid of drawing fire with an elk decoy. Even out of season, we've got elk poachers up here big time.