All day stalking

[big ears]

I'm new to stalking having only been at it 3years. I mainly stalk woods. My question is that I know morning and evening are best but is there any benefit of stalking in woods during the day? Presumably this is where they couch and ruminate so should be stalk able.

any help accepted

BE

 

[Jamesneale89]

most beneficial time during the day I would say from my experience is during the Ruts especially the Roe rut where rutting activity tends to be more midday-mid afternoon when it is warmer and more muggier conditions. Also depends on weather the ground is disturbed/undisturbed , as if it is undisturbed beasts can be out any time of day.

Where I am muntjac especially are active all throughout the day,its just getting on them.

Hope this helps

 

[woodmaster]

I find that I shoot half of the deer during the day. Never seem to shoot much at first light. The sika seem to head for the trees just before you can see them. However an odd straggler gets caught now and then. So after the dawn stalk/sit I go back to the motor or camp, have a cuppa and some breakfast and a read or chat with stalking buddy, then head out again about 9am. I stalk for a couple hours and often find deer back out. Same again in the afternoon. I have a long lunch and head out about 1pm for a couple hours often ending up in my evening position ready to sit up and wait. Give it a go. Just stalk real slow through the woods, stop often and glass, especially low down loking for deer laying up. ATB

 

[mereside]

I stalk alot in scotland and on most ground first and last light is great but I do often stay out all day I have got to know areas were the deer lay up in lovely sunny spots inside the trees so i just sneak in. The deer live out all year so you have a chance at anytime. you really need to move slowly and sit alot, you will often only get to see an ear or antler tip move slightly the ear is great its like a radar slowly turning or twitching every now and then,great fun atb wayne

 

[rogue trader]

I rarely take any Roe on my ground in Shropshire before 9am. I don't often stalk the ground so the deer aren't under pressure to feed in poor light. I used to get set up at the crack of dawn but I'd often find that they didn't get up and start moving until a good couple of hours after sun up. The last buck I took last summer was taken at 11am whilst he was feeding along a ride. At the weekend I was in Buckinghamshire on a small holding. There is no stalking on the ground due to horses so again the munties aren't under pressure. I walked through the paddock 3 times during the day on Sunday and each time I saw no less that 3 munties wandering around feeding. As Mereside mentioned, sit or stand still for a while during a stalk and you start to notice deer.

 

[big ears]

Thanks guys that's the kind of advice I need to know

 

[jackfish]

Well worth stalking all day, if you stalk a lot at 1st and last light the deer may become accustomed to this and change their feeding habits to suit! I can see deer on my ground anytime of the day morning afternoon or evening! Give it a go and see what you can see!

ATB

Bryan

 

[Hornet 6]

You can't shoot them if your not there.

Neil.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Hi BE,
Do you remember where we shot that Roe Buck?
When the rain/wind was at its worst i couldn't find the reds during day light hours in the open, so i went into the thick woods at the bottom of the fields, i stalked slowly, and i mean slowly, when you think you are going slow enough you probably aren't!
I found a bunch of reds all bedded down chewing the cud, or should i say i found 2, when i shot one the woods erupted with previously unseen deer!
Best of luck, it is fun challenging stalking.
Cheers
Richard

 

[Taff]

Shot as many in the day in woods, but it does depend on your ground, how many deer do you see in fields when driving down the road in the middle of the day ? so why get up at first light, unless your after squirrels.

 

[tozzybum]

driving to stalk in monmouth last saturday cheers elmer/phil at 3 in the afternoon saw about 30 at the side of the a40 oblivious to the cars driving past .2 hours later 5 in the evening about 20 on the golf course so in my very limited experience time of day doesnt matter .theyre hungry theyl eat

 

[Psyxologos]

The vast majority of deer I see/shoot are during the day. I do not know if this is an indication I miss the ones in the morning or the evening...

 

[charlieg43]

Never have tried all day stalking, I get the most success in the early morning on my grounds. All day stalking takes some stamina, especially in the bitter cold or heat!! However, put my in a nice boxed high seat I am sure I could stay there a while!

 

[Erik Hamburger]

I'm new to stalking having only been at it 3years. I mainly stalk woods. My question is that I know morning and evening are best but is there any benefit of stalking in woods during the day? Presumably this is where they couch and ruminate so should be stalk able.

any help accepted

BE

In Winter, and in a woodland, you are as likely to find Roe during the day as at around sunrise and sunset.
Around March you can also find larger groups of Roe (5-10 is typical) in the open fields during the day.
I also find that Muntjac will be out and about at any time of day in Winter, in particular on a fine warm sunny day.

 

[Mauser243]

All depends on pressure on the ground, if your ground is quiet (little disturbance from others) then all day stalking can be and is quite productive, there are no hard and fast rules with stalking, there just seems to be a general rule of thumb to follow by way of first and last light.

M