Deer Stalking In Thick Forestry

[dan85]

I have recently started stalking a piece of ground with some very thick forestry on it (which contains mainly Sika and Red deer). I am currently attempting to get to know the ground better by exploring it by foot. There are some stalkable rides, with grassy meadows / fire breaks.

Is there a general consensus on what’s more successful in this type of environment:

1. Highseat / Hide stalking or
2. Active stalking on foot

I’m keen to get your opinion and to find out how you select your highseat / Hide locations.

Cheers, Dan.

 

[User00025]

For Sika, first find runs/paths. Then either high seat or hides and be prepared for long sittings. We used to find small narrow rides see where they were crossing and sit for them, they always are cautious and if you can find their runs within the thickets even better, lie in wait.
Just as a guide it was not unusual to expend 10 hrs per beast, and we used to shoot over 100 per annum.

 

[enfieldspares]

Salt licks. And for you if it is really really thick a compass. So at least you know you're heading in the same direction!

 

[User00025]

They also like beet pulp. Find a clearing tip a bag out and wait until it has rained on it. Sika seemed to love it, again it's a waiting game.

 

[mchughcb]

Do you have any photos of the place you could upload?

 

[tom308w]

high seats on rides and waiting game they like to comeout last knockings

 

[mchughcb]

I have recently started stalking a piece of ground with some very thick forestry on it (which contains mainly Sika and Red deer). I am currently attempting to get to know the ground better by exploring it by foot. There are some stalkable rides, with grassy meadows / fire breaks.

Is there a general consensus on what’s more successful in this type of environment:

1. Highseat / Hide stalking or
2. Active stalking on foot

I’m keen to get your opinion and to find out how you select your highseat / Hide locations.

Cheers, Dan.

Probably best book for learning how to get within 30m of them setting up a blind or a treestand is this book. I have learnt the principles and it works and its dead easy. Get a copy, trust me you will find it extremely valuable.

Amazon.com

 

[mereside]

all depends on the ground, I stalked thick sitka for reds and roe for years, my prefared way was cut openings at certain points find the rain gullys and small areas in the sitka that have good grassy bits, the deer always move along the gully's into areas where they bed up or rut sit inside the sitka a few trees back and watch them move through especially when the weathers not so good. we took a lot of deer working like this reds tend to lay up inside the sitka just off rides, the moment you try stalk a ride you get busted, once you get past a few trees in, it all opens up and easy stalking, in the rut just listen for the stags calling and move close inside the trees its quite, if the reds are coming back to the sitka get there in dark and sit up and wait, even in the thickest of trees there is always openings and good bits for reds to lay up so find these as for roe they tend to mooch through regards wayne

 

[gpointer]

No matter what method you choose get plenty of midge repellent

 

[Dunwaters]

Id add calling to your repertoire , Sika will often respond to a red deer call as well as a whistle. Sika hinds can be squeaked in too.

 

[mike308]

I would agree with most of what has been said. What I look for are quiet areas off the rides I have attached a photo of one of my favourite areas, a high seat overlooking a clearing in dense willow scrub in a valley bottom with a small sream running through. The deer often appear very close so don't relax.

 

[alberta boy]

I would agree with most of what has been said. What I look for are quiet areas off the rides I have attached a photo of one of my favourite areas, a high seat overlooking a clearing in dense willow scrub in a valley bottom with a small sream running through. The deer often appear very close so don't relax.View attachment 130574

That's surprisingly similar to the terrain I hunt Moose in , and the same rules apply , stay alert because it happens fast , cool .

AB

 

[mchughcb]

I'd love to have some country like that to sit quietly in up one of those pines in my millennium M150 tree stand.

 

[Alhamander]

Ah-ha, I found a thread more-or-less addressing what I wanted to ask, so here's to resurrection time!

I have always stalked open hills, and yesterday went - for the first time - to an area with a lot of Sitka planted. Nice area, and saw a few deer - not in the Sitka though.

Do people actually enter the Sitka, or always stalk/wait up outside, in the runs/firestops/rides...? I've been used to walking in Sitka plantations since I was young, and a). it seems impossible to see more than about 3.1 feet and b). it seems impossible to be silent. At least one of those two things may be user error entirely.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[sikasako]

If you’ve got access to someone with a drone, then it’s worth getting a flyover video of the planted area.

It can help identify open areas / rides which might not be obvious when scoping the ground out on foot.

Ariel view also useful for identifying boundaries and positions for high seats (if you are installing any).

 

[Alhamander]

If you’ve got access to someone with a drone, then it’s worth getting a flyover video of the planted area.

It can help identify open areas / rides which might not be obvious when scoping the ground out on foot.

Ariel view also useful for identifying boundaries and positions for high seats (if you are installing any).

Yep, although actually I must say that - in this case at least - Google Earth/Maps/whatever it is is excellent!

I'm more thinking about heading into the Sitka ... or not

 

[sikasako]

For seriously thick Sitka, in my experience it’s best to scout out the deer transit / feeding points and try and intercept them.

High seats at strategic points can be very effective if you’ve got the patience to sit out for a while.

Ploutering about in thick Sitka itself is generally not very productive, as you generally can’t see any distance ahead of you / you’re likely to be on your hands and knees getting through / you’re probably going to make a lot of noise.

 

[Brave Echo Niner]

Yep, although actually I must say that - in this case at least - Google Earth/Maps/whatever it is is excellent!

I'm more thinking about heading into the Sitka ... or not

Without trying to be that smart arse - you’ll only know if you try it. You’ll get a range of opinions on here but it's a personal choice what works for you on your ground.

Some people are very adept at stalking thick cover, other much less so.
IME it boils down to a few factors:

1) Can you get near the deer in the first place?
It may be so thick they hear you coming way before you have any chance of seeing them. Rides and paths through will aid you here.

2) Can you see the deer?
It may be because you have thermal (invaluable if you want to stalk very thick cover) and a good dog, you can find and observe the deer once you’ve got near them. If you don’t have either of these it will be much more difficult, potentially nigh on impossible.

3) Can you make a shot on the deer?
If you’re not a confident shot who can sneak a bullet through small gaps in branches and trees it may prove difficult to convert seeing the deer into a deer on the deck. This also potentially means being comfortable with head/neck shots as invariably that tends to be what you can see as they’re peering through the cover, trying to work out what you are.

After that it just becomes hard work extracting through what can be very thick and quite prickly.

Ben

 

[takbok]

Yep, although actually I must say that - in this case at least - Google Earth/Maps/whatever it is is excellent!

I'm more thinking about heading into the Sitka ... or not

I would only go into the Sitka if there are big openings or if it's mature and been thinned nicely. I would creep around the edges very slowly, and pause often to look around. Take it slow and steady.

Sitting and watching an open area/woodland edge can pay off at dawn or dusk too.

 

[NullMac]

if it is really really thick a compass. So at least you know you're heading in the same direction!

Dog. Then you can follow him back to the car . Done that more than once.