Ambush vs Stalk!
- Thread starter M118LR
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contender
Ruger Guru
I've done both.
I shot a doe 12 yards from my deer blind last fall. I don't do 'stalking' much and if I do, it's probably just drive the UTV toward the critter until it begins to act nervous and shoot. 
I shot a big buck in a corn field 6 feet away at one point it was 4 feet away and i could not draw my recurve bow it was mighty exciting for a few minutes this was all standing in the corn
Gramps
Gramps
TestEngineer
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2022
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- 299
Ambush is usually more effective as long as the game is moving around. Stalking is the only way to locate game that is holed up.
One day I was quietly stalking through the black timber headed for a small lake that usually has elk nearby. About 100 yards to my left, a couple hunters were busting through, making a hell of a racket. I came upon a herd of 8 cows and 3 calves standing still and looking where the noise was coming from. I raised my rifle that had the scope turned down to 3x and a blinking eyeball was all I could see. I'm guessing they were about 5 feet away.
No bulls, so I waited until they resumed their journey. They never even noticed I was there.
One day I was quietly stalking through the black timber headed for a small lake that usually has elk nearby. About 100 yards to my left, a couple hunters were busting through, making a hell of a racket. I came upon a herd of 8 cows and 3 calves standing still and looking where the noise was coming from. I raised my rifle that had the scope turned down to 3x and a blinking eyeball was all I could see. I'm guessing they were about 5 feet away.
No bulls, so I waited until they resumed their journey. They never even noticed I was there.
For some levity from me: I have only stalked and then ambushed one creature, he surrendered and married me! 
I have never hunted or observed big game from any blind on or above ground. Sitting still, mule, blacktail and whitetail deer came past maybe 10 ft walking by. All have been does. Elk, about 10 ft but, they were running past me. At different times both bull and cow. Cougar, about 75 yds. Black Bear, maybe closer.
Walking/stalking, all types of doe deer, I have nearly stepped on several before they bolted. Elk maybe 50 yards or so several times. Last spring was the closest Black Bear while walking at about 20 yards. It popped up from behind a large log and ran fast away. (I don't hunt bear or Cougar)
I have called in coyotes while sitting still to maybe 25-30 yds. I had 2 coyotes wake me up as they approached walking on crusty snow maybe 25-35 ft away. Walking, once had a coyote bolt up and away from about 10 ft. I never seen it until it ran.
None within arm's reach.
Walking/stalking, all types of doe deer, I have nearly stepped on several before they bolted. Elk maybe 50 yards or so several times. Last spring was the closest Black Bear while walking at about 20 yards. It popped up from behind a large log and ran fast away. (I don't hunt bear or Cougar)
I have called in coyotes while sitting still to maybe 25-30 yds. I had 2 coyotes wake me up as they approached walking on crusty snow maybe 25-35 ft away. Walking, once had a coyote bolt up and away from about 10 ft. I never seen it until it ran.
None within arm's reach.
badguybuster
Blackhawk
I spot and stalk with a bow every season. Take your time and play the wind. Its not all that hard. I killed my biggest buck in a rainstorm while he was bedded down. I spotted him about 85 yards away and stalked to within 15 yards. He never knew I was there until the arrow hit him, he made two leaps, stopped and looked around then laid back down and expired. The recovery distance was about 15 feet.
A good German Shorthair might be able to give you a couple of pointers on how to stalk doves.
LOL
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pisgah
Buckeye
40 years ago, after climbing out of my tree stand and eating my lunch sandwich, I stretched out in the sun on the edge of a grassy pasture and fell asleep. Maybe 30 minutes later I woke up refreshed, sat up -- and saw a fairly nice 6-point buck lying in the grass maybe 35 yards away from me, looking exactly away from me. I could have shot him, but decided to test exactly how close I could get. I stood up into a crouch and slowly began creeping toward him with just enough breeze, right in my face, to cover my noise and move my scent in the right direction. I got to within 3 steps of him when he turned his head and literally did a classic comic double-take before levitating about four feet and making a gray streak towards the woodline. Funniest deer action I've ever seen... funny hunter stuff being much more common. Like the time I woke up from a nap in the middle of a flock of turkeys...
I've had a lot of government training stalking, and I've stalked close enough to have reached out and touched some of the most dangerous game imaginable. But about that levity. Although not as dangerous a critter as Wendy ZXZ. 
Around Dover Foxcroft Maine Upchuck Chuck and I were stationed in tree stands during a sleet storm waiting on a Bull Moose. Chuck had a Open topped Winchester Lever and I had a Open sided .444 Marlin. The Bull Moose came like a frieght train through the woods headed directly under Chucks stand. So I had to refrain from taking a shot. Chuck couldn't get his open top Winchester lever to chamber a round, so with his KaBar in his teeth he decided to attack. The moose smacked him with a palm on his way down and tossed him into a mushroom patch, like he was a fly. (6-4 258 lbs of The Navies Best) I was laughing so hard I fell out of the stand as the cloud of mushroom spores arose in the growing light. Chucks grown let me know that he survived. The Bull Moose hardly noticed our presence as he raced though the swamp in search of a mate. 
Around Dover Foxcroft Maine Upchuck Chuck and I were stationed in tree stands during a sleet storm waiting on a Bull Moose. Chuck had a Open topped Winchester Lever and I had a Open sided .444 Marlin. The Bull Moose came like a frieght train through the woods headed directly under Chucks stand. So I had to refrain from taking a shot. Chuck couldn't get his open top Winchester lever to chamber a round, so with his KaBar in his teeth he decided to attack. The moose smacked him with a palm on his way down and tossed him into a mushroom patch, like he was a fly. (6-4 258 lbs of The Navies Best) I was laughing so hard I fell out of the stand as the cloud of mushroom spores arose in the growing light. Chucks grown let me know that he survived. The Bull Moose hardly noticed our presence as he raced though the swamp in search of a mate. rice paddy daddy
Bearcat
It's not really fair unless your quarry is armed and can shoot back.
Of course, then it might be you that walks into the ambush.
Of course, then it might be you that walks into the ambush.
Well, since I know that you left all your skills afield in the Rice Paddies, and haven't hunted since then. I comprehend your desire to refrain. Yet every piece of meat on the table requires that a life is taken RPD. Still, tablefare need not be Dangerous or projectile armed game! But a well spurred roster can make a chicken in every pot rather interesting to the squimish. JMHO YMMV. Yup, I've also met that armed quarry challenge, and I'm located in NE FL RPD. We have been conversing for many a year. Still we haven't met at GRPC. Perhaps someday? Just how many actual Naval Aircrew do you expect to meet on a forum?
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Threespears
Buckeye
Spot,Stalk,then Ambush
Before the northern snows arrived I did really well stalking. I wore a pair of suede knee boots with the sole cut off leaving only the suede underfoot. Leaves and small twigs crunched nearly silently and more than once I was able walk within rock throwing distance on does bedded down. My first buck I walked within 100 feet of him sleeping and when he saw me he jumped up and I took him on the run.
Much later In Florida I used a Baker climbing tree stand. On my last tree stand hunt I had my XP-100 as I waited for a herd that had been grazing toward me for a half hour.
Then a Jeep with three guys standing with loaded rifles holding onto the roll bar screeched to a halt and started blasting at the deer. I climbed down and gave up on Wildlife Management Hunting.
Maybe this summer I'll take my minimum distributions and go buy some acreage near the Georgia border.
Much later In Florida I used a Baker climbing tree stand. On my last tree stand hunt I had my XP-100 as I waited for a herd that had been grazing toward me for a half hour.
Then a Jeep with three guys standing with loaded rifles holding onto the roll bar screeched to a halt and started blasting at the deer. I climbed down and gave up on Wildlife Management Hunting.
Maybe this summer I'll take my minimum distributions and go buy some acreage near the Georgia border.
Hertervillian
Saluki
At. 6’4” and north of 250#, I’m roughly the size of a deer blind. Admittedly I have never put any effort into stalking.
I typically ambush, sometimes I spot and stalk to a good ambush spot. My first year hunting antlerless elk, less than a year from getting out of the army (11B), my dad and I spotted a herd moving cross slope away from us, about 700 yards out, just as we pulled in. I hopped out of the truck and took off at a dead run through the bottom of the valley, got in front of them, and hunkered down behind a tree. Dropped a cow at about 100 yards. As I was walking up to her, I had another one step out from behind a tree about 25 yards away. Managed to drop her before she fully realized I was there. That was when we realized that we had forgotten a bone saw.... 2 elk down, 1/2 mile from the truck, downhill. We did have a come-along, so we spent the better part of the day dragging them from tree to tree, 50 feet at a time.
Much younger (read "dumb as a doorpost") and not hunting, I got within 10' of a cow and calf moose. Had to play ring-around the pine tree with mama for a few minutes before she figured the calf had gotten far enough away. I was damn lucky and never did it again.
Much younger (read "dumb as a doorpost") and not hunting, I got within 10' of a cow and calf moose. Had to play ring-around the pine tree with mama for a few minutes before she figured the calf had gotten far enough away. I was damn lucky and never did it again.
Boxhead
Buckeye
My most recent and closest was a spot and stalk in Mozambique this past fall, 40 yards.
Paul B
Hunter
Well, my best stalk was on a doe in a wide open grassy field. Must have been one to two hundred yards wide. Does were illegal to shoot in California so as my buddy and I watched, he tells me, "You like to see how close you can get so ten bucks you yon't get anywhere near her. Told him jokingly that if he made it $20 if I got within 25 yards or less and $100 if I slapped her on the ass.. All I can add is I damn well earned that $100 bill and got the holy snot kicked out of me in the process. She did not appreciate my love tap.
On time is was on the ground in the middle of a heard of cow elk. Numbnuts guide decided to drive right into the herd and yell, Get out and shoot!" I got out nd was litderl shaking hands with a bunch of cow elk. He asked me why did n't I shoot one and I showed him a cartridge. I sai tis is a .35 whelen with an all copper bullet. If I'd have shot, I'd have my elk and probably three or four more and no tags to make them legal. My hunting partner and I reported his actions to the outfitter and he got sent packing down the road.
I loved to do spot and stalk and the time I did that was n n antelope hunt. A fairly easy stalk of roughly a quarter mile and an easy shot for my .270. Closest stalking shot? bout 35 feet. Nice Mule Deet. Longest ambush shot? Five hundred-thirty yards, one shot on a cow elk measured by laser. Closest shot ever was more reactionary and a total surprise. I was doing a lazy sot of hunt and a couple of the neighbor kids had come along. It was early in the season and it really more of a scouting trip than a true hunt but I was teaching the kids how to hunt. We came up on a large clump of brush and as we passed ity a young buck burst out and all I could do was shoot my rifle one handed lipstol . How that deer got as far as it did, I'll never know but it covered about thirty-five yards before falling. Entrance would was a gaping hole about half the size of a basketball and there was literally no other side. It was completely blown away. Estimate was the muzzle was about three to maybe four inches from the side and the bullet and escaping gases did the rest one the off side. Easiest deer I ever had to clean.tt
I think that over the long haul, whether I did a stalk and shoot or an ambush depended on the terrain, weather and ay be how desperate I was to fill a tag before the season closed.
My first hunt was in 1949 (deer) and my last in 2019. (elk) Both were ambush as I recall.
Paul B.
On time is was on the ground in the middle of a heard of cow elk. Numbnuts guide decided to drive right into the herd and yell, Get out and shoot!" I got out nd was litderl shaking hands with a bunch of cow elk. He asked me why did n't I shoot one and I showed him a cartridge. I sai tis is a .35 whelen with an all copper bullet. If I'd have shot, I'd have my elk and probably three or four more and no tags to make them legal. My hunting partner and I reported his actions to the outfitter and he got sent packing down the road.
I loved to do spot and stalk and the time I did that was n n antelope hunt. A fairly easy stalk of roughly a quarter mile and an easy shot for my .270. Closest stalking shot? bout 35 feet. Nice Mule Deet. Longest ambush shot? Five hundred-thirty yards, one shot on a cow elk measured by laser. Closest shot ever was more reactionary and a total surprise. I was doing a lazy sot of hunt and a couple of the neighbor kids had come along. It was early in the season and it really more of a scouting trip than a true hunt but I was teaching the kids how to hunt. We came up on a large clump of brush and as we passed ity a young buck burst out and all I could do was shoot my rifle one handed lipstol . How that deer got as far as it did, I'll never know but it covered about thirty-five yards before falling. Entrance would was a gaping hole about half the size of a basketball and there was literally no other side. It was completely blown away. Estimate was the muzzle was about three to maybe four inches from the side and the bullet and escaping gases did the rest one the off side. Easiest deer I ever had to clean.tt
I think that over the long haul, whether I did a stalk and shoot or an ambush depended on the terrain, weather and ay be how desperate I was to fill a tag before the season closed.
My first hunt was in 1949 (deer) and my last in 2019. (elk) Both were ambush as I recall.
Paul B.
