There’s videos of guys using a walking stick to mimic the gait of our four-legged prey.
My only question is to what extent any of this makes a difference. On the driest, crunchiest bed of leaves and sticks, how far away can a deer head you realistically? And how much quieter is one gait versus another?
How about toe-heeling a mile back to your set and then one of your carabiners smacks your stick?
Also tactics: if you’re a scout-to-hunt kind of guy. You’re seriously gonna toe-heel walk four miles to find that hot feed tree for your evening set?
Same with headlamps and all. Some guys swear the deer can’t see their 100 lumen white headlamp (that we all can see from 400 yards away… but I digress); others use the red/green LEDs….
I feel like some of these things get into diminishing returns territory where great effort exerted only makes one 2% more effective as a hunter
For the record… I like both at different times. Toe heel if it’s particularly woody/crunchy and I’m close to where I wanna hang. Heel toe for busting longer distances
isn't this call fox walking??
Toe to heel is a taught and proven stalking method across many different professions. I only use it for the last 100 yards or so if I'm heading in to hunt a selected location, especially for afternoon sits where deer may be bedded 1-200 yards out. I also have a "squirrel" walk for the last 1-200 yards where I just walk but it is 2-3 quick/normal pace steps, pause for a few seconds. 4 steps, pause. 2, pause, etc. cover distance but break it up so there is not a steady cadence. Close your eyes and listen to squirrels in the leaves and picture yourself moving and making that noise.
Now if it's a 40 degree cold, wet, rainy day and I'm slipping through bedding trying to stalk one it is strictly toe to heel and slooooooow. Toe, heel, toe, heel. Stop, scan. Repeat. Good way to kill a few hours and has resulted in some fun ground shots with a bow.
When you "squirrel walk", do you drag your feet through the leaves? When I tell others how to tell a deer from a squirrel (new hunters), I'll tell them to think about how a squirrel pushes their bodies through leaves because of little legs.
Toe to heel is a taught and proven stalking method across many different professions. I only use it for the last 100 yards or so if I'm heading in to hunt a selected location, especially for afternoon sits where deer may be bedded 1-200 yards out. I also have a "squirrel" walk for the last 1-200 yards where I just walk but it is 2-3 quick/normal pace steps, pause for a few seconds. 4 steps, pause. 2, pause, etc. cover distance but break it up so there is not a steady cadence. Close your eyes and listen to squirrels in the leaves and picture yourself moving and making that noise.
Now if it's a 40 degree cold, wet, rainy day and I'm slipping through bedding trying to stalk one it is strictly toe to heel and slooooooow. Toe, heel, toe, heel. Stop, scan. Repeat. Good way to kill a few hours and has resulted in some fun ground shots with a bow.
Check out posts 139-145 in this thread. It's a method that is mentioned in the Fred Asbell book Stalking and Still Hunting.There’s videos of guys using a walking stick to mimic the gait of our four-legged prey.
Anyone try the round wheel method? Ive been doing that for a few years now on my farm. Just roll right on in close to the stand, ditch the MTB and climb up in a preset with saddle.