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Going Undetected

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Going Undetected

Postby Swede » 05 20, 2019 •  [Post 1]

Besides reducing personal odor, which I do carefully, what do you do to not be recognized as a human in the woods?

When I am on the ground I normally like to hunt low on the slopes early morning and in the evening when the winds are generally downward. I hunt on the upper parts of the slopes during the day when the winds are predominantly upwards. It is easy to be lazy and hike out the ridge or trail that are up high, but flooding your area with scent, especially day after day is a good way to hunt an area with no elk.
Calling in elk and being detected is another way to hunt a locale that used to have elk. One of the biggest problems I still have to work at is not moving a twitch whenever an elk could be looking my way. I often think I can move my bow or something and get busted. As a tree stand hunter I sometimes think I am high enough to get away with movement, but I have been caught too. Whether on the ground or in a tree when in doubt, stay still and wait.
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Re: Going Undetected

Postby 7mmfan » 05 20, 2019 •  [Post 2]

Wind wind wind. As you said, use the thermals to your advantage, and make changes to your route and how you approach areas based on it. You can get away with movement and sound frequently, but you will never get away with scent.

Visibility. Not just camo, but your actions. Deer/elk don't have camo and they excel at blending in. I've learned to hunt and be hard to detect by watching my prey and how they work. Never skyline yourself, stick to cover as best you can. When stopping, stop near cover, not out in the open. Do your best to be a part of the landscape.

When moving, you will make noise. No one is silent in the woods. Deer and elk are also not silent in the woods. It's the tentative hunter step that gets a prey animals attention. If you are moving in a relaxed manor/speed, the animals can hear that and will also be relaxed. As soon as you tense up, and change your pace, they'll hear that. Move like an elk, sound like an elk, and they will believe that you're an elk. I use my cow call constantly. Soft mews and calf sounds. I've been able to get very close to animals just by making the same sounds they're making, not trying to call anyone in, just blending in.

Those are my main ones; scent, visibility, sound.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: Going Undetected

Postby Lefty » 05 23, 2019 •  [Post 3]

7mm has a good list

Stay in the shadows when possible and stop in the shadows. In more open areas move from cover to cover.
If your feet can handle it sometimes athletic shoes are quieter than hunting boots.
I used mixed camo,.. My pants wont match whats on top.
Face shine flares waterfowl,.... and big game. So stay in the shadows, wear a hat,..... maybe face camo/ mask/netting


I have "silver" hair,.. a hat takes away my angelic glow
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Re: Going Undetected

Postby >>>---WW----> » 05 24, 2019 •  [Post 4]

Three rules to doing undetected:

1) If they can see you, you (might) still be OK.

2) If they can hear you, you (might) still be OK.

3) But if they can smell you the jig is up!!!!!!

So, the number one rule is play the wind!
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Re: Going Undetected

Postby Lefty » 05 24, 2019 •  [Post 5]

>>>---WW----> wrote:Three rules to doing undetected:

1) If they can see you, you (might) still be OK.

2) If they can hear you, you (might) still be OK.

3) But if they can smell you the jig is up!!!!!!

So, the number one rule is play the wind!

My 2nd elk tag I picked up fellow in the pouring Rain on the south side of Mt the St Helen what he said was similar.
Elk will hear you many times
See you twice, but only smell you once.

Generally good advise to live by. No matter the game with a nose
However; there are times there is animals that are the exception .
And maybe that is a fault in my hunting experiences
I’ve had fox and coyotes at arms length down wind and I’ve had them bust at 200 yards Turing inside out to get away
I’ve had bucks and does muzzle the end of a rifle
I’ve sat within a herd of over 100 deer for nearly an hour
Same has held true with elk cows and calves at arms length
Big bulls walking 14 yards down wind
Bull rubbing on my blind sniffing my ear
Called back a handful of love struck bulls sounding like a cow.

My point is animals will bust and sometimes come back: maybe rare by most people’s experiences
A simple change in tactics, may work, it does happens

I also believe; at times game feels comfort in numbers and ignore their eyes ears and nose.
Again rare but it does happen
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Re: Going Undetected

Postby 7mmfan » 05 25, 2019 •  [Post 6]

You're right Lefty, there are exceptions to every rule. The elk I killed last year I called out of a creek bottom with my wind blowing directly at him. He had to have smelled me for over 5 minutes but he just couldn't resist the cow party I was throwing on the bench above the creek. Came on a line from downwind, shot him at 50'.
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Re: Going Undetected

Postby Lefty » 05 26, 2019 •  [Post 7]

I’ve called back ducks geese fox coyotes and elk when they have already had an eye and nose full
The tendacy is to take them out of the gene pool

It’s not over til it’s over
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