Three Reasons To Walk Slowly When You’re Hunting Deer

If you're a new deer hunter, it's easy to be exuberant when you're out hunting your prey that you walk quickly or even run. While you might need to hustle if you graze a deer and it dashes away, you should generally take a slower approach. The most obvious reason to walk slowly is that you'll be quieter, which will allow you to get closer to your prey without scaring it away. There are several other benefits to taking a slow approach, though, including the following.

Less Chance Of Stumbling Upon A Predator

The last thing you want to do is charge out of a wooded area into a clearing and be just a handful of yards away from a bear and its cubs. However, when you move quickly while you're out hunting deer, this scenario can definitely be possible. It's impossible to understate the danger that you face upon startling a bear, especially if it has cubs with it. The results could prove fatal to you, regardless of the fact that you're armed. When you walk slowly and are constantly looking around you, you'll have a better chance of noticing a threat well before you get close to it.

Less Chance Of An Injury

The terrain on which you hunt deer can be unpredictable, and running in a careless manner could result in a serious injury. For example, you could step into an unseen crevasse and sprain or even break an ankle — which is especially a major problem if you're several miles from where you parked your vehicle. It's impossible to always be able to tell what the ground below your feet is like, but when you walk slowly and carefully, there's less of a chance that you'll hurt yourself.

Better Ability To Look For Visual Indicators

Seasoned hunters take a slow and methodical approach as they travel through the bush because doing so enables them to look for signs that deer have been using the area. When you're running, it's impossible to pick up on all of these indicators. For example, you might overlook droppings or the bark worn off a tree because you're looking ahead of you. Allowing yourself more time can often reveal that deer have been using the ground that you're on, and this may encourage you to change your approach to hunting them so that you can increase your probability of getting a kill.

For more information on whitetail deer hunting, contact a local professional.


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