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One of the most valuable principles for me is to remember that you cannot walk and look at the same time. Walking while looking leads to moving at too fast of a pace and stepping too heavily. I do not allow myself to walk and look at the same time; I take three slow steps, stop, wait, look, and then repeat. I may take an extra step or two if it puts me in a shadow or next to a large tree.
It has taken me as long as half an hour to cover 50-60 feet, but that pace has gotten me to within 12 yards of a six point buck this year. I was about 12 yards away from it, needed to take another step to get a clear shot, and then the wind shifted! 😯
Just for kicks this fall (we do not have a fall turkey archery season here in Arkansas), I put the sneak on a group of jakes that I spotted. I got to within long bow range of them as they scratched for acorns and chatted among themselves. After getting to watch them a bit, I stayed in some thick stuff and let me move on away from me; I didn’t want them to ever know that I was there.
To me walking quietly in the woods is as much of a state of mind as it is physical technique.
I once snuck up on Dave Petersen in the woods while we were hunting together, my highest acheivement to date! 😀