Leaves are getting me busted

[maukings]

There's a mowed trail that cuts through the ridge I hunt. It's covered with dry leaves. If let's every animal on both sides of the ridge know that I'm coming. I got on my stand at 4pm and bumped a doe and a giant buck right by my stand. What's the solve? Get here in the morning and sit all day?

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[isitseasonyet?]

Walk slower, find a different entry, or wait for a rainy day. I mix up the number of steps I take before a pause. Take a few fast steps, then wait. Anything to not have the steady, even numbered gait of a person. Sounds goofy but it really helps

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Crazinamatese]

Dry leaves suck! Especially if you don't have a steady breeze blowing to cover some of your noise. IMO, the best you can do is take it really slow next time.

[Horizontal Hunter]

You could always rake a path to your stand.

Bob

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[Ghost Hunter]

Slow an get in your stand around 2 or so.

[SamPotter]

I use a turkey diaphragm and click my way all the way in. I even pause and scratch around like I'm feeding too. My granddad taught me the varied gait/ scratching trick. I added the call to complete the audio picture. Really works so long as they can't see or smell you.

[ Post made via Android ]

[tbunao]

I use a turkey diaphragm and click my way all the way in. I even pause and scratch around like I'm feeding too. My granddad taught me the varied gait/ scratching trick. I added the call to complete the audio picture. Really works so long as they can't see or smell you.

[ Post made via Android ]

Awesome idea!! I read in an article a while back of some guy who does the same when the deer are spooky.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Matty]

All good advice. I have done most and used to do the "walk and talk like a turkey" but now I usually try to sound like a squirrel (tree elephant).

I started to do the squirrel more often because I was calling in turkeys in some areas and then they start alarm putting when they see me, or pin me down for a while. Squirrels bark at me sometimes, but they bark at hawks and foxes, etc, everything basically. lol

I just rustle the leaves for each step like when they are looking for nuts. We have a million grey squirrels so it's a very common sound here. Nothing pays me any mind when I walk like that and I can move sticks out from under my feet if it's one of those areas with a lot of dead branches. Each step I basically clear a little spot and then put my weight on that foot.

You can also try my other crazier technique. I try to sound like a deer, especially during the rut. Trot through the leaves and make estrous bleats and/or grunt as you walk. Bucks come like lightning (when they hear it). It usually brings them in too fast though. You definitely won't have time to hang a stand, it's for pre-hung stands or ground hunting only.

[woodswalker]

Learn to walk the way the native Americans did when they were walking in the woods. When you put your foot down put the ball of your foot down first then slowly drop the heel. Take a few steps and stop and look around. That is how I still hunt and how I approach and leave my stand.You make a lot less noise and you are not walking in a cadence. Wildlife walks in jerks and spurts unless they are scared and getting out of Dodge they don't walk in a cadence.

[SamPotter]

All good advice. I have done most and used to do the "[glow=red]walk and talk like a turkey[/glow]" but now I usually try to sound like a squirrel (tree elephant).

I started to do the squirrel more often because I was calling in turkeys in some areas and then they start alarm putting when they see me, or pin me down for a while. Squirrels bark at me sometimes, but they bark at hawks and foxes, etc, everything basically. lol

I just rustle the leaves for each step like when they are looking for nuts. We have a million grey squirrels so it's a very common sound here. Nothing pays me any mind when I walk like that and I can move sticks out from under my feet if it's one of those areas with a lot of dead branches. Each step I basically clear a little spot and then put my weight on that foot.

You can also try my other crazier technique. I try to sound like a deer, especially during the rut. Trot through the leaves and make estrous bleats and/or grunt as you walk. Bucks come like lightning (when they hear it). It usually brings them in too fast though. You definitely won't have time to hang a stand, it's for pre-hung stands or ground hunting only.

I suck at turkey calling, so I think I am good enough to fool the deer that I'm a deer sometimes, but bad enough keep the turkeys away..