Spot & Stalk VS Stand or Blind Hunting

Spot & Stalk vs Stand Hunting

It is nearing that time of year again. Hunting seasons are starting all over the country. Most of us are familiar with the terms “Spot & Stalk” and “Stand” hunting. But what do those really mean and what are the pros and cons of each?

Typically, in the West, most hunters use either the spot and stalk method or the still hunting method. In the East you tend to see a lot more stands or blinds for hunting. Some of this has to do with the environment of the target animal and some has to do with the habits of the target species.

First on the list, let’s dive into the pro’s of “Spot & Stalk.”

Pros:

- You don’t aimlessly wander through the woods. You only go after what you’ve already seen. This helps not bump out game unnecessarily.
- You can typically find a good glassing point with high visibility and cover a lot of
country behind the glass instead of on your feet.
- The excitement of spotting your target and being able to put a successful stalk on it is amazing. Plus, with a little help from SneekTec and our products, your stalk will be much quieter, you don’t have to go barefoot and or worry about the wind.

Cons:

- You need to be a patient person. If you have trouble sitting still for extended periods of time, this may not be the best method for you. The discipline is in not moving glassing spots every hour or so. There can be an advantage to glassing into one area for a longer time.
- This may sound contradictory, but one con is actually having to spend a lot of time behind the glass. As was just mentioned, if you have a hard time sitting still, you won’t enjoy this.
- Once you’ve spotted your game, it can be a long hike to get to it. The accessibility of getting to your game can be mistaken. You could be missing thickets, gullies or any number of natural hinderance that makes any hunt miserable and difficult.
- You have to be in the right place at the right time. If the glassing spot you have chosen has a lot of hidden draws or low visibility, you are potentially missing game.

 

Now what about hunting from a stand or a blind?

Pros:

- You already know right where you need to be. Typically, with blinds or stands, you’ve set them up on a water hole, an active feed plot or something else that gives you confidence you’ll see your game.
-You get more of a sense of relaxing. You don’t have to constantly be behind the glass or moving from location to location.
-You can have multiple blinds or stands set up. This can be especially helpful when hunting in a group. Everyone can split up and you get both a solo experience and a group experience. - If you have SneekTec products you can be more comfortable, quiet and hidden in your stand. SneekBoots insulate you from the cold metal stand and keep your feet quiet. SneekAttack cover scent spray keeps your smell hidden from blowing to the noses of your target. 

Cons:

- You essentially sit all day. Again, if you are a restless person, this is probably not your style. This can be a miserable experience during cold weather or high heat.
- You only see what comes to you. Now again, typically a blind or stand is set in place because it has a high probability of being successful. However, how often do things ever go as planned?
- It can be a lot of work to set up a good blind or stand that isn’t going to spook game. Some animals, like pronghorn, can be especially wary of something new in their landscape and may avoid it for a period of time until deemed safe.
- There is no being late. If you get behind in heading out to your blind or stand, you have a higher risk at bumping your game out on the way. It’s fairly crucial to be set up before shooting late and leave at dark.

 

So, what is your style of hunting? Are you in favor of “Spot & Stalk” or hunting from a stand or blind? Are you a still-hunter type? Maybe you are combination of the three.

One thing that is important with whichever style you like is being quiet. If you want another tool in your pack to assist with that, check out our SneekTec products.

 

By Logan Bullough

Understanding Wind and Thermals

Understanding Wind and Air Thermals is crucial for hunting, particularly for hunters who use scent control and stalking techniques. Air thermals refer to the movement of air masses caused by temperature differences in the atmosphere.

Here are some points to consider when learn to use and understand winds and thermals: 

 

Air thermals are created when the sun heats the Earth's surface unevenly. This causes warm air to rise and cooler air to sink, creating vertical air movements or currents.  Wind and air thermals are interconnected. While wind is the horizontal movement of air, it is often influenced by the vertical movements caused by thermals. Understanding how wind and thermals interact is vital for hunting success. Hunters need to pay attention to wind direction, as it can carry their scent to the animals they are pursuing. This air movement is most prevalent in the Mornings and Evenings.  Air thermals are influenced by the heating and cooling of the Earth's surface, so their intensity and direction can vary throughout the day. Early morning and late afternoon are generally considered prime times for hunting, as temperature differentials are often more pronounced, leading to more pronounced and consistent air flow. Typically, the air as it warms in the morning will move up the mountain and the cooling air in the evenings will move down the mountain.  

   

  One essential aspect of air thermals for hunters is the presence of thermal updrafts. These are columns of warm rising air. When hunting from an elevated position, such as a tree stand or hill, hunters can take advantage of these updrafts to help carry their scent away from the ground, reducing the chances of being detected by prey animals.  

 Thermal Mapping is learning how to read the landscape and identify areas where air thermals are likely to occur. Certain features, such as slopes, valleys, and open fields, can contribute to the creation of thermals. Warm air rises along slopes and moves up from valleys, so positioning yourself accordingly can help you take advantage of thermals. 

Hunters should be concerned about scent control and sound control and should be aware that air thermals can carry their scent and sound to game animals. It's important to position yourself upwind from your intended target, so the thermals will help carry your scent and sound away from them. Additionally, using scent control products, such as cover scents, and sound dampening products, can further reduce the likelihood of being detected. 

Understanding air thermals requires practice and observation in the field. Spend time observing wind patterns and thermals in different hunting locations. Pay attention to how wind and thermals behave in various weather conditions. Over time, you'll develop a better understanding of how air thermals can impact your hunting strategies. Much like patterning your animals you can also pattern the wind and thermals. 

           

We hope this article has helped you understand the importance of winds and thermals and how to use them to your advantage. Along with using products like our SneekAttack Cover Scent (comes in 3 natural scents of Sage, Juniper and Cedar) and our WindStalker Wind Detection Smoke you can become a more effective hunter. 

SneekTec Launches New Products

SneekTec has for many years been known for its SneekBoots and StalkSocks. Products that are designed and developed to make you deadly quiet. These are top products in the quiet game. Many many hours of R&D have been spent to make them the best on the market.

But we all know that Animals have more defenses then just their ears. While their hearing is a very important part of what keeps them alive they also rely on their ability to smell. They put themselves in positions that when resting, they can rely on the wind to alert them to any danger coming from behind them. This is why we have moved to the idea of having products that will help you defeat all the animals defenses. Sound, Smell and Sight to make you your true Sneekiest!!!

We are excited to announce the newest products in the Sneeky lineup. SneekAttach and WindStalker. These are both products that will help you beat that nose that so often get you before you have a chance. 

 

SneekAttach is a natural smelling cover scent. It is not a scent eliminator and is not designed for that purpose. It is designed to be applied when you are getting into that Sneeky Zone. You put on your SneekBoots and spray down with your SneekAttack cover scent and finish your stalk. As you approach, even if the wind swirls, it will take a smell that is one of nature. Something that the animals will feel comfortable with and not alarm them. It is designed to get you those extra critical seconds or yards so you can make the shot. SneekAttack comes in 3 natural smelling scents Sage, Juniper and Cedar.

   

We also have the all new WindStalker wind detector smoke. We all know that playing the wind is one of the biggest ways to beat the nose. WindStalker was designed to help you see the wind and its smoke lasts longer so you can see what the wind is doing, not just close to you but at a further distance as well.

With these 2 new powerful products you are now quiet and smell like nature thus increasing your odds of a successful outcome. Dont get busted by making noise and smelling like chemicals or a human. Get your SneekTec products and get Sneeky!! 

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Which Camo Patterns Do You Use?

In our current world where the options are endless, availability is not a problem, and prices are all over the board, what camo patterns do you prefer? From big game hunting to sitting in the blind during a waterfowl hunt, there is a pattern for every season and each of the species we hunt. 

Brands are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to create the "perfect" pattern, then they turn around and spend many thousands more trying to convince you that their pattern is exactly what you need. In 1986 we saw the introduction of both Mossy Oak and Realtree patterns. For years they owned the camo industry, and they did their best to innovate and create patterns that could apply in all conditions. Not all geographical areas found the patterns to be useful, and from there we saw the birth of King's Camo, as well as other brands and patterns that were trying to attract western hunters where open country hunting was more prevalent. The military has been using digital patterns for many years, and the idea of using a digital pattern for hunting has taken the world by storm. Brands like Kuiu and Sitka have seen great success over the past 5 years, and they have driven brands like Kryptek to take the digital concept even further. 

This brings us to today, where we have a literal camouflage pattern buffet in front of us to choose from. From photo realistic patterns like Realtree and Mossy Oak, to the digital designs of Sitka and Kuiu, there is truly no lack of options for hunters. 

Let us know what pattern you use, what you want to use, and what works best in the areas you hunt in. 

Every participant in this discussion, now through the end of April, will receive a 20% discount on all purchases made at sneektec.com.

Please use discount code camo16 at checkout. Thank you for your participation.           

Hearing Ability of Poultry

In 2015, Dr. Jacquie Jacob from the University of Kentucky wrote an article that described the hearing capabilities of poultry. A paragraph from that article reads:

"Birds are able to perceive sounds more quickly than can humans. They are able to pinpoint the source of a sound by assessing the lag time between the sound's arrival at either side of the head. Due to this lag time, it is easier for birds to locate the source of a series of brief sounds than of a single continuous sound."

While a turkey is able to hear about as well as humans, their hearing is much more acute. This allows them to dial in to exactly where you are as you are calling, and they can more easily distinguish the difference between your call and the call of a real hen. 

Share your stories with us in the comments section of how you got "busted" by a turkey's hearing while hunting. Happy hunting!

US Archery Participation

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Why Do Bucks Lose Their Antlers?

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Merry Christmas!

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SneekTec™ Launches Patented New Sneek Boots™

SneekTec is a company specializing in the technology of human stealth. With multi-point patents in place, SneekTec has developed a product line that lets you get closer than ever to animals in the field. By focusing on SOUND, SCENT, and SIGHT, their products offer a Triple Shied™ of protection. View full article →