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