I can say that when I am walking with arrow nocked, I am still hunting not just strolling about. I have the release already hooked up and use my drawing arm to support half the weight so my hold arm isn't fatigued. Every blind corner I'm ready to draw if the opportunity presents itself. Not trying to shotgun hunt with my bow by any means.
Good way of putting it. Apparently, at least in my experience, there are hunters out there that think they can do this just because they have an arrow already nocked. One day I came out of the woods to an atv trail to head back to the car and saw another hunter up the trail walking at a normal pace with an arrow nocked. I was just thinking "yeah you think you're going to see a deer and get a shot off while walking that quickly and of all places, on a heavily traveled atv trail". Ridiculous. Unless of course he was hunting a squirrel or something
There are times that to break up an all day sit I still hunt to another stand if I felt the woods where quite enough...It kills an hour or so and get to poke around. Sometimes and only sometimes I will nock and arrow when I do that. Also if I am walking in on logging trail and it quite and hilly...so the land kinda flows into view as you walk I may have one nocked as I move along.... 98% I dont have one knocked till its hanging in the bow holder.
I have knocked an arrow for 10 years while I've hunted, just about every time I walk out of my stand. I don't typically walk out real stealthy but I try to be quiet. For the first time in my life this year I actually shot a coyote on the way out of my stand. I never would've imagined getting a shot at one but I was in the right place at the right time and already had an arrow nocked. You just never know when everything will fall into place!
I never do, plus its Dark when I go in, Even when I go back for an afternoon hunt No. Now with a Gun, I am ready to shoot, I will have one Chamberd as soon as I get 50 yards from the Truck.
Some people seem to take it so personal... lol Either you do or you don't - it's personally preference, how is their a right answer to this question? Clearly none of us are walking into the woods at dark in the morning or walking out of the woods at dark in the night with an arrow knocked. However, when you leave your stand after a morning sit many times you are walking through areas that you walked through hours earlier - who's to say that you don't stumble across a bedded buck or a doe standing in a creek bed that gives you the opportunity to make an ethical shot. I don't see how anyone could judge a shot at 10 yards standing at ground level with an animal as apposed to 20 feet up in the air at 35 yards?!?! Personally I can count on 2 hands how many times I've walked around my property with an arrow knocked - but I certainly understand why some people would do it. I just don't see a right or wrong answer to this question. As with many questions/topics its a matter of personal preference.
If I had a WB or something that completely held the arrow, I would. I have a NAP Apache. Not happenin captain!
I can barely walk through some of the places I hunt with an arrow in quiver, much less with one knocked. Add to that, my climber is on my back and I'm just a klutz in general.... I don't bother. (and still-hunting is forbidden where I hunt)
By this logic; calling, wheezing, rattling and such are all unethical. After all, bucks responding to these calls would be coming in on high alert and based on your "thinking" we would be unethical to take this shot. So my question for you is, do you use calls rattles and scent attractants??
Yes I do use calls, rattles & scents. There is quite a difference between the way an animal acts and responds when it has been alerted to an unknown sound or scent (caused by a person walking in/out - which is what the topic of this thread is) as opposed to when it has been called in or lured in with deer calls/sounds or deer scents. If this "logic" I "used" were correct, deer wouldn't respond like they do to deer calling and rattling. Bucks wouldn't come running in ready to fight when they hear a snort-wheeze. Does wouldn't come running to a fawn bleat. Bucks wouldn't follow a doe scent drag as if they were being reeled in. I don't know about your hunting experiences but when I call in a deer or lure in a deer with scent, they're not on "high alert and ready to bolt". They're curious and/or want to see the deer that made the sound. Moral of the story, yes I use calls, etc. Deer that respond to calls and lures are not on high alert. No, I will not take an unethical shot on a deer that is on high alert because I got busted in stand, walking, b/c of wind, etc.
So now walking around your property with an arrow knocked is being viewed as unethical because the animal has a hightened sense of awareness. Who knew?!?!
If your walking out and happen to come across a deer that has no clue you are there you will have time to knock an arrow and shoot. If you think the only way you would have a shot is if the arrow was knocked that's giving yourself a very small window. That's obviously a opportunity that requires a fast draw and fast shot. More times than not the shot will be rushed and the deer will be moving. If that was not the case than you would have plenty time to knock an arrow and get a shot at a relaxed deer. I enjoy shooting deer from a tree. I get a thrill out of watching them and waiting for the perfect shot. I have taken 2 deer while walking out and to be honest IMO it's just not the same. I'm not saying anyone is wrong or right but very rarely will I knock an arrow while walking.
I never do, but for me it's more of a safety issue... My feeling is that I've slipped on a muddy/greasy/icey spot, or walked into some-type of tripping hazard way more frequently than I've actually stumbled across a deer that I want to shoot on my way to\from the stand... Just seems like an unnecessary risk to me but I don't have a problem with someone if that's what they want to do...
With a bow the most walking I do is before or after shooting hours. If I am walking in or out during shooting hours I nock an arrow. Could be the difference between getting a shot or not.
