Sound Travels Upwards Which Makes Ridge Hunting The Best
- I call this style of hunting ridge hunting because of the terrain that i follow but a perpendicular to the terrain .
- The reason for this style of stalking is because sound will travel upwards and over the ridge you are climbing to the top of but you are not climbing up the ridge or the gulch in between the ridges but climbing over from ridge to ridge perpendicular to the gulch or ridge .
- You have to know the terrain in order to do this and the terrain needs to be a series of gully’s running from the highest point in the area down to a stream or valley floor .
- I always start at the furthest gulch to left or right depending on a variety of weather conditions , The suns position etc.
- The most important is the wind as it will take your scent into the adjoining gulch and your prey will be forewarned as to your approach without hearing you which means ou will have lost the element of surprise that this tactic needs in order for you to have a successful hunt whether it be hunting deer , elk or bear .
- To make this easier to understand start in the furthest most downwind gulch whether it be to the left or right .
- I usually go about 3/4s of the way up the gulch before turning into the wind at a 90 % angle and climbing to the top of the windside ridge .
Now's the time to go stealth
- Now’s the time to go stealth as you get nearer to ridge line and then get even quieter and go slower the closer you get .
- Quietly approach the line and hunker down so that you aren’t seen by by elk, deer, etc,
- Then wait and thoroughly scan the gulch and ridge you are about to enter . I have been in place before and waited not seeing any game and just when about to start hiking down seeing elk come out of nowhere as they have been behind bushes or trees hidden from sight and totally unsuspecting having been stalked .
- They have no idea they are being stalked because they do not smell you because you have approached them from downwind and they have not heard you because you were in another valley or gulch and sound travels upward and over their heads.
The Gulch acts like a speaker cone
- The Gulch acts like a speaker cone transmitting any sound you make up into the air and over the ridge line which makes this style of hunting very effective .
- Consider using Google Earth or Topo maps to plan out an effective hunt.
- Areas that have had mass erosion in the past and have partially grown back are great as the prey has food and cover so they feel safe .
