Hunting Techniques

Part of Hunting and Trapping

Traps catch food while you sleep, but there are times when you need to actively pursue game. Knowing which hunting method to use — and when — is the difference between eating and exhausting yourself for nothing.

Choosing Your Method

Active hunting burns calories. In a survival scenario, you cannot afford to spend 2,000 calories chasing an animal that yields 800. Every hunting decision must pass a simple test: will the energy gained exceed the energy spent?

The answer depends on terrain, available weapons, target species, weather, and your physical condition. There is no single best method. The best hunters switch techniques based on circumstances.

Method	Best For	Energy Cost	Skill Requirement	Weapon Needed
Stalking	Open woodland, plains	Moderate	High	Bow, spear, throwing stick
Ambush	Water holes, trails, feeding areas	Low	Moderate	Any
Drive hunting	Group hunts, dense cover	High	Low (per person)	Spears, clubs
Persistence hunting	Open terrain, hot weather	Very high	Moderate	Spear (for the finish)
Opportunistic	Anywhere, anytime	Very low	Low	Whatever you have

Stalking

Stalking means approaching an animal closely enough to use your weapon before it detects you. This is the method most people picture when they think of hunting, and it is also the hardest to execute consistently.

When to stalk:

• You have spotted an animal or know its location from fresh sign
• Terrain provides cover (trees, rocks, tall grass, terrain folds)
• Wind is in your favor (blowing from the animal toward you)
• You have a weapon effective at 10-20 meters

When NOT to stalk:

• Open ground with no cover
• Wind is swirling or blowing toward the animal
• The animal is already alert or looking in your direction
• You are injured, tired, or unable to move quietly

See Stalking Method for detailed wind management, movement patterns, and camouflage techniques.

Basic Stalking Steps

Step 1. Identify the animal’s position and determine the wind direction. Toss a pinch of dust, light ash, or a tuft of plant fiber into the air. Approach from downwind — always.

Step 2. Plan your route before you move. Identify cover points (trees, rocks, rises in terrain) you can move between. Never walk directly at the animal.

Step 3. Move when the animal is feeding (head down) or looking away. Freeze when it raises its head or looks in your direction. Animals detect movement far better than they detect stationary shapes.

Step 4. Close to within effective weapon range. For a throwing stick, that is 10-15 meters. For a survival bow, 10-20 meters. For a spear thrust at a trapped or cornered animal, 2 meters.

Step 5. Take your shot when the animal is broadside and unaware. Aim for the chest cavity behind the front shoulder (the heart and lungs).

Ambush Hunting

Ambush hunting inverts the equation: instead of going to the animal, you let the animal come to you. This is the most energy-efficient active hunting method and the one most likely to succeed for a solo survivor.

Where to ambush:

• Water sources (streams, ponds, puddles) — every animal visits water daily
• Game trails — especially where trails converge or pass through narrow gaps
• Feeding areas — fruit trees, berry patches, nut-bearing trees in autumn
• Salt licks — mineral deposits that animals visit regularly

See Ambush Hunting for blind construction, positioning, and water hole strategies.

Setting Up an Ambush

Step 1. Scout the location first. Look for fresh tracks, droppings, and browse signs. Visit at dawn and dusk to confirm animals are currently using the area.

Step 2. Build or find a concealment position. This can be a natural feature (fallen tree, rock outcrop, dense brush) or a constructed blind (see Ambush Hunting article).

Step 3. Position yourself downwind of the expected approach direction. If wind shifts, relocate.

Step 4. Arrive at your position well before the animals are expected. For dawn hunters, be in place at least 30 minutes before first light.

Step 5. Remain completely still and silent. Do not eat, adjust clothing, or swat insects. Sit on something comfortable — you may wait hours.

Step 6. Wait for a clean shot at close range. Patience is the entire skill of ambush hunting.

Drive Hunting

Drive hunting requires a group. Some members (beaters) move through cover making noise to push animals toward other members (standers) who wait in ambush positions.

Group-Only Method

Drive hunting alone is pointless and dangerous. You need at minimum 3 people — ideally 5 or more. Without a group, use stalking or ambush methods instead.

Step 1. Identify a patch of cover where animals are hiding — a thicket, a wooded ravine, a reed bed.

Step 2. Position 1-3 standers at natural exit points (trail openings, gaps in cover, stream crossings) where fleeing animals are likely to emerge. Standers must be visible to each other to avoid accidents.

Step 3. Beaters enter the cover from the opposite side, moving slowly and making steady noise — talking, tapping sticks on trees, rustling brush. The goal is to push animals toward the standers, not to panic them into random flight.

Step 4. Standers take shots as animals emerge. Standers must never shoot toward beaters. Establish a clear safe zone before the drive begins.

Persistence Hunting

The oldest hunting method in human history. Humans cannot outrun most animals in a sprint, but we can outrun nearly everything over long distances because we cool by sweating while animals cool by panting (which they cannot do while running).

High Risk in Survival Situations

Persistence hunting can burn 3,000-5,000 calories in a single chase. Only attempt this if you are well-hydrated, well-fed, physically fit, and hunting an animal large enough (deer-sized or larger) to justify the energy expenditure. In a weakened survival state, this method can kill you.

Step 1. Identify a target animal — ideally one that is already slightly compromised (limping, young, old, or isolated from a herd).

Step 2. Begin following at a steady jog. You do not need to keep the animal in sight. Track it by its prints, broken vegetation, and disturbed ground.

Step 3. The animal will sprint away, then stop to rest and cool down. Before it has fully recovered, appear again. Force it to run again before its body temperature has dropped.

Step 4. Repeat over 2-6 hours. Midday heat accelerates the process. The animal will eventually overheat, slow to a walk, and collapse or become too exhausted to flee.

Step 5. Finish with a spear thrust to the neck or chest. Even an exhausted large animal can injure you with hooves or antlers — approach with caution.

Opportunistic Hunting

This is not a formal method but a mindset: always carry a weapon and always be ready. Many survival kills come from chance encounters — a grouse flushed from cover, a rabbit frozen in a clearing, a snake sunning on a rock.

Rules for opportunistic hunting:

• Always carry a throwing stick or spear when moving through the landscape
• Move quietly as a default habit, not only when actively hunting
• Scan the ground ahead constantly — many animals rely on camouflage and will not move until you are very close
• Know which animals in your area are safe to eat and which are dangerous to approach
• React immediately — hesitation costs you the opportunity

Timing Your Hunts

Time of Day	Activity Level	Best Method
Pre-dawn (30 min before sunrise)	Animals moving to feeding areas	Ambush at water/trails
Dawn to mid-morning	Peak feeding activity	Stalking, ambush
Midday	Most animals resting in shade	Rest (save your energy)
Late afternoon	Feeding resumes	Stalking, ambush
Dusk	Peak movement to water and bedding	Ambush at water sources
Night	Many predators active	Stay in camp (unless trapping)

Safety Considerations

• Never hunt alone if pursuing dangerous game. Boar, moose, buffalo, and large predators can kill an armed human. These are group targets only.
• Identify your target before you shoot or throw. In low light, other humans, dogs, and livestock can be mistaken for game.
• Carry your knife securely. A dropped or lost knife during a hunt is a serious setback.
• Mark your location. When focused on tracking, it is easy to become disoriented. Note landmarks and your direction of travel.
• Field dress immediately. Meat spoils fast, especially in warm weather. See Field Dressing.

Key Takeaways

• Ambush hunting is the best solo method. It costs the least energy and offers the highest probability of a clean shot at close range. Invest time in scouting and blind placement.
• Stalking is a high-skill method. Wind awareness, slow movement, and patience are mandatory. Most failed stalks fail because of wind or movement, not lack of weapon skill.
• Drive hunting requires a group. If you have people, use them. Drive hunts can flush game that no solo method would reach.
• Persistence hunting is a last resort. The calorie cost is extreme. Only pursue large game in hot weather when you are physically strong.
• Always be opportunistic. Carry a weapon. Move quietly. Stay alert. Many of your kills will come from chance encounters, not planned hunts.
• Traps still outperform active hunting for daily calories. Use active hunting as a supplement to a strong trap line, not as a replacement.