| Hard-soled shoes could create more noise than | | | | foot can feel a brittle stick under it, the body weight |
| rubber one. This way you can check your clothes | | | | may be shifted to a part of the foot which will not |
| before stalking for the deer because they play | | | | break the stick. This walking on the muscles instead |
| important part in avoiding as much noise as possible. | | | | of on the bones is very tiring to the man who is not |
| They can either help your chances of successful | | | | accustomed to walking in this manner, but it can be |
| stalking or create problems for you. | | | | very quiet method of walking; and with practice it |
| The sound of footsteps can be reduced by wearing | | | | can become a very effective way to travel over |
| the proper footwear. It is almost impossible to travel | | | | rough ground. Progress will be slow until this walking |
| quietly in the woods if shod in hard-soled shoes. | | | | method becomes a habit, but I have seen many men |
| Rubber is the quietest practical material for hunting | | | | who could travel through the woods at a dogtrot in |
| footwear, but the soles should be soft enough so | | | | almost complete silence. If we travel quietly against |
| that minor irregularities in the ground may be felt with | | | | the wind, the deer's eyesight becomes the chief |
| the foot. Tennis shoes and moccasins are very quiet, | | | | obstacle to a close approach. |
| but soft snow and water make them uncomfortable. | | | | Under equal conditions, a man's eyesight is better |
| Furthermore, the average civilized foot cannot take | | | | than that of a deer, yet if the deer is motionless and |
| the punishment which they give because of their | | | | the man is in motion, the advantage is with the deer. |
| extreme flexibility and because of their lack of ankle | | | | This is a two-way advantage. First, the deer can |
| support. The city man who wishes to stalk deer | | | | spot a moving object against and through a |
| should practice the woodsman's walk, if he wishes to | | | | motionless landscape, and, second, the man's motion |
| be quiet in the woods. The stiff-legged, heel-and-toe | | | | through the woods gives him the illusion of standing |
| gait of the pavement should be ft at the end of the | | | | still with the entire landscape in motion. Because of |
| sidewalk. | | | | these conditions, the hunter should make frequent |
| The true woodsman walks with the knees slightly | | | | stops in order to scan the surrounding area and |
| bent so that there is no solid thump when the foot | | | | obtain a true picture instead of a distorted one. |
| hits the ground. The ball of the foot touches the | | | | City man should practice woodsman's walk if the |
| ground first and the whole foot comes in contact | | | | yare interested in hunting deer. For stalking the deer |
| before the weight of the body is transferred from | | | | take all the necessary and possible measures to |
| the other foot. | | | | avoid as much noise as possible and maximized your |
| The foot and ankle muscles are relaxed so that if the | | | | chances of successful stalking. |