being quiet.

[Rob Allen]

This  was my  first  year of deer hunting(rifle) and  although i was unsuccessful  I had a ton of  fun. I loved  hunting in the more open forest  areas.  I  spent a LOT  of time being as quiet and slow as i possibly could but never say anything. Then there  were  times  when I  simply could not be quiet at all, like heading downhill through brush  so i'd be making all kinds of noise  and those  are the times  i would actually see animals, of  course they were  running  away and I never  got a shot  but at least I saw  something  right?
   When i was being quiet  I would  take  3  steps  look and listen for 5-10 seconds  then take  another 3  steps.  If I heard  something  I'd  stop  for 5-10 minutes.  maybe  sit  down and  watch.

so  is there  such a thing  as too quiet and too slow?  is it better to spook an animal  than to pass by  without  even  knowing it's there??   would  you  attempt to follow a deer  once  you  spooked it  even if it  got out of  sight??
 would love to hear  peoples  thoughts   or just general discussion about this.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Blacktails? Yes you can many times catch up with them and get a shot. But you need to do it very slowly, quietly, and calmly.

[lokidog]

I think if you reread your post, you will answer your own question....

Open area - quiet walking - no deer   OR open area=no deer

Brush - noisy - deer  OR brush=deer

Figure out a way to be quieter when you hunt the area where the deer actually are.   

[rtspring]

If your seeing fresh sign, but no deer your moving to fast.

[pianoman9701]

Elk will sometimes stop running after 100-200 yards in thick cover.

[Jonathan_S]

Sometimes you have to be gentle and quiet.  Other times you have to know when to get aggressive.  That goes for any prey.

Whitetail hunting with a rifle or MZ in thick brush:  I have killed deer by bumping them and while they are running their 100 yards before stopping to look back, I've charged forward to where I know I'll have an unobstructed shot.  In that situation, you're already busted and they can't hear you moving  because they are running too.

This year elk hunting, there were a few times when I waited to see what would happen and it cost me multiple shot opportunities on a nice bull. 

Too often it's easy to be passive when things are happening and it's tough to make a decision to be aggressive.

If your seeing fresh sign, but no deer your moving to fast.

Or you're in a nocturnal area (depends on terrain and species)

Elk will sometimes stop running after 100-200 yards in thick cover.

  especially when playing cat and mouse with a bull w/ cows.  Talk about frustrating!