still hunting technique?!?

[BowmanMike]

Ok folks,the hardest thing for me when i still hunt is the fact that the deer have the sight advantage on me. I guess you all know what the browse line is,and around here in 4F you can totally see it,up to about 4 or 5 feet. My problem is that i am 6'3",so my eyes are at about six feet. 

Especially when things get thick the deer pick out my leg movement. I am amazed how much further i can see when i get down to 3'of the ground.

I am to old to crawl on all fours all the time,so what do you guys think a good solution would be? Kneel down before i sneak to the next tree to make sure it is clear? Still hunt uphill? Downhill?

[Swamp_bucks]

I do not have this issue of being to tall.  However my best friend is 6'2 and skinny as a rail  and he kills most of his deer this way.  Ive watched him walking to me and stalk down deer. He picks trees and creeps from one to the other slowly looking around the trunks.  Never stops in the open he always has something between him and his destination with shooting holes picked out at every tree he stops at.  And the thicker it is the slower he goes.  I tend to use binocs alot when im still hunting just to make sure i dont miss any sort of movement.  

[Jeremy K]

Move even slower ,deer will stand still for long periods of time to scan an area. I like to still hunt with the mindset that i want the deer to walk to ME instead of the other way around . Once you locate deer you can make the proper speed/direction adjustments. The most obvious would be play the wind big time. 

[Robhuntandfish]

I always picked wet, windy days. Harder for deer to hear you and to pick out your movements with the wind. And the slower the better.  

[Daveboone]

You have a few inches of growth on me...but I don't think that is a big deal. I think timing your movements is as important as moving slowly, with careful foot placement and the wind. Wait until there are wind gusts, and move slowly at the same time the other trees are swaying. try to keep trees lined up in front of you to mask your movement, and after placing your feet, be sure to very slowly and thoroughly scan all about you.

I have a tough time with the patience of moving slowly and effectively like this, myself, but when I do, I have walked up on unknowning deer. 

[BowmanMike]

i agree,there is no too slow when still hunting. I have had some success,usually with deer that are on their feet. Bedded ones are really tough to surprise.

[eaglemountainman]

50 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

Move even slower ,deer will stand still for long periods of time to scan an area. I like to still hunt with the mindset that i want the deer to walk to ME instead of the other way around . Once you locate deer you can make the proper speed/direction adjustments. The most obvious would be play the wind big time. 

Agreed. The key is to move very slow and only a very few yards at a time. Just enough to give you a slightly different visual perspective. Spend much more time scanning than moving. When you think you're doing it just right, slow down. 

And, I know this is heresy, but I don't hunt the wind at all. In the mountains, the wind changes and currents swirl so often that if I tried to hunt the wind, I would be walking in a 25 yard circle all day. Whenever possible, if it's out, I will always try to move with the Sun at my back.

Edited October 26, 2018 by eaglemountainman

[G-Man]

i find its not how slow you move its how ypu use the treeain and cover to conceal your movement. walking thru an open woods is not what you wamt to do .following depressions using a ridge to just peak over and scan an area where only.your head is visoable from below. or folowing the down wind side of a thicket and peeking around bkind curves in trail  are much more productive.

[Buckmaster7600]

I still hunt 99% of the time. I don’t care about wind direction, move slow and pause longer when it’s crunchy, when it’s wet and/or windy I almost never pause just keep a steady
Slow pace. If I jump a deer I want to kill and don’t get a shot I try to stay on them and catch up as soon as possible. People think if you jump a deer they’re gone to the next county and that is not true usually not more than 100yds.


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[BowmanMike]

9 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I still hunt 99% of the time. I don’t care about wind direction, move slow and pause longer when it’s crunchy, when it’s wet and/or windy I almost never pause just keep a steady
Slow pace. If I jump a deer I want to kill and don’t get a shot I try to stay on them and catch up as soon as possible. People think if you jump a deer they’re gone to the next county and that is not true usually not more than 100yds.


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I was hoping you would chime in,i know you stillhunt almost all the time. It makes sense that you move at a good speed if you are an the adirondacks,lots of ground to cover between deer sightings. I would run out of property fast if i did that here. But i like the idea that the deer don't go far,have to remember that and see if i can't use that to my advantage.

[Buckmaster7600]

I was hoping you would chime in,i know you stillhunt almost all the time. It makes sense that you move at a good speed if you are an the adirondacks,lots of ground to cover between deer sightings. I would run out of property fast if i did that here. But i like the idea that the deer don't go far,have to remember that and see if i can't use that to my advantage.

One thing I do if I’m short on time or property is if I jump deer and they run, I’ll run parallel to them for 10-15 seconds or until I don’t hear them running. This gains ground back quick and one they stop and look back for you “they always do” you’re not where they expect you.

If you jump deer and start right back after then from where you jumped the. You’ll bust them again and never get close enough to see them, they know where you were and where you’ll be coming from.


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[BowmanMike]

7 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

One thing I do if I’m short on time or property is if I jump deer and they run, I’ll run parallel to them for 10-15 seconds or until I don’t hear them running. This gains ground back quick and one they stop and look back for you “they always do” you’re not where they expect you.

If you jump deer and start right back after then from where you jumped the. You’ll bust them again and never get close enough to see them, they know where you were and where you’ll be coming from.


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I jumped a giant buck today and was so shocked i forgot to run while he ran. It was pretty close to sunset anyway,i probably wouldn't have had time to catch up. 

I used a stick to make it sound like i am four legged,not sure if that allowed me to get this close. He was only 30yds off.

The leaves were a little crunchy. What a thrill though.

[Cedar+Canvas]

A couple additions:
It might be worth trying either a grunt tube or a can call and having it right in your pocket. I’ve had several mature bucks stop and hang up if I grunt or bleat at them immediately after I bump them.

It might also be worth messing with a gillie suit. They’re less stealthy to walk in, but they definitely break up your profile. You can also keep that super clean on scent and store it in your pack until you’re starting to hunt.

Also, to echo Buckmaster, deer where I am usually don’t bust very far. Lane Benoit has a big thing about always waiting at least a half hour exactly where you are any time you jump a big buck.

There’s an excellent interview with Lane Benoit on the Big Buck Registry podcast. Also one with Joe DeNitto (sp?) Lots of good tips in both.

Good luck in the rut!


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[G-Man]

On 10/25/2018 at 7:59 PM, BowmanMike said:

Ok folks,the hardest thing for me when i still hunt is the fact that the deer have the sight advantage on me. I guess you all know what the browse line is,and around here in 4F you can totally see it,up to about 4 or 5 feet. My problem is that i am 6'3",so my eyes are at about six feet. 

Especially when things get thick the deer pick out my leg movement. I am amazed how much further i can see when i get down to 3'of the ground.

I am to old to crawl on all fours all the time,so what do you guys think a good solution would be? Kneel down before i sneak to the next tree to make sure it is clear? Still hunt uphill? Downhill?

crouch down throw a dewr skin over your back and sneak in injun style. you can even add a rack to your head dress....

use terrain when still hunting..walk down a creekbed thru the water so your lower chest waders work well.. deer dont look for people walking in middle of creek and think growth along bank will allow you to slip in close....

[Doc]

My still-hunting is what you might call a series of mini-stands. I move about 25 to 50 feet depending on visibility and then stand behind a suitable sized tree for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes scanning every log, dip, or anything that could hide a deer. I am looking for ears, antler tips, tails or anything that looks even a bit out of place. This is not  tactic that is used randomly throughout the woods. The moving part of this process is carried out with the same care I would use if I were stalking a deer that I had already spotted. Care is taken to ensure that there is no clothing that loose to the point where the wind could start it flapping around.

Past experiences tell me the most likely places to find deer, and then I have the confidence to carry out such a time-consuming pace. I also use my binoculars almost constantly, and carry a Primos trigger stick in case I get caught out in the open when I spot a deer. I am lousy at offhand shooting so the portable gun rest is very important.

It is not an easy way to hunt, and that is why I move through areas that I have seen deer bedded or feeding before. It requires great confidence to keep the pace down slow and careful, and that is why I put so much emphasis on prior experience. It requires that I genuinely believe that I will see a deer in the area that I am still hunting through.

[Core]

On 10/25/2018 at 9:38 PM, Buckmaster7600 said:

I still hunt 99% of the time. I don’t care about wind direction, move slow and pause longer when it’s crunchy, when it’s wet and/or windy I almost never pause just keep a steady
Slow pace. If I jump a deer I want to kill and don’t get a shot I try to stay on them and catch up as soon as possible. People think if you jump a deer they’re gone to the next county and that is not true usually not more than 100yds.


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A few years back I jumped two deer doing this. They'd run 50-60 yards then wait, then I'd jump them again. I did this 2-3 times before they finally said enough of this crap and ran off. This was with a bow. I had no idea what I was doing of course.

I've only ever walked up on a deer and had a shot once. My first time hunting, ever. I've tried dozens of times since and have literally not once ever walked up on a deer and seen it before it saw me. Generally they wait until I'm 30 yards away then run off and at that point I realize they are there. Still hunting is absurdly difficult!

Edited October 27, 2018 by Core

[eaglemountainman]

1 hour ago, Core said:

A few years back I jumped two deer doing this. They'd run 50-60 yards then wait, then I'd jump them again. I did this 2-3 times before they finally said enough of this crap and ran off. This was with a bow. I had no idea what I was doing of course.

I've only ever walked up on a deer and had a shot once. My first time hunting, ever. I've tried dozens of times since and have literally not once ever walked up on a deer and seen it before it saw me. Generally they wait until I'm 30 yards away then run off and at that point I realize they are there. Still hunting is absurdly difficult!

Exactly! That's what makes it so sweet when you're successful! Now, imagine the first time you're successful still hunting and creeping on a deer with your bow. I do it every year with a rifle, but only 4 times with the bow. But, oh man, what a feeling!!!! Stay with it. I wish you luck.

Edited October 27, 2018 by eaglemountainman

[Buckmaster7600]

Another thing on the speed I go when still hunting depends on the time of day. That few hours on either side of of dark I generally go faster because the deer are on their feet moving around and are generally distracted. The mid day lul is when I go the slowest. The rut is the exception.


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[Hunter007]

You may think I'm crazy but sometimes I can smell deer or the area they have just been at that is  when I will slow down or stop and look more closely at the woods  around  me .

[BowmanMike]

7 hours ago, eaglemountainman said:

Exactly! That's what makes it so sweet when you're successful! Now, imagine the first time you're successful still hunting and creeping on a deer with your bow. I do it every year with a rifle, but only 4 times with the bow. But, oh man, what a feeling!!!! Stay with it. I wish you luck.

My first bow kill was a doe i snuck up on. I did watch her bed down,so i had a little advantage,then i kept her head behind a tree as i snuck to 20 yds. Only mistake was to shoot at her while she was she was bedded down. That is a mess. I did find her,but after tracking her for 800 yds.

[pitweiler]

I'm doing it a little differently this year. I experimented with it last year and almost had success. I still hunt through the pines and hardwoods until I find a trail or set of tracks. Then I back track it to see where it originated from. Then, if I have time, I following it to see where it goes. I make  note of where the trail was and then slowly work that area to look for additional signs of movement.

In the place I've decided to hunt for northern zone I think I found either a bedding area or movement zone: Its a swampy/creek area with tall grass that provides good cover, bordered by pines and then hardwoods about 200 yards from the start of the pines. There are acorns on the ground and the tracks I could find were all walking from the grassy area toward the hardwoods. Fresh pee and poop on the ground too. The ground was covered in leaves so it was hard to find a lot of tracks, but enough to figure out direction of movement. 

Now, here's the thing. I couldn't tell if it was a buck or a doe. I didn't find a bunch of different size tracks like you would with a pack of does, but I also didn't see any licks or scrapes or rubs. Its all ridges and dips in the pines. I think I'm going to set up an ambush on the ridges using some kind of tinks / call and see if anything shows up. I really don't have a clue what I'm doing so take everything I say with a grain of salt