Does anyone "still" hunt???

[mikenkesh07]

I'm going to give it a shot and see how it works. I have read a lot of articles and I have a pretty good setup with creek bottoms, thickets... Does anyone do this, and what tips do you have? Thanks!

 

[Snake]

I really only do it when the weather is right not that I haven't otherwise and have been quite successful . I mostly do it when it's very windy or wet but like I said I've did it before when I've spotted something worth leaving a stand for but you must keep your wind right and be very slow .

 

[DntBrnDPig]

I like stalking during rain. I was slowly walking through a pine thicket last Sunday and walked up to a bedded doe ~ 20 yards or so. A few weeks ago during muzzle loader I walked up to a group of does between two ridges. They didn't see me till I pushed the limit.

I've killed several deer stalking. No bucks but the hunts were memorable and fun.

 

[TboneD]

Does anyone "still" hunt???

It helps to be very familiar with the property. On windy days sneaking along the top of ridges, popping out to look down the hillsides and benches has worked for me before.

Popping over ridge tops is probably the most effective still hunting method for whitetails. And flat ground makes it TOUGH to impossible for the still hunter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lightsareout]

yes agreeing with everyone, works good on property you know well and know how the deer move. as well as a decent wind to cover the sounds you're going to make

 

[Sucarnochee]

Learned how to hunt deer following behind best stalk hunter I've ever seen. My brother in law. I would much rather stalk hunt than sit in stand. Killed my biggest deer in a 30 mph wind stalking through thick cedar woods. Best when light rain or wind blowing. Plus you get to scout while hunting

 

[Sucarnochee]

And have good binocs and take few steps then scan for long time. Look for parts if deer like whites of ear and especially check out something horizontal in the mostly vertical trees. Good luck

 

[catman529]

Re: Does anyone "still" hunt???

Yes sometimes. Takes patience


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[7mminatree]

Go at a snails pace, don't take steps but lay your feet softly, take a long time to scan the area. Every step will reveal a new spot not visible to the last step. This takes hunting to another level and to its most primitive form.

I killed a nice 10 point a few years back during a snow storm. As I rounded a ridge I was scanning the holler in front of me. I guess I stood there for ten minutes just scanning. I kept noticing a clump of honeysuckle about 75 to 85 yards on the edge of the logging road I was traversing. I looked at it several times and it looked strange to me. Then I saw a slight movement in the bush. Thinking it was a bird, I slowly shouldered my rifle. As I looked through my scope, I slowly begain to see the outline of a deer.

Eased up the power on the scope. Now I could clearly see that it was a buck and it was watching me. Just to my left was a huge jackpine tree. I stepped right behind the tree. I waited and watched, the buck took about a half step because I asume he became uncomfortable. That was all I needed to tread the .243 through a hole in the branches.

 

[Cklem]

Still hunting has been my most effective way to kill bucks where I live, we have 10s of thousands of acres of NF land with very few deer. I guess I have shot a couple dozen really nice bucks for my area in my life, all but a couple were shot while I was on my feet. I hear folks say they like to still hunt when it's either wet or windy, now I like a little breeze my self but hate still hunting when it's wet, the reason is when I walk the deer are going to hear me, but I try to make my steps as un alarming as possible, when you walk within a couple of feet from squirrels and they ignore you then your doing it right, when you come into some turkeys and get within 50 yards and they don't pay much attention to you then your walking in a way that's un alarming to game, I don't know how to explain it. When it's dry or frozen I can hear deer, I don't like walking up on them to be surprised, deer usually always wins that one. But if I can hear the deer in the dry or frozen leaves before the deer becomes alarmed at my presents, theirs a good chance I win that one. It's a lot of fun for sure!

 

[godores]

This is all great advice. The only thing I would add is that however slow you think you should move, slow that down way more. I used to think it was walking 50 yards and then sitting and waiting for 10 minutes. That doesn't work at all. I didn't realize it until I was stalking one day and my buddy was in a stand about 400 yards away. Deer were running by him in droves, all heading away from me. Be crazy quiet, and don't expect to cover miles and miles. Lots of fun though if you are patient.

 

[TeamYuma]

I'm going to do some still hunting as well. My hunting partner does it, and is extremely patient. I, unfortunately am not. However, in rainy and windy conditions, I'm going to give a try on the next go round versus waiting a day. Last weekend's conditions in West TN were miserable, but my partner landed a nice 9 point in the monsoon.

 

[Headhunter]

To me, I have killed a bunch of deer from the ground with any gun, muzzleloader and bow, more with a bow than anything else, is that for every deer you kill, you will blow several opportunities. I covered lots of ground and tried to know the area as well as I could. Much of the time, when I saw a deer, I would try to anticipate where the deer would be going to and figure out how to get there without spooking the deer and be set up for a good shot.

My first pope and young deer I killed from the ground, and it was one of the best hunts of my life, little over 130" and dressed 180 lbs. I love either slipping close to a deer or guessing where it is going and being to able to get in position for a shot.

Killing a deer from the ground with a bow is the best in my opinion. One buck I have mounted I killed from the ground with my bow was a great 8 pointer, dressed 140 lbs, and I killed him at a distance of about 5 feet. It was a rush for sure. He swung back in my direction when I shot him and I could see was his antlers, the g2's on him are 10" long.

I cannot begin to count the number of times I have spooked a deer, the deer smelled me, the deer just decided it had other places to be, or something else spooked the deer, etc. but persistence is probably your best friend when trying to stalk from the ground.

 

[tsc]

Go do a search "Benoit Brothers",they are some yankees that that type of hunting is all they do,snow or not, and they do well at it. Some of the stuff they show applies generally to deer hunting but most is limited to where and how they hunt but it's something different and pretty interesting. The only time I've had any luck slipping up on deer is when it was really windy with alot of noise and movement in the woods. If it's still and crisp I think it's a waste of time and you spook your deer.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I like to still hunt when the ground and leaves are wet. Or when it's very windy. My problem is a I rush along at times. But I've killed a few.

 

[JJ3]

You're going to make some noise when you are stalking unless it's very wet. Like Cklem said, you want to make non-alarming noises. Observe how a doe moves when she is browsing under oak trees -- few steps, stops, she looks around, puts her head down to eat, a few steps, etc. That's the sounds you want to replicate. If you make a loud noise (like getting caught in a briar or foot getting caught on a stick), don't panic, just freeze in spot and watch around you. Deer can stay frozen in position a lot longer than you when they sense something isn't right.

When you pause to look around, know where the trees are around you. I like to pause when I can next to a tree. It becomes a bit of cover, a leaning post, a prop if you get to take shot.

Don't look for a whole deer. Look for movement, a flick of an ear or tail, sun glancing off a horizontal line (eg,the back or belly), the white of the neck.

You mentioned thickets and creek bottoms. These are often the hardest to stalk due to limited visibility. If you can only see 25 yards chances are the deer is going to see you first. I prefer to stalk where I have some views out to 50 yards or more. It just increases the chances for me to see the deer first. If you are going to stalk thickets don't wear them out. A few times in a season is good, any more than that and the deer that use them will likely find somewhere else.

If you are stuck in the open when you see a deer and can't move to cover, don't hesitate to go to the ground. I've had deer come towards me when I've been on hands and knees -- they're curious.

 

[TboneD]

Does anyone "still" hunt???

Go do a search "Benoit Brothers",they are some yankees that that type of hunting is all they do,snow or not, and they do well at it. Some of the stuff they show applies generally to deer hunting but most is limited to where and how they hunt but it's something different and pretty interesting. The only time I've had any luck slipping up on deer is when it was really windy with alot of noise and movement in the woods. If it's still and crisp I think it's a waste of time and you spook your deer.

Unfortunately, the ground where I hunt here in Wilson county is NOTHING like where the Benoits hunt, and I know you implied something to that. Good hunters and they sure know how to kill deer. How to shoot those Remington 30-06 pumps, as well. I just quote your mention of them to reiterate that the type of terrain (and also, likelihood of snow on the ground) GREATLY influences the level of success for a still hunter. I'm best sitting on a stump where we hunt. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[muddyboots]

I like to do it in the wind but I do it every time in and out from my stand. Several times I've had bucks come to me grunting thinking I was a Doe walking. Don't walk like ur downtown.

 

[mikenkesh07]

Thank you all for your replies. There is some good conversation and excellent advise on here and I am looking forward to the next windy or wet day to give it a shot.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[huntncoach]

Re: Does anyone "still" hunt???

Have done this some and is a rush. Very difficult but very exciting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cklem]

Go do a search "Benoit Brothers",they are some yankees that that type of hunting is all they do,snow or not, and they do well at it. Some of the stuff they show applies generally to deer hunting but most is limited to where and how they hunt but it's something different and pretty interesting. The only time I've had any luck slipping up on deer is when it was really windy with alot of noise and movement in the woods. If it's still and crisp I think it's a waste of time and you spook your deer.

I have hunted around those guys, I once beat Lanny out of a buck he was after, boy was he hateful about it too.