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Still Hunting Tips

3K views 30 replies 23 participants last post by  Loggy 
#1 ·
What tips do you have for still hunting?
Glass with binoculars after each step?
Play the wind
Go so slow a turtle could pass you?
 
#2 ·
Go slow. If you think you are moving slow, move slower. If you sweat, you are moving too fast. Use wind, rain, snow to make your approach much more quiet. I wouldn’t use binos after each step, that’s more movement for the deer to see. You will bump deer but you will also see a lot of deer if you are doing it correctly. Plan a point to still hunt to and try to make it there by lunch time so when the other guys are leaving for lunch the bucks are running to you. If you can walk near or in a creek that’s also great.
 
#4 ·
Pretty close to 100% of my rifle hunting is still hunting the big woods of NC Pa.The first piece of advise I would give is to learn how to shoot offhand very well and practice.I firmly believe that over the past couple of decades of low pressure,at least in this part of the state,deer have evolved to lay down and let you walk past them,rather than run.Other than the obvious things like using the wind to your advantage,you want to try and start high and never move across an area that's open.Always walk in the shadows and always stop where you can shoot.Buy the best glass you can afford and use them religously.Deer will most likely.know you're there before you know they're there so being quiet isn't as important as you'd think.They just have to think that you're going to walk past without being seen.Because of that,you have to get a feel for where they bed so you can flank them,rather than walk right at them.That's probably one of the most important things.I go slow and I glass more than I walk.Most deer I either shoot them in their beds or just as they stand up.I've never had the need to shoot at a running deer.Deer usually lay in or against some sort of cover,be it a depression,next to a log or some grapevine tangles.I thoroughly dissect each piece of cover over and over before moving.
 
#5 ·
All great advice. One thing to add which may be very obvious, is walk with your head up. I can't tell you how many times I've still hunted with my head lowered only to see a deer running off in the distance. Know how you are going to move from point A - B before physically moving.

Another obvious tip, have your weapon at the ready (on safety of course) not slung around your shoulder.
 
#6 ·
I plan to do a lot of still hunting the first week of rifle. Going to spend a couple days in Cameron County still hunting. Haven’t hunted much with a rifle over the years but have with a flintlock. I like days with a lot of wind and I always walk into it. I will move quickly until I start approaching thick cover and then I slow down to a snails pace. Only take a few steps at a time and will try to keep big trees or other sorts of cover in front of me. Always scanning and looking for horizontal lines or white patches like ears and the throat patch. Always have the gun ready so you can shoulder it and get a shot off .
 
#7 ·
Some places are tough up there because of all the laurel but some places are a still hunter's dream.I used to hunt that cliff strait above the Willows.It was a miserable walk to the the very top but once you got up there,it was nice.There was a big long bench right below the top that went around the whole hill.I used to zig zag across the top,peaking over the sides onto the bench every 50 yards or so.I never went up there a single time without bringing a deer out.Sometimes getting them off that cliff was a real adventure though.I was closer to the bottom one time and shot a doe that was bedded on a small bench below me.It was so steep getting to the deer that to keep from sliding down I had to grab on to trees as I slid down.When I got down to her,I was right above that house that has the log sided garage on rt 872 but way above it.I thought about sliding her all the way down to 872 but there's a big drop off when you hit the road.That's a fun place to hunt.
 
#9 ·
Use a short handy light weight rifle with a straight 4x scope, or at most a 2-7. Remove the sling if it has one on it. You also have to be in the right frame of mind to still hunt, if your hungry or have something on your mind, dont bother with it, you will move to fast. There really is no way to learn still hunting except by trial and error. Light misty rainy days are the best days. I am not an expert on the subject, just things I have learned over the years.
 
#11 ·
Still hunt someplace that offers a lot of noise to cover your steps. I like to parallel a busy interstate or creeks when they are running high. Always be sure of your target and beyond...the scenery is constantly changing when you're moving through the woods, and especially close to a main road.
 
#14 ·
When I was younger I remember I would go out with my father a few days before the opener of rifle and clear a spot around a tree. We would move a little to get warmed up or perhaps go get lunch but a good portion of the day would be sitting on the ground leaning up against a tree. There were seasons when we would maybe hang a ladder stand on public ground but that didn’t come until years later. I guess back then that’s all we knew and that’s the way we hunted. Can’t imagine sitting on the ground for hours on end these days after hunting out of climbers for so many years. By far my most preferred method is still hunting. Maybe post up for a hour or two at the most and then move on. I just find still hunting to be a lot more fun.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Where wool clothes. Its quiet compared to synthetic stuff. Take small steps. If you kick up deer don't think your hunt is ruined. Take a stand right there for 20 minutes or so. I have moved up on the same deer more than once in a day. A day of still hunting, mixed in with taking stands for short whiles is the most satisfying way to hunt for me. This has been my way of hunting in flintlock season sense I started. I shoot just as many on the move as standing. Now that there are few hunters in the woods even in buck season I do it then as well.


Forgot to mention that bluejays, squirrels, crows and ravens are not on your side and will rat you out every chance they get. Its will tick you off but try not to take it personally, they act that way with everybody. . Take a stand be still and wait them out. They have short attention spans and will forget you.
 
#17 ·
I've killed many deer "still hunting". I like it. I am able to sit for longer periods of time if needed...but I don't usually enjoy it.

I've done all day sits before, and I just don't always enjoy it. I'm sure I could probably get more deer if I would sit my butt still for 10-11 hours each day of rifle season, but I know that I won't be able to do that.

I do know that I won't have my phone to "distract" me this season, as there is exactly 1 spot at camp where I get signal, and that is up the driveway, towards the road...in the exact opposite direction from where I'll be hunting.

I plan to "still hunt" a bit, that's for sure.
 
#18 ·
All good. I use my binoculars constantly and look for small things like ears, eyes and antlers.

BTW I love to still hunt in a steady rain. It quiets my movement and the deer are usually bedded.

Good luck!
 
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#19 ·
I still hunt a lot with a rifle. You NEED good binos, and you need to use them often. You need to walk very slow and pause a lot and glass. If there is wind, i try and only move when the wind is blowing. You need to learn to shoot well offhand. A light rifle that shoots well is a necessity. I carry a Kimber in 280 AI.

I actually keep my rifle slung a lot. I can have my rifle off of my shoulder, and shouldered very quickly.

I have killed a lot of deer still hunting, I killed my biggest buck still hunting. I got within about 50 yards of him before he got up and tried to sneak away from me.
 
#20 ·
Agreed. Keep that sling on your rifle because you want to be using your binos every time you stop.
Get good clear light gathering binos. I'm convinced that those who don't use them are the same guys that never bought a good pair.

Few things are more rewarding than spotting the tips of a good set of antlers before he knows you are there.
 
#21 ·
I keep the sling on the rifle at all times. When still hunting, adjust it so it's tight from swivel to swivel, so it doesn't move or jingle. You'll need it again if you're dragging a deer out, to free up both hands.

Learning to spot deer eyes, ears and legs thru brush, isn't easy for some. But it is an essential "art" to learn, if you want to spot deer while still hunting. Pretty good points raised here, for the most part.

I prefer 8x30 binos. Strap around my neck (actually around the jacket hood), binos inside my outermost garment. You can learn to use them with minimal arm movement.

Anyone remember the old RR crossing signs seen at rural crossings? Stop (often), Look and Listen. That's pretty much how it has to be done.

I can't really still hunt much anymore, as my feet/knees are about shot, but it was once my favorite type of deer hunting, especially after the first day or two passed and the woods were far more free of company. Next to absent companions, that is what I miss the most now.

Have walked up on bedded or oblivious deer numerous times over the past 50 years, most of which never knew what hit 'em.

Favorite was a five pointer upwind of me and downhill at 80 yards or so. Never looked around once, was munching on a bush when I decided he was as big as he needed to be. After looking at him for quite some time thru the scope, trying to put that fifth point on him. As dce noted, learning to shoot well offhand is critical.
 
#23 ·
One thing I would like to add...stillhunting, for me, oftentimes becomes tracking, particularly, when there is snow. Tracking is an entirely different ballgame than stillhunting! You will never catch up to a deer that is going someplace or searching for receptive does by stillhunting. Now it's time to take the sling off the rifle, stow it away and point your nose in the direction those tracks are going so you can catch up. If his tracks are far apart, then he's on the move and you should be too!
 
#29 ·
The end game is, for the most part, the same in tracking. But you are right in saying it’s a whole different ballgame getting to that point. I will also turn a still hunt into a tracking hunt at times. Track needs to be smoking hot, tells me he’s getting ready to bed, and doesn’t know I’m following it. At a month short of being 73, with a back and legs that hurt all the time, I just can’t move fast anymore to cover the ground needed to catch up anymore.
 
#24 ·
Play the wind if possible, but with the longer range of rifle hunting it's not as critical as when out with the bow. Use terrain to your advantage - walking in creek bottoms, ravines, or skirting ridges and benches gives the opportunity to move while minimizing your overall height and movement.

Stick to shady spots if possible and attempt to stop next to large trees, behind chest high downed logs, anything to break up your outline. Pause when your vision encounters new terrain. This should be long enough to spot movement of a deer, which seldom stay stationary unless alarmed. A wagging tail or ear, bending for an acorn or moving along usually happens every thirty seconds or so. Adjust based on the terrain and your clarity of vision.

Then before moving take a quick glance at the ground ahead, picking your next few steps. This greatly reduces stepping on twigs and branches. The woods are full of minor noises with leaves swaying and various small animals scurrying about, so a tiny bit of infrequent noise is not often a game changer. But should you step on something and make a substantial noise, pause immediately to watch for a swiveling head or perked up ears.

Vary the cadence / rhythm of walking, a single step or two followed by three or four.

ALWAYS sneak up over a bench slowly, watching all terrain on top for a short while as it comes into view. In reverse, walk tops skirting the upper edge of benches slowly while just poking your head over to see down below.

MOVE MUCH SLOWER IN AREAS OF CONCENTRATED DEER SIGN.

Should you watch a large open area for a bit and things looks clear, it's usually a time saver to then hustle through it to the next location, helping cover more ground.
 
#25 ·
Not many woods around here good for still hunting. The last fifteen years or so the places I hunt have became so overgrown with green briar and blowdowns you really can't even penetrate a lot of it and have no choice but to let the deer come to you.
 
#26 ·
When still hunting and there aren't any other factors in play, there's a better than 50% chance that single deer, or even a small group of them that are jumped, will eventually circle around and come back into that same general area. Might take a half hour or more, sometimes they never stop and just filter back in again.

Some years back I got up into an area right on the NY border that I hadn't set foot in for many years. Got close enough to it where it was "just another couple hundred yards of uphill trudging", said what the heck and headed into those woods. There's an old grown up ROW down the middle of the woods. Jumped a deer part way in, never got to see it's head. Jumped it again and watched it circle off to my left thru some thick stuff.

Went back to where I'd jumped it originally, found a nice dark place to settle in and waited. Not even a half hour passed and here it came, sneaking along. Wind from the deer to me, never knew I was there and walked past at 20 yards.

Turned out to be a little spike so I passed, but that was the most fun I'd had in some time.

As for green briars and thick stuff, neighbor's woods above camp were select cut years ago. Mostly thick clumps of hemlocks and some other stuff left standing. Within a year the open areas had grown up thick with green briars and other growth, like maple saplings. Was up there one day in buck, noticed a "tunnel" path beaten thru some briars and into a really dense clump of mature hemlocks.

First day of doe that year was a sleet downpour. We quit mid morning after getting soaked and went in for dry duds. Slacked off a bit, so I went up there where that path was in the briars, crawled in there and quickly thumped a bedded doe under a hemlock, with my 444 Marlin. She had company in there, that all ran off when I shot.

My opinion, best way to deal with briars and impenetrable growth, is to figure out how/where they get in/out of it and be there. After that it's just luck.

:smile2:
 
#27 ·
Someone touched on my biggest tip.


REMOVE your rifle sling. Physically remove it. Put it in your pocket or pack. Put it on when you're dragging him out. Quick detach sling swivels.

If the sling isn't on the rifle, you're less likely to get lazy and get caught with a rifle on your shoulder.


A still hunting or tracking gun should be a weapon for the purpose. I'm not toting a 26" barrel and 12 or 14 or 18x scoped rifle.

I have 2 rifles setup for still hunting/tracking. A slightly modified Kimber Montana with a 2.5-8x36 VXiii for nice weather.l..weighs like 5.8 pounds scoped..and a 7600 35 whelen carbine I put a straight combed wood stock on. It has a Williams WGRS receiver sight with no apeture. A lot of days, a scope isn't a smart idea. Rain, snow, fog...raise the rifle and exhale and it's game over...my rigs are light, compact, fast handling and quick to shoulder and on target.

I don't care what those rifles do off a bench at 100 or 200 yards. I care that I can comfortably carry them all day on my feet and they come up to my eye naturally.

Not saying you gotta go out and buy a new rig...but, if you fall in love with tracking and still hunting, you'll see what I mean. My rifle is in my hands ALL day. I carried Remington pumps sight the same 2.5-8x36s for a while but man, they are heavy. I am about in love with the Kimber and excited to carry it this season.


Learning deer bedding is my other go-to. There's only so many hours in a day. There's only so many days in a season...and unfortunately I have to work. I don't have time to waste. I don't waste my time inching along through places I don't expect to find my target. And I focus my efforts where I DO expect to find my target. If that's doe hunting, it can be different than if I'm after a mature buck. Do I spook some deer? Absolutely... but typically not what I'm looking for. Not likely to find a mature buck waltzing around a mature oak flat a couple hundred yards from a parking area at noon within a few days of the opener. So I blow through areas like that fairly quick. I will be careful and not make a ton of noise...but also not inching through.


Binoculars are huge for me. I am learning to use them more and more. Again, back to time, I don't spend as much time glassing as some guys will. Do I miss some deer? Yep sometimes.

Learning your deer and land is huge. But I often use still hunting to learn new areas and scout. I carry my GPS and OnX on my phone and I'm constantly marking stuff for the future.

If you jump a deer don't freak out. You know he's there. You know the direction he ran. If you are sneaking along, chances are he's not going too terribly far. Go find him and kill him! I give them a bit to cool down...look at the land, look at my maps...devise a plan and go hunt him down. I've had mature bucks not go 200yds and bed back down after I've nearly stepped on them. Or, once they are jumped, often times they decide "I'm on my feet...I might as well grab a snack".


You can't overthink the wind. Keeping it in your face is great....but not always possible. I often hunt a cross wind. If it's blowing from my right side, I know I don't have to focus immediately to my left. Again, time...don't waste time looking where deer simply aren't gunna be.

On that note, TURN AROUND once in a while! Just because you walked through there doesn't mean a deer didn't come up or down the hill or whatever since then. One of the first coyotes I've ever killed was on a bear drive. I was pushing down along a small creek bottom. For no reason, I turned around to catch a coyote sneaking off the hill from another driver and cross the creek. I put him in a pile.


As the day changes so does my hunting. If I'm after a mature buck I focus primarily on bedding locations outside morning and evening. Then I will spend more time in areas coming from bedding to feeding.


Also gotta remember once the pressure drops, deer go back to being deer and the rut isn't over. Can't tell you how many bucks I've gotten the drop on because he was busy being a buck and chasing does. Couple years back we just finished pushing a woodlot. The crew was done. I had a buck tag and an hour of daylight on the last day. I still hunted through a really thick area...low and behold a buck...chasing doe around like a madman. He wasn't something I wanted to shoot so I enjoyed the show.


To me, it's a very enjoyable way to hunt. Im not sitting there hoping a deer comes by. I'm going to find them. I cover a lot of prime ground. I get to scout and log stuff for the future. I can also cross stuff off the list. If I am hunting an area a couple days in a row, there's areas I won't bother going back to...other areas may have been promising and I will re-hunt them.

Rather have snow so I can track...but that's rare...




Oh...on that note ... conditions. There's days I simply won't bother still hunting or tracking. Those dead calm days where you can hear a mouse 200 yards away? Ya...I'm not gunna bother. I simply don't have the patience to move that slowly and quietly to get away with it. Give me rain or wind or wet ground or soft snow....heavily frozen leaves and zero wind...no thanx lol. But, I've learned to adapt some. There's places I know I can hunt on those days. Pines and hemlock areas can be great on those days as well as some others....think outside the box. Take advantage of everything can.


There's a learning curve. It's not difficult but it's not easy for most people. For me, it was frustrating as heck for a while because I like to move and cover ground. I still do. But I'm learning more and more when to hunt and when to cover ground.
 
#30 ·
I think it's been touched upon a bit, but you HAVE to be comfortable with your firearm, and your abilities with that firearm. I know that I'm more comfortable "stillhunting" carrying my 870 12 gauge. That's what I have hunted with the most over the years (lived in WNY my whole like til 2010, and live in Montgomery County...). When we're up at camp this year, I'm taking both guns with me. I know that I won't have the range with the 870 as I do the 30-06, but I'm completely comfortable out to 90-100 yards with it. The area I'll be hunting isn't really going to offer much further than 75 yards, except for one spot, where we have a couple of stands. When I'm there, I'll have my 30-06.
 
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