Hunting method / Still hunting

[shmrck1]

BMM,
Very nice!!!Is that a resent harvest?
snake-eyes :hatsoff:

 

[mglampson]

BBM, now that is a beautiful buck! Always heard you boys had the big rack bucks penned up in the southern part of the state. Now you prove em right.

 

[roundball]

A wide racked buck for sure...congratulations!

Having spend a combined year and a half at San Antonio, Witchita Falls, and Amarillo...my only view of Texas was wide open spaces...surely there are forested / brushy areas...what's it like where you hunt, where you still hunted with open sights?

 

[Protrucker]

Thanks for the compliments. I collected this buck December 1, 2001 while still hunting into a brush lot. Most of the deer of this quality that I've taken were the result of still hunting. I do sit on stand also, but as others have stated you can only sit for just so long when it's cold as a witches....

Still hunting while bow hunting is the best! The deer haven't been spooked yet & they aren't on alert for the smallest mistakes you make when you're sneaking around.

 

[CrackStock]

I have hunted with dogs and did not like it at all. You spend a couple hours hunting with dogs and days hunting for them. I also do not like the idea of using dogs on deer as the shots are rushed and you likely kill the deer even if nobody shoots it. Seems like a poor set of choices. On the other hand, bird, rabbit or squirrel dogs are another matter entirely.

I prefer using a collection of pre-scouted terrain or tree stands that I choose based upon current conditions. I have a stand on an overlook above where 3 deer trails intersect. Beautiful spot and I have the comfort of being able to sit on the ground or I also have a tree stand nearby with a different scent and shot angle for various conditions.

I also like to have a "plan B" for when I get cold or too bored to stay with the original stand. At these times, I may pick another stand or stalk, but it is so thick here that sneaking up is ludicrous, so I will often head back to the truck and get a squirrel rifle or smoothbore to go after small game. Small meat in the pot is better tahn no deer!

CS

 

[the skrat]

i connected on a decent 8 pointer this year still hunting. the first few days of season i sit in a ground blind or tree stand, never use bait there are just to many peaple around here to still hunt during the first few days. after about 5 days or so everybody leaves then i will still hunt i like hunting this way seems like my senses are realy keen rather than in a ground blind i get comfy and want to doze off if the action slows down.the bad thing about still hunting for most peaple is you need a fair amount of property without a lot of other peaple on it.this method of hunting also takes lots of patience and practice but i believe the most enjoyable.
curly maple

 

[Joel Lehman]

We still hunt in raised box blinds or tripods in the southeastTexas brush where my brothers and I have a lease. Lately the problem has been the heat. Last Saturday it was 78 at 8:00 AM and about 88 at 6:00 PM. Maybe we will have our one day of winter soon.

 

[netoleon]

It should start snowing here today anytime now.... that makes for great still huntin'. Scouting is productive with a few fresh inches on the ground. It's easy to differentiate between light and heavy deer use areas if you have snow cover for a few days - and no pesky ATV'ers obliterating track. Theoretically you can even determine whether to chase up a trail if you can calculate the deterioation in the track profile based on time elapsed since new snow, wind speed, ambient temperature and humidity. But that's a little much even for me ! Deep snow, or constant accumulations, make it harder to get really good results. Either way, a stalk in snowy conditions is way better than sittin' around brushing snow off your kit and slowly freezing.

Sadly it doesn't snow nearly enough around here. Another reason to keep workin' on that global warming thing.

 

[Stumpkiller]

We still hunt in raised box blinds or tripods in the southeast Texas . . .

I have this War of the Worlds mental image of giant tripods walking across the plains and terrorizing deer. That's stand hunting unless the tripods walk around. :haha:

Glossary:

"Ambush" means you're motionless and waiting for the deer to move to you.

"Blind (aka "Hide") Hunting" means you are using natural or imported cover, usually on the ground, to disguise yourself while you wait in ambush.

"Pit blind" - A ground blind that includes a fox-hole.

"Stalking" means you spot a deer first and then try to get close.

"Stand-hunting" means you're on a raised or semi-enclosed platforn or blind, TV and hibachi optional.

"Still-hunting" means you're moving slowly on foot. This is the only "active" attack method of all listed here. I've been told this comes from the usual response to "How'd you do so far this deer season?"

"I'm still hunting."

It's the difference between running the ball and watching from the press box. :winking:

 

[roundball]

:hmm: :hmm:

As usual, significant cerebral work evident in this excellent post, laced with a touch of good humor too!!
:bow:

However... :grin:

I always use the term "stand hunting" or "deer stand" to mean I'm waiting motionless for deer to show on a trail or something, as opposed to still hunting...I'll admit that is setting up an "ambush" but I never call it that.

Then, to indicate the KIND of deer stand I'm taking I'll say a ground-sit (just open against a tree), or ground blind, or tree-stand.

Maybe it's a southern thing... :blah:

 

[Stumpkiller]

That'll work too.

"On stand" usually means you're going somewhere to sit. "Still hunting" means you are moving. "Blind" is something you look out of.

Was English this messed up before it got to America?

I think it was Slowpoke showed us pictures of his deer stand. It's what we around here call a "deer camp", but his is up on stilts. Must be dangerous to climb out of in the dark early morning so you can go hunting. :rotf:

 

[Catof9tails]

I'd say I prefer the still hunt for Whitetails. I like to use a tree stand most of the time, but sometimes I'll set up on the ground just to put a spin on a hunt. The tree stand has been the most productive for me with Whitetails. If I have a good snow storm, then I'll do the slow walk, stop thing.

As for mulies, I prefer the slow walk, stop method.

Guess the methods vary depending on one's geographic location.

Cat9

 

[Slamfire]

I think it was Slowpoke showed us pictures of his deer stand. It's what we around here call a "deer camp", but his is up on stilts. Must be dangerous to climb out of in the dark early morning so you can go hunting. :rotf:

Not to mention hurryin' to the necessary. :redface:

 

[Gametracker]

"On stand" usually means you're going somewhere to sit. "Still hunting" means you are moving. "Blind" is something you look out of.

Forgot one! A "drive" is a hunt on foot.

I do my gun hunting sitting still on the ground, only use stands for bowhunting. The idea is, I like to have the flexability to "move in" closer for a shot if I need to (actually so I can lay over and take a nap while waiting for daylight!) I still hunt after I've sat still as long as I can stand it. I haven't still-hunted with a lot of success. I usually find that when deer aren't moving, they are bedded in brush so thick that I can't distinguish them with my eyes until too late.

 

[Slamfire]

I've found if you are in heavy leaf coverage of the ground, you make less noise if you put your toe down first, then ease down on your heal. Also, take steps in pairs or threes, but never walk continuously like a man, unless you are on a road, then toe, heel, toe, heel hard enough to make a bit of sound. Stop and look all around including to the rear, then squat and do it all over again. I once walked up on bedded deer, using a deep creek bed, and moving very slowly. :winking:

 

[Dave K]

Hunting style, is to me anyhow, dictated by yout terrain. Where I live in Ohio, it is so flat and the woods are small, to still hunt means exposing yourself across open fields and a thin small woods without gullies or terrain to hide in. I can't say it is impossible to still hunt, but it is so much harder than when you have large woods, hills and creek beds to still hunt through.

 

[elcazador]

I still hunt also. I for the most time sit on a active deer trails or just off them and wait. Some times all day or I move to another location. I see alot of game sitting and waiting. And beinglow to the ground you can easily pickup a deer moving. My last hunt 2 weekends ago, I had 2 does , 2x2 buck, and a bobcat past me and I was sitting a cabelas folding chair in some tall grass and branches that I placed around my position. The only animal that notice me was the bobcat and that was after it nearly walk up into me.

 

[chickenlittle]

I would like to be successful still hunting but it hasn't happened yet. I find it tough mentally to keep going slow for more than an hour. I probably need to sit and break every half-hour to keep myself fresh.

I also got a pair of small binoculars this year. My heavy full-size pair were a pain to carry and discouraged me from using them while stil hunting. With the compacts, I can take a few steps and then spend some time looking everything over before moving again. Forces me to go slow and quiet.

If we had some fresh snow this week, I'd take a day off and try following some fresh tracks.

 

[KyFlintlock]

Stillhunting is my favorite way to hunt deer by far! We are supposed to get some snow on Friday, so I'll be out on Saturday with the flinter, movin' real slow and lookin for a good ern'.

I have the best luck on good bucks using a stand, but the most fun is always a stillhunt!

Good luck
Wess