Still Hunting

[Muleskinner]

I ain't much on binos. I do better sensin' where the critters will be rather than tryin' to pick 'em outta their natural habitat. Afor I went off across the big muddy to the shinin' mountings of Wyom, I used to stalk deer where the cedars meet the hardwoods. Always a good choice of trails there. If it rained a spell the day before an' there was acorns on the ground, I'd be there in a New York minute. My advice is to move slow enough to hear your own heart beat, and learn to sense animals around you. Mos' people think they're sneakier than they are when it comes to big-earred, big nose critters. Scouting is impotent, cause like my granny used to say "don't hunt where they ain't."

 

[riarcher]

Been a Trad. (longbow) hunter for years.
Some basic rules for the New England swamps-
When the deer move,,,, Don't! Like in the early morn /evening when the deer are going or coming to feed/bedding areas, etc.
When the deer don't move,,,, do! Mid-day when they're bedded down you couldbe on a stand all day and see nothing if they aren't moving.
Use the "elements" to your advantage. Wind, rain, snow, frost, ice, crunchy leaves. They all offer good opertunities when you know how. Frozen swamps are great for getting into areas you can't normally go.
Carry calls and use them. Not deer calls, but crow, squirrell, wood duck, etc. When you need to make a noise make it like a critter and occasionally followed up with a squirrel bark or duck chatter depending on where you're at. When you learn to "hear" you'll notice the woods can be very noisy at times.
When still hunting, don't try and break through briars and heavy brush. Go around it and watch your back trail. Deer like the path of least resistance, if you find some really thick stuff you can bet the deer don't go through it either (unless pushed or jumped), but they very well couldbe bedded up in the middle of it somewhere. On your quiet stalk around, look for a trail or opening into all that thick stuff. Now that's a likely area if you can sneak in unaware.
When walking through an area that you're not really hunting, walk like a jogger, hiker, etc. Deer are used to seeing these and I'm sure can tell from the walk if it's a threat or not.
Use other hunters to your advantage. Be the first one in. If there are bird hunters coming in, stillhunt to get around & behind a field before the dogs get let out. Get about 150 yds back where you can see as many escape routs (runs) that you can find. If you don't get a shot, but see some deer generally heading in the same direction, they're telling you their general bedding direction. Start your stillhunt criss-crossing these runs.
If you need to cross a open area, or push through bright sun, do so quickly and quietly,,, and smoothly like a brisk walk (hiker style) not in a jerky, wave your arm jogging mode. Go smoothly but quickly.
Some things you may consider, diets of garlic, onion, sardines, makes your skin week of the oils. They'll pick up on that. Along with that gasoline you spilt on your boots when you filled up on your way hunting, and the stale tobbaco smell from inside your favorite ride. Keep all scents to a minimum (I don't personally believe in "attractants". Believe they'll look for the scent long before they see you,,, and they will see you before you see them if they are interested in the scent.)Keep "scent free" inside and out.
Skin has a shine, and the color is like nothing else in the swamp. Cover it up.
And like everyone else said, Go very slowly looking deep into the woods. Get down low from time to time and look under the brush. Keep an eye in the air. If you see a crow (or such critters) freeze until they pass. If they see you move they'll announce for miles that you're there.
Easy rule; 2% walk/ 40% look/ 40% hear/ 18% smell.
Smell? no not you,,, your surroundings. What to smell for? Apples, grapes, nuts, corn, water, deer urine, skunk spray, and rotting critters, etc. Anything you can detect. If you smell a skunk, means there is probably a meat-eater (coyote?) in the area and deer don't associate too much with them,,, usually. Apples? Grapes? You maybe onto an old abandoned orchard in the middle of no-where. And I know deer like that! ::
Wow- didn't mean to write a book :sorry:

 

[graybeard]

Here in Muskegon we have a state park with lots of deer and no hunting. My hunting partner is one of those guys who can't sit still for very long. So he is honing his still-hunting skills where there are lots of deer. The deer are semi-tame, but still spooky and he's learning a lot by by sneaking through the park armed with nothing more than a walking staff. I'm sure there are other state parks in Michigan in the same situation. By next fall I expect he'll be able to count coup on a deer. graybeard eace:

 

[Gametracker]

If you notice sometimes when you are sitting still or in a tree stand, you will turn your head to see that a deer walks up on you without you ever noticing it, it is quiet, cautious, and sloooow! As one of the most stealth animals for its size, I let the whitetail itself teach me how to move through the woods unnoticed. A whitetail often may make two or three steps and just stand there motionless for a half an hour easily before resuming, and I know I'm not the only one here who has turned around from where you came from to see that you had just walked right past a motionless deer. If your patience doesn't exceed the deer's, you will lose! Secondly, a deer can walk lightly enough that you oftentimes can't hear it. This is a tough one. Look for every opportunity to muffle walking noise, such as wet leaves, rocks, super-slowsteps. Next, a deer is always looking. When grazing a mature deer will often
spend half its time with its head up. So keep moving your eyes, turn your head slowly. Don't turn your shoulders if you don't have to, as a deer does not lunge itself to see what's "around the corner". Takes more than step by step instructions to become good at it, there's no better instruction than experience. You will eventually effectively move by intuition and even begin to recognize opportunities to move in and stalk. Sounds impractical but it can happen, but stalking is not for just any circumstance.

 

[Rat]

I combine still hunting with stand hunting. I don't use tree stands, but go out to the state land during the summer and make some blinds in different locations. Great summer fun, take the wife and her little dog along too. Then when season comes I still hunt my way from blind to blind, using different approches, or routes, depending on the time of day, weather, wind, other hunters etc. When I get to a blind, I'll spend an hour or so in it, or maybe more in the morning and at dusk.

Like someone else mentioned, if there are other hunters about I'll stay in a blind longer. If I seem to be the only one about, I'll move about more.

Since I can't sit in a blind or stand all day either, that works well for me.

It's also great for around lunch time, in the blind I can take off my pack and goof around with my lunch stuff, take a break, without a lot of visible movement, like if I just sat down under a tree. At the same time, I can keep a good look out too.

Sometimes I have gone out to one of the blinds the day before season, then spent the night in it...the one closest to the road of course. At dawn all I do is sit up, prime the pan, and wait/watch, right from the bag. Then whenever I feel like it, I'll just pack up my sleeping bag and overnight stuff, leave them in that blind, and go off a sneaking and a still-hunting. Never shot one from the sleeping bag yet...but hey it's still a lot of fun. Last time the Coyotes sure put on a singing concert for me...not knowing anyone human was around!!! That was pretty cool.

Rat

 

[roundball]

Last time the Coyotes sure put on a singing concert for me...not knowing anyone human was around!!! That was pretty cool.

We're going to have to start calling you:

"sleeps with coyotes"
::

 

I prefer still hunting. When I walk through the woods I typically move slowly and am alert to every sight, sound and smell around me, feel the wind direction, and step softly. Usually the best way is to take 6 to 8 steps, stop, slowly look around. proceed. Stop at intervals and just sit. Listen and watch. Animals make noise when they walk, run or feed through the woods. You can too, just sound like a feeding animal. Wild turkeys and (ugh) armadillos (Texas state road decoration) make a lot of noise in the woods. So can squirrels and even small birds. I called up a flock of turkeys one fall in OK that sounded like a troop of boy scouts coming and have located flocks by this sound on other occasions. I have walked right up on feeding deer. My father-in-law could get real close to deer. Hate to just sit in a stand--won't do it. :m2c:

 

[Rat]

That might give the wife the wrong impression.

 

Brother get yourself a copy of the book The Still-Hunter by Theodore S. Van Dyke. It was written ages ago by a man who was more deer than human.If your serious about learning to still hunt this will get you on the road.It still takes years of practice, but this book will give you a fighten chance. :m2c: