I am a still hunter and actually like to hunt in the noisy dead leaf conditions. The secret to successful still hunting is to go slow and be aware of everything all around you. Look for parts of deer rather than the whole deer. Going slow is the only way to accomplish that. Each step has to be planned and taken in such a way as to be as noise free as possible. My rule is to go slower than the deer. When it is noisy I often hear the deer before they hear me if they are moving. I take a step and then pause and listen and look all around even behind me. If deer are moving they normally walk but don't stop after a single step. If you have good ears and go slow enough you can usually hear them. Pretty exciting when you take a step and stop then feel something. I often feel it before I actually hear them. That feeling is your ears and brain pick up something but the sound isn't loud enough to actually hear it. When I get that feeling I freeze and that low noise my brain picked up turns to steps as the deer or other woodland creature gets closer. Hunting on a ridge is always tough until you get to the top because often the wind is going up the ridge. Once on top it can be a great hunt sneaking along the ridge and peaking down. Deer will often bed right on the bench at the top looking along the ridge and getting the wind coming up the ridge.