still hunting
 

howya'll doing,
i was wondering if i could get some tips for still hunting,
i know one way to keep quiet is to bend your knee on the standingwhen your puting your foot down, and also lean forward a little... that's all

RE: still hunting
 

I only suggest stillhunting..... right to your STAND! ;):D

RE: still hunting
 

put wool socks on over your hunting boots it will keep the noise down..

RE: still hunting
 

Move slow. Take 1 or 2 steps look around then take 1 or 2 more. With the wind in your face.

RE: still hunting
 

Move real slow and when you think it is slow enough go slower. Don't look for a whole deer condition yourself to look for parts. After you get the hang of it you will be amazed at how many deer you can walk up on while still hunting. Use the wind and terrain to your advantage. If you come to a field stay inside the edge. When you get to a hill take lots of time to peak over the edge. If it is noisy in the woods by moving slow you will often hear them walking before they hear you if they are walking and you are sneaking.

RE: still hunting
 

- Plan your route based on wind in your face and sun at your back if possible.
- Try to stay on high ground in shoulder height cover.
- Learn to use a squirrel call and use it to cover your noises.
- decide before hand what shots you will and won't take, and stick to your plan.
- Remember, if you are luck enough to have snow on the ground or are good at tracking and you spook a nice buck, the hunt has not ended; it has just begun! Read and understand the art of "running down" or "hounding" deer.
- Have fun and remember to let someone know where you'll be and when you plan to return.
Good luck,
KP

RE: still hunting
 

Right on Killer! Wind in the face and sun on your back is the way to go, in a perfect world. But the world is not perfect, so you can't get that all the time ;). Everyone has said it here, slow movements is key!

RE: still hunting
 

I forgor to mention to stay focused. It is easy to loose your consentration and it seems when that happens is when you get busted.

RE: still hunting
 

move very very slow. i always walk torwards a big tree head on helps break you up

RE: still hunting
 

i smell a rat

RE: still hunting
 

When I still Hunt I am ussually using my bow. So I will Scout out areas nd kno where the bucks are moving and secific areas they could be like scrapes or rubs, feeding areas, or staging areas. Then I like to parralel those areas with the wind in my face. For this tecnique to be succesful aways use a pair of binoculars, they are your friend in this case. Always keep looking ahead every couple of seconds. Especially at bedding areas. And finally it has been said before but move slow pick the spot to put your foot down so u avoid stepping on twigs and such. Hope this helps, and good luck.

RE: still hunting
 

First time I totally agree with IL-Cornfed. STILL HUNT TO YOUR TREESTAND. Still hunters have poor success rate. Worst of all, they bump and educate deer. An educated buck is a noctural buck.

RE: still hunting
 

I love to stillhunt and stalk PA whitetails during the archery seasons. When the conditions are damp, or better yet, windy, I'm always on the ground sneaking about. It's a great feeling to take an active, go get it approach. I usually connect with one by stillhunting or stalking once every year or two.

Simple things help. Wear quiet footwear. Seems obvious and simple enough, but it's tough to find a pair or boots without heavy lugged vibram crunch-crunch soles.Wear flexible boots with soft rubber soles that let you feel the ground. Avoid boots with skinny heels, too.Skinny heels are a bear to keep your balancewhen you're perched on one foot and holding still or inching forward. (This is a plague of many rubber bottom Bean-type boots.)

Every single movement you make should be slow and deliberate. Place the outside heel ofyour footdown first, and then slowly roll it forward and flat, while taking notice to potentially noisy sticks or ground cover beneath. Shift your weight forward only after your foot is set down. If you stillhunt for long hours, expect some thigh burn. :D

Pause frequently and peer into the brush. Bincolars are very handy for this.

If you jump something, don't give up. Deer will often run ahead just a few tens of yards and lay down again if they aren't spooked badly. Wait a few minutes and move forward slowly for another crack at them.

Try not to silhouette yourself against an open background or skyline. Hug creekbeds, brush, fencerows, and the like when you can.

When you getnear the end of a patch of woods, don't give up and stomp off. Deer often like to bed on the edge of the woods and might be just a few yards ahead. (I've let my guard down on several occassions when I had deer within 15 yards and didn't know it until I returned to a normal walk.)

On the flipside, if you know the hot and cold areas of your hunting grounds, you can optimize your hunting time by walking through the dead areas and only stillhunting the hot ones.

Wind and rain are your friends. Don't stay home because of strong winds or light rain.

One of my favorite tactics is to try to intercept moving deer. Several times a season, I end up doing 1/4 mile wind sprints to try to cut moving deer off. I'm often too late orsometimes spook them, but it's great when everything comes together. Nootherhunting methodgets your heart pumping so hard (literally). ;)

A successful PA stalk...

RE: still hunting
 

Stillhunting in 50 mph wind...

RE: still hunting
 

Results of wind sprint to cut off a group of deer moving across a field...

RE: still hunting
 

May be I should have said my post differently. I encourage all stillhunters to stillhunt after9 A.M.; as long as I'm on the other side of the woods in my treestand along an escape route.

RE: still hunting
 

Agreed.

The only time I would stillhunt is later in the PA rifle season when the orange army has already sent thedeer runnin for cover.