Hello, guys! I hunt public land in Missouri where the deer see a lot of pressure. I usually sit in a ground blind near a food plot, but I only see does and small bucks. My buddy says I should try still hunting through the timber during the late season. What has worked better for you guys when the deer get smart? I am thinking about leaving the blind at home and just moving slow.

Stillhunting under the right conditions can be very effective. But those conditions must be present. I once walked up on a buck and shot him at 30 yd. in his bed. It was a heavy snowstorm. I could move silently and against the wind. Normally, if you don't move, you see the deer. If you move, the deer see you. Food plots are notorious for attracting does and small bucks during the day. If you're not seeing bucks where you're sitting, you're not sitting in the right spot They have to be somewhere.

On pressured public land, mature bucks usually avoid obvious food plots during daylight, especially late season. Moving slowly through timber or setting up near bedding-to-food transition areas can definitely improve your chances if done carefully with the wind in your favor. A lot of hunters stick to blinds, so sometimes changing tactics and covering ground quietly helps you find deer that already learned the common patterns. Patience and staying extremely slow while still hunting are probably the biggest keys.