Still hunting

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mauser06
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Still hunting

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Nov 21, 2016 6:41 am

I am falling in love with still hunting. After archery season I've had nearly enough of sitting and waiting. And with the extreme pressure in some of my hunting grounds it's not productive unless someone goes in...during the week the pressure dies but the deer stay holed up and largely nocturnal...



Any good books or videos?

I've done OK. Armed with beast knowledge of bedding really helps. Ive killed a buck still hunting (supposed to be pushing to my dad lol). Also passed on a few..and of course had shots at does and seen plenty of tails.. which I know means I'm going to fast..


I'd like to get productive at it...to me, it's hunting in its ultimate sense..putting your boots on and going and HUNTING...

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woodswalker
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby woodswalker » Mon Nov 21, 2016 7:37 am

Seeing tails could also mean the winded shifted from your front to your back and you were winded. There is nothing magical or mysterious about still hunting, you just walk toe to heel, take a few steps and stop and look, take a few more and stop and look. It should take you a long time to move 100 feet. If you think you are moving too fast, you probably are.
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mauser06
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:03 am

The wind can definitely be a factor. Especially in hill country when it's windy...get a weird gusty swirl and they catch a whiff and are on edge or already starting to go out...



I got within 15yds of a bedded mature doe the other day. Of course I nearly stepped on her and didn't know she was there...had it been a big buck I would have had a bullet in him as he went out. Gave me that nice hesitation as she started going out.


I find it an enjoyable way to hunt the big woods...not always great conditions for it..

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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby dongley » Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:35 am

After seeing PK recommend it in a couple threads I picked up a copy of Still-Hunting Trophy Whitetails by Bill Vaznis I think his name is, really a good book on the topic. I think one of the key takeaways is working with a crosswind rather than straight into the wind. Knowing that bucks are bedding wind at back looking down wind, walking a crosswind gives you a chance to see them before they spot you.

Another thing that helps is a quality pair of binos. Even when working thick cover its amazing how much easier it is to pick things apart using binoculars. I think being able to spot the deer before they see you is half the battle with still hunting.

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Findian
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby Findian » Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:41 am

Still hunting is fun. I do about a mile in two to three hours. The best way to still hunt is to use the topography to your advantage. Cover lots of ground in short amount of time to find out where the deer are, then slow down.

I like to still hunt ravines on a cross wind, they give me the ability to see more ground to locate a deer. I stoped worrying about making to much noise a few years ago, and started trying to sound like deer.

In my opinion I believe I have more deer come to me to check out the noise that I make. I think that maybe because I'm looking for the fresh sign. I find it and I'll slow down and the deer that are around, hear the noise and wonder who or what I am. Since I'm playing the wind and they can't scent check.

I will also some times find the fresh sign then hop up on a dead fall to get a vantage point. And sit for a hour or two.

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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby Findian » Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:47 am

One more thing if you are walikng and you spot a buck and it's looking at you and has not bolted. Do not stop walking keep on going while you raise you weapon an take your shot as your walking.
Once you stop and turn that buck will bolt.

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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby oldrank » Mon Nov 21, 2016 9:11 am

I like to work through areas where I know the lay of the land well. Knowing where to expect the deer allows quick travel through unproductive land. I also like a good pair of binoculars. I will scan an area and work through everything in my line of sight. If I see nothing I will move forward to my next sight advantage point. It could be a hill or a hedge row or anything that lets me hide. Its more spot and stalk style hunting. I can cover alot of ground fast doing this.

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mauser06
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:50 am

Good stuff! Thanx guys!!


I guess in essence I'm doing it "right". I'm sure there is no right or wrong..and many personal variations...


When I did it last week I worked points and ravines on the leeward side...so it was a cross wind...

I'd ease up to the top of the knob and scan the next one. Funny 2/5 of the deer were actually on the knob I crested and 1 actually wasn't on the "right" side for the wind.

I have been locking in the top 1/3rd elevation or staying above that and just below the crest of the hill..

I also do it in new land. I can scout, log sign in my GPS, and hunt all at the same time.


I need to use my binocs more..and need to learn to spot deer...I can pick out the easy ones...but most of the time I do everything right but find the deer before I step on it.

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headgear
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby headgear » Mon Nov 21, 2016 11:25 am

This is something I need to do more of, especially when the deer aren't moving because of weather or wolves. When go in to an archery set in stealth mode there have been numerous bucks and deer I could easily got rifle hunting. The hard part is staying in stealth mode the whole time but a guy could jump from bedding area to bedding area and just slowly work your way through.
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby mauser06 » Mon Nov 21, 2016 11:34 am

That's probably the trick...knowing when you can move a little quicker and when you can't...or always going slow.

Some of the well known trackers like to move quickly until they jump them and give them time to calm down and then take up the track knowing they aren't real far behind.

Still hunting is a little different than tracking though. Seems that tactic would still work but finding them again could be tough without snow to track.



I've never done it much in smaller woodlot farmland settings...I guess the buck I killed was.. typically though I do it in the big woods where I can walk all day and not worry about anything..no boundaries etc..

There are certainly days just not conducive to stand hunting.


Armed with knowledge of deer bedding I think still hunting can be very deadly...

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tgreeno
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby tgreeno » Mon Nov 21, 2016 1:25 pm

I never still hunt...I have a couple areas it could really work out well. I did end up shooting a buck in his bed about 5 years ago. i was walking in for the evening hunt.
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby cedarsavage » Mon Nov 21, 2016 2:24 pm

Something I'd like to do more as well. I'm gonna read bill vaznis book, another good one is stalking and still hunting a ground hunters bible by g Fred asbell. I've been snow tracking the last few days and been on more bucks in two days than I have in 30 sits, our deer are so spread out with big woods and ultra low densities I think you gotta travel to find smoking hot sign. I like the crosswind thing that makes sense

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PK_
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Re: Still hunting

Unread postby PK_ » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:01 pm

Yea, I really liked the book by Vaznis. If you haven't read Benoit's, 'how to bag the biggest buck of your life', you need to. I know still-hunting is not tracking but the things you will learn from that book will help you tremendously with any tactics you wish to use to hunt mature bucks. It also has a very good 'flow', it reads very well. The love for the hunt really comes through in that book better than any other I have read, hands down.

Couple tips I would throw out would be... Carry milkweed or cotton and listen to it. Wear good camo, I am not big on camo but at ground level, some asat or other 'open' pattern absolutely makes a world of difference if you get caught in the open...

Just have fun with it and learn as you go, it really is such a free feeling to not be connected to a tree...

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