I want to start hunting but hate sitting still, advice please

[mr.jake]

Well the title mostly describes my dilema. I hunted alot of squirrel with a ruger 10/22 when i was younger but now that i have a .357 rossi 92 i want to test my beloved cast boolits on something a bit larger. The meat brought home will be a bonus [smilie=s: Most people in my area (gaston county NC) hunt from tree stands but to me thats no fun. What are my options? I know for certain we have coyotes and deer in my area but it seems to me that if im not sitting in a tree stand it would be nearly impossible to get a shot on eather of them.

[scrapcan]

travel and hunt in a place where you can move might be an option. But then you get into the expense.

[mr.jake]

I have a couple of place i could hunt were i would be able to move. But is it not nearly impossible to do this without the target spotting you before the shot??

[725]

Try pigs. They are down in your area. Search around and I bet you find something suitable.

[HollowPoint]

To some folks, hunting from a tree stand just doesn't really seam like hunting.

Growing up in the open country of the southwest, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to sit still long enough to be an effective tree stand "hunter." Same thing when I'm fishing. I can't get myself to sit in one spot while I wait for the fish to come to me. I have to be moving around looking in the spots that look good to me.

I think in the case of the tree stand hunter, the thing being hunted is actually the place where you want to hang your tree stand. Once you find a suitable place, then you're more of a tree stand sniper; assuming you've picked a good spot.

Your 357 lever action is perfect for this kind of thing. The learning curve lies in the area of figuring out where best to place your tree stand.

[bowfin]

I don't hunt out of a tree stand either. However, we have enough open space in Nebraska that it makes it easier to hunt on the ground or to still hunt.

There was a family up in Maine that were able to hunt down big bucks just by tracking. This isn't something that can be learned in one or two seasons, but they hunted some pretty thick woods. How it compares to your neck of the woods, I cannot say, but hunt the way that is enjoyable to you.

[Wolfer]

I've always been a still hunter I didn't like staying in one place too long. When moving through the woods I moved really slow, say maybe 100 yds an hour or a little more.
If I saw someplace I liked I might set there for an hour or so then ease on making a big circle over the course of the day.

This style of hunting is difficult enough with a rifle let alone a handgun but it's nowhere near as boring as stand hunting. A few years back I lost the place I hunted and we found a new place. It's on public ground in a big river bottom and it's so brushy no one else will hunt there. I couldn't still hunt here very well so climbed into my first tree stand. Man! I see a lot more deer hunting like this. It's so thick a 30 yd shot is pretty long so all meat deer for me need to be taken with a pistol. I carry a rifle in case a wall hanger comes by and is a difficult shot with a pistol. Also I find as I get older it's a lot easer to set than it used to be.

When the leaves were dry making it impossible to move quietly I try to walk with about the same speed and cadence as a turkey. There's a lot of them in the area and I've fooled many gobblers that way so I know it works for deer too. Most times the deer would see me before I saw them and if your going to bring home meat you and your rifle better be in tune. I've saw several first but it's not the norm for me.
Good luck. Woody

[MT Chambers]

Wolfer kinda nailed it, walk slowly and quietly, stopping to look and listen, you should do more stopping and looking/listening than you do walking. Most folks are in way too big a hurry for this style of hunting...at least this is how I like to hunt here in W. Canada.

[runfiverun]

the trick is definately to see them first.
in our area you have to be mobile,flexible,and quick.
the deer don't wander down the creek bed to the hay/corn field every evening at 7 p.m., and back again in the morning.
i hunt open areas,pine trees,quakies,buck brush,sagebrush flats,and cedars.
quite often in the same day.
spot and stalk,and stealth hunting is practiced alternately from ridge to ridge.
punt and run is used too, on the smaller patches.
sometimes just wandering along the ridge edges quietly pays off too.
a good quality pair of small binoculars,a pair of well fitting soft souled boots, a rear peep sight and bright easily seen front sight,and quiet clothing are about all you need.
picking the right time of day when the deer are not moving to or from somewhere works best for the quiet movement tacics.
and playing the wind is essential.

[mr.jake]

Man i love this forum! Great tips guys exactly the type of feed back i was looking for. :-P

[waksupi]

I travel about the same speed as Wolfer. No matter how slow you think you are going, slow down more. Take a few steps, then glass every thing around you. Look at each bush, every clump of grass. Don't forget to look behind you.
It is amazing how moving a few feet can put you in view of deer or elk that you couldn't see from your previous position. When done right, you can get within slapping distance of a deer. They don't like it though, and may kick you.

By the way, I don't know how old you are, but a young person can usually not hunt like this.

[white eagle]

there are many forms of hunting
you are speaking of hunting two totally different animals
both have their own ways to be hunted successfully
work out the animal you want to hunt and go from there
would not combine different species in the beginning

[Slam'n Salmon]

You can move faster but must keep a non bi-ped cadence.

With an irregular step it is easier to sneak up on stuff. Try to sound like background noise. I have used a squirrel type pace to cover a lot of ground to get to a ridge to look over.

Crunch crunch crunch crunch won't do it.

Soft fabrics and no metallic bumps clicks or clanks.

Be clean! Ivory soap is low scent. Leave your hunting clothes out side away from house. No Chili for dinner.

The main problem with stalking is you are on the ground and your scent travels along it. Deer will smell you before they see you.

Motion motion motion. It makes you and your quarry visable.

Is it doable? Yes.

But most deer will see you first.

It is probably easier to be still enough in a stand than on the ground when a deer is getting close. Freezing in an awkward position can be an intense isometric exercise. Try doing it with a bow or handgun at arms length while you wait for him to go behind a tree so you can move without being seen. If you can see a deers eye don't move or he will see you and game over

[camaro1st]

i've hunted alot of draws that are 50yrds or so wide and i found that when you can walk in a creek bottom you dont make much noise. i drag my feet so that im not makeing smacking noises in the mud or water. seen lots of deer when i walk in the early afternoon. Coyotes are a different story the only ones i ever see are running across the field like drag cars on sunday. remember any day hunting is better than working!!
good luck

[jhalcott]

There are products like Scent Shield that minimize body odor and CAN help. Always ,if possible, hunt into the wind as that will keep your scent away from their nose. Set trail cameras around your hunting area to know when and where the deer are traveling. One of my friends uses felt soles glued to the bottom of his boots to lessen the sounds as he stalks thru the woods.
ME, I setup on a ridge with a,high power scope equipped LOONG RANGE rifle on sand bags . A table with a range finder and wind meter with a comfy chair. HEY, I can't walk very far any more!

[Wolfer]

I've found woodsmoke to be extremely effective at covering or eleminating human odor even on coyotes which are much harder to fool than deer. You do have to stand in the smoke until you are really saturated.

[HollowPoint]

"No Chili for dinner."

If I eat chili before a deer hunt, I've found that I can then produce some effective "Buck-Grunt" sounds.

I just have to make sure that I keep track of which way the wind is blowing or my usual hunting
buddies won't have anything to do with me.

Feel the burn.

HollowPoint

[btroj]

No tree stands for me. I prefer a stool or a boat cushion on the ground. I find that as long as you aren't stupid the deer will ignore you pretty well. I have shot a few at less than 20 yards.
I do get up and move around from time to time, I just can't sit for more thana. Few hours at a time.
In the end the area you hunt determines the methods that work best.

[mr.jake]

I travel about the same speed as Wolfer. No matter how slow you think you are going, slow down more. Take a few steps, then glass every thing around you. Look at each bush, every clump of grass. Don't forget to look behind you.
It is amazing how moving a few feet can put you in view of deer or elk that you couldn't see from your previous position. When done right, you can get within slapping distance of a deer. They don't like it though, and may kick you.

By the way, I don't know how old you are, but a young person can usually not hunt like this.

Ile be 21 in june. Im gonna give it a try maybe ile be one of the few. I dont mind moveing slow as long as im moving! Deer stands make me sleepy. Thats why I never cared much for hunting other than squirrel hunting. When i used to squirrel hunt I basically walked very slowly trying not to step on any twigs and kept my eyes on the trees for movement. I really enjoyed it back then and always killed more squirrel than my cousin because he stomped and tore through the underbrush like some sort of yetti.

[quilbilly]

Like everybody else says, go slow but there are a couple things that have helped me over the years hunting blacktail deer in the thick stuff of the Pacific NW. First, if possible, hunt in sneekers with flexible soles rather than boots if you can in spite of the local ticks and chiggers. Stiff sole boots are noisy. I recently started rain hunting in calf-height soft "Muck Boots" ( a brand name) that are really flexible and they are wonderful like waterproof moccasins for being quiet.
Second, if you know any old abandoned or little used logging roads, walk them very very slowly but always stay on the edge next to the brush. The deer and other wildlife use them as a path of least resistance until the first traffic of the day goes by.

[Three44s]

Get some hunting buddies together and you double back to your truck while they tramp all around and send the game past your truck!

Every time, I drive out to the end of a logging road and park and start stalking elk, the only tracks I see are right around my rig!!!

The other suggestion has been mentioned: Get some trail cameras going. Take some dogs with you and watch when they get real interested in a spot or trail. Place a camera in as many "dog" interesting places as you can.

You'll be amazed at how HOT certain spots are and DEAD others are!! Only a trail camera gives a good picture about what your "fortunes" might be somewhere!


Three 44s

[ksriverrat]

It's good to keep some thing between you & the area in front of you when reaching the top of high ground.
Such as a tree rock or whatever. A tree behind you can break up your outline just as well.

Get to know whats normal behavior for the birds in your area. How they act can tell you things you cant see.

If the need arises crawl!!
You can a lot of times see much better & farther at ground level in thick stuff. In some cases it is the most quite method.
Practice & then practice some more. Doing it with your favorite deer blaster. While doing this a taped muzzle is a good idea. To keep debris out. You can safely shoot through it

It is also good to remember there are no horizontal straight lines in the woods or timber. Besides fences & a 4 legged critters back.

When season is no longer open get out & replace your deer blaster with a camera. Devolping & testing your skills on getting close while capturing that moment in a pic.

[badge176]

I've had great luck with a boat cushion and the will to sit rock still. Hiking logging roads on property I had never scouted (My bad! but I had looked at a topo map before going in so I knew some terrain features; dense tangles- so the roads seemed like decent paths of least resistance for them as well as me) until a promising "L" or "T" or "X" came along, sat facing wind in my favor to catch motion coming onto two or more "legs" of the road that I could see and then find a comfortable position to sit in for a while. I've dropped a couple of deer that were walking toward me down the road to really short distances! I guess that I looked like a goofey shaped stump or a heap of debris but since i had the rifle up once they put the first foot on the road I didn't have to move at all. Movement and recognition as a biped shape seem to trigger the bouncing white flag into the timber... IF the wind is in your favor and you don't stink like a person.

I sort of count on the fellas who stumble out to the stands in the dark and amble back to their trucks for lunch to get deer up and moving (to me sitting still). A pal of mine had a "hunter" walk up and start unlimbering for a pee while my buddy was seated at the base of the same pine tree. Mind you now, that he was wearing the required Orange hat and vest, but the other "hunter" didn't "SEE" him until he cleared his throat!!! Same day (earlier), same buddy had a mature doe walk up and almost press her nose against his glasses; he was sprayed with Pine cover sent, resting his back against a pine tree with a couple of lower branches snapped back to make his hidey-hole.

Lately, I've taken e-books with me on my Iphone to read while in the tree stand. A flick of finger across screen turns page, and no sound! I rely on my hearing to a greater extend in these thick woods especially once the leaves drop and before the first snows.

I usually spent the hours prior to the approach of dusk to mentally inventory all the trees, rustling leaves, pouncing squirrels, woodpeckers, gurgling streams, voles in the leave litter, etc; so that by the "golden hour" I have tuned most of these out and am ready to sit rock solid still when a twig snaps or an ear swivels, or a nose twitches...

Around here, Deer season can be more about staying warm enough to manage to stay out in the woods long enough to see and shoot a deer! To that end I fold a 12V electric blanket (RV store or auto department at Target) and wrap it around my torso (armpits to groin) up under my Carhart bibs, then snake the power cord out the fly and then get my parka over the top. I lug my 12V car power pack (the jump start one that has a 12V outlet on it) and set that under my tree stand seat. I tough out the cold as long as I can, and then as the sun goes toward dusk and the temp tanks, I plug in and warm up nicely. I usually run out of light way before I run out of battery!

[waksupi]

No matter what you do, you are not going to fool a buck, bull or bear. If they are downwind, they WILL scent you.

[Longwood]

Ile be 21 in june. Im gonna give it a try maybe ile be one of the few. I dont mind moveing slow as long as im moving! Deer stands make me sleepy. Thats why I never cared much for hunting other than squirrel hunting. When i used to squirrel hunt I basically walked very slowly trying not to step on any twigs and kept my eyes on the trees for movement. I really enjoyed it back then and always killed more squirrel than my cousin because he stomped and tore through the underbrush like some sort of yetti.

You are set my friend.I used to hunt with Yetti's.
Nothing better to get the attention of the animal away from you and get him to expose himself to you while watching and avoiding the Yetti.

[Longwood]

It is also good to remember there are no horizontal straight lines in the woods or timber. Besides fences & a 4 legged critters back.



Plus two super black and shiny eyeballs on one end.
I have spotted more deer looking for those round black eyes, than any other way.

[jim147]

Wolfer must be close to me. I haven't had to shoot anything over 30 yards away from me in these old strip pits I live in.

Walk super slow.

Your eyes and nose might not be as good as the deer's but you can see them if you are looking for them and you can sure smell them if you if you come up down wind of them..

Most of the time that I spook a deer, be it noise or them smelling me, they will snort before they bolt. If you are looking and can pick the deer's spot out quick enough, you still have a good chance of getting it.

jim

[Beerd]

Mr.Jake
about that meat hunting thing- deer are good, coyotes not so much ;)
..

[Wayne Smith]

Not mentioned yet - do your own laundry. Avoid laundry soaps/detergents with brighteners and don't add any. Animals see further into the ultraviolet than we do and these brighteners really make you stand out.

[ksriverrat]

Plus two super black and shiny eyeballs on one end.
I have spotted more deer looking for those round black eyes, than any other way.

I believe all it takes is ones mind to key in on one particular mark for ID & have it work just a couple of times. Then it becomes ingrained. I can spot a deers back in some pretty thick stuff.

It is amazing some times how ones mind & eye works together to ID what we are after.

[mr.jake]

Mr.Jake
about that meat hunting thing- deer are good, coyotes not so much ;)
..

I was waiting on someone to say that [smilie=l:

[1Shirt]

There is merit to both tree stand hunting and still hunting on the ground. There is an element of safety with both. If you are still hunting in areas where there are a lot of tree stands, you face the potential of being shot if you are on the ground by some numbnut in a tree. It does happen! There are always a few tree stand hunters each year who fall from stands and who seriously injure themselfs or get killed. Still hunting requires that you know what is behind what you are shooting at, and not launching a round where it is a problem to livestock, houses, or other hunters. You are young, and I suggest you consider teaming up with a sucessfull hunter that has some gray hair to learn the ropes. That is if you can find one that will be willing to take you on and allow you to hunt sucessfully and grow gray haired yourself.
1Shirt!

[largom]

Ile be 21 in june. Im gonna give it a try maybe ile be one of the few. I dont mind moveing slow as long as im moving! Deer stands make me sleepy. Thats why I never cared much for hunting other than squirrel hunting. When i used to squirrel hunt I basically walked very slowly trying not to step on any twigs and kept my eyes on the trees for movement. I really enjoyed it back then and always killed more squirrel than my cousin because he stomped and tore through the underbrush like some sort of yetti.

Hunt deer the same way as squirrels but don't look at the tree tops, search the ground and brush for a "piece" of a deer. Don't look for a "whole" deer, look for an ear, an eye, a nose, a leg, just a piece. Many times a bedded deer will ly still and let you walk right by. Also do not make and hold eye contact, watch with side vision until ready to shoot.

Larry

[Al_sway]

Lots of good advice in the above. I have to admit to using a combination while deer hunting; stands in the morning and evening when the deer are moving, and then still hunting during the day.
You don't need special clothes, or special soaps. In my jeans and whatever warm jacket I need, I have walked up on deer within 20 yards or less, on a regular basis. Sometimes off season as well to practice. It is really enjoyable to stand and watch a buck and doe standing there within 20 yards, for up to 10 minutes.
Practice.
Also I have followed fresh tracks in light snow and walked up on my deer for the season. Again, practice.

[30cal]

Walk a little,sit,walk a little.Move SLOW and into the wind.A fter my Dads last back surgery he couldnt do either for very long so he just sat as long as he could then moved walking maybe 5 steps every couple minutes.He soon confessed that although his back was screwed he was seeing more deer than ever.Like quillbilly said loose the boots and go with something flexible.Stay into the wind,you can fool their eyes and ears but not their nose.

[shastaboat]

Stand Hunting is really the best if done for no more than 2 to 3 hours at a time. Mornings be in the stand 1 hour before first light. Evenings be in the stand 1.5 to 2 hours before dark. If your state allows lights and a timed feeder stay in the stand. Too much pressure on a deer/hog stand is bad. Spot and stalk is good but you must be able to see 100+ yards. Pretty hard to do in dense forest areas. If you insist on walking that's OK cause you'll just push them to my stand. Thanks for the assist.

[CATS]

If driving game is legal and culturally acceptable in your area, ask around at hunting clubs. Often, clubs will have a bunch of guys who will want stands and too few who want to push the game on drives. Volunteering to help be a driver can get you invited along without having to become a member. If you have rabbit or deer dogs you could find yourself in high cotton with local clubs. Also, offering to help for free on offseason club work days can get set you above ever loafer who only shows up on opening day. And MAKE SURE that you are a good guest if want to be asked back.

[jsizemore]

You might want to check the hunting regs for your county. About all the counties at my end of NC require you to be a minimum of 8' above the ground when hunting with a centerfire rifle. You can hunt on the ground with a handgun or shotgun but there's a bunch of folks in the trees with guns that shoot at anything that moves. That's why I quit stalking with my contender.

[cavalrymedic]

I will sit in my tree stand, or ground blind for a few hours in the morning. When I am to itchy to sit anymore, I slowly get to my feet and plot out a hunting/recon trip for the noon hours. I walk slowly and as quietly as I can, following dirt roads. I watch for where the game trails are crossing my path in great numbers, forward and back.

While moving about, I have spotted many deer that due to the season being buck only, I could not shoot. I also see lots of gobblers maybe 30 yards in front of me before they spook. I didn't have one with me this last season, but I will now carry a turkey shotgun with me when I move about. I am very careful to avoid other hunter's who may still be in stand.

Around 3 PM or so, depending on when the sun is setting, I move to my evening hunting spot. Sometimes it's the same place I hunted the morning, especially if I saw a lot of deer. Usually though, I will set up a ground blind near the largest game crossing path I can find.

This style of hunting breaks the day up and keeps me from being bored. But it is far from stalking hunting. I need someone with those skills to teach me.

[mr.jake]

Great ideas guys. I suppose i will study up on some of the laws and seasons of my area and take that huters safety course. Any more advice is welcome :popcorn:

[runfiverun]

practice shooting...
and know the animals internals.
if i am lucky i get one shot at a buck per year.
last year it was 125 yds down a 45* slope, and all i had was the head and part of the neck to shoot at. [with little girls 7x57]
year before it was the liver through the quakies as the deer calmly walked down the draw. [with my 25-06]

6 years ago i had three bucks going in three different directions in the buck brush one at 15 yds and one at 20' and another behind me that went 5' past me after the shot.
he stopped and looked around.
i probably could have clubbed him with the levergun [45 colt] but my deer was down.
this was less than 100' off the road after a 5 mile hike up the canyon.
it pay's to hunt all the way back.

i have muffed a few before too.
like the one i stepped on going over some downed quakies, to be fair it is hard to shoot a 24" levergun with one hand while trying not to fall over backwards with one foot caught between two logs.
if i hadn't of rushed the shot i think i could have got him.

i bought a 20" round bbl carbine shortly after that.
but being able to bring the rifle up smoothly and find the front sight quickly pays off.
and often a second shot, right now, is the difference.
i use a load of sr 4756 that is quiet [especially in the woods] more a cheeew than a boom.
i dropped a buck [shooting down on it] hitting it in the spine, over a ridge edge,and the other deer by it didn't even stop eating till i stood up.
had i missed i probably would have gotten a second shot off before the jig was up.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Keep the wind blowing into your face or at least angling into you. Critters will smell you long before they see you. Full camo on you and gear. You must blend into background.
Wash your body in no scent soap.. wash your camo in no scent no UV brightner soap.
I spray my gear and camo with apple juice. Carry windfall apples to rub your boot soles. But be advised deer will track you. They love apples. Remember to look behind you.
My last recurve buck came trotting up a creek bed I was walking down the side of it. 8 yards as he passed me. Never saw me or had any idea. It took about 30 minutes to walk the 55 yards from my favorite ash tree to the release spot. About 8:10 in the morning. I got to my favorite tree about 5:30 am. Just standing or sitting watching the morning begin.
Mike in Peru

[BD]

A lot of this depends on the area you're hunting in. The "northern" technique espoused by the Benoits in Maine differs significantly from southern "still hunting". You need the rut, plenty of room and some snow to really make it happen. Basically it involves getting on a track and dogging it hard until you "bump" the buck, then you "still hunt" the track knowing that he's likely to stop and try and get a look at you, and/or circle back to scent you. This can go on for miles, and you need to be in a place where posted property lines are not going to interrupt your hunt. I find this style of hunting very enjoyable, but difficult. It will wear you out, and if you are successful it can result in some long drags back out. I've certainly killed more deer from a stand, but it's not nearly as satisfying.

Another technique on a really cold day in deep snow is to cruise straight through a bedding area with no thought to stealth hoping to bump a buck out of his bed. The key is to mark the bed location in your mind, but pay no attention to it and keep moving at an even pace for 1/2 mile or so giving the deer time to return to the bed. If you don't stop at all, and there's no other disturbance, the deer will generally return to that same bed once you're gone. Then you circle wide downwind and still hunt back to the bed.

I haven't had the time to hunt deer much in the south, but from what hunting I have done, I would say the techniques described above would be of no use. The woods are too thick and the property is cut up too small for the first technique. And, of course there's never deep snow.
BD

[357maximum]

Ok I'll bucK the norm. You say you do not like sitting still. There was a day I felt that way too, but success taught me that sometimes it is the single best option out there. I say sit as long as you can in a good area(you will learn that with time). In time you may just learn to like being "part of" the scenery and not a "violator" of the scenery.

Where I am at in the Central Flatlands of Lower Michigan still hunting is called DRIVING as the woodlots are so small all you do is push all the lifeforms out to the next stitch of timber to get dead. I hated to sit still when i was younger but the more I do it the more I like it, and around here it is THEE way to do it. Just something about nuthatches , squirrels , chickadees, etc thinking you are "part" of the setting makes it all worth while.


Just another thought to ponder.:mrgreen:

[fishnbob]

Some guys around here hunt large tracts of cut over land. That is land that has had the timber cut off it. Deer move and feed at night and lay up in these spots during the day. They just walk and look. Most times when they jump one, it is within a 100 yds, sometimes as close as 30 yds and they jump shoot em. I've seen some monsters killed that way. Nah, I don't hunt that way, there is too much chance of killing one and then you gotta drag it back to your truck. I live in the heart of dog country. Go ahead guys, take your best shot!LOL

[David2011]

Interesting thread, guys. Bear with me for a minute; it does have to do with deer hiding. Several years ago a friend had his radio controlled sailplane go down in thick woods due to interference from another competitor's radio interference near Canyon Lake between Austin and San Antonio. This was a large, high dollar airplane and a lot of us pitched in to look for it. As I was trying to wedge through some bushes- summer in Texas and wearing short pants and all of the bushes were biting my legs- I heard a commotion just a few few behind me. I had just walked past the area where the noise originated and saw nothing. A deer finally flushed, I guess because there were so many of us in the area. As it jumped up it sounded like it was no more than 20-25 feet away. I heard it breathing and felt each hoof strike the ground as it ran behind me. I looked over my right shoulder as it passed behind me. Too late, so I snapped my head around to look over my left shoulder and it was already too far away to see. I never saw it but some of the guys nearby did. The woods were so thick that any shot would have been measured better in feet than yards.

Have you considered stand hunting for coyotes? Leave your call on the ground and watch them come in. If no results you'll be moving in a half hour anyway. The coyote will probably look for your call but not for you up in a tree.

The friend got a call the next winter. A nearby resident found his plane when the leaves had fallen off of the trees and called him from the label inside it. Six months of exposure and it was a total loss.

Good Luck!
David

[PanaDP]

If driving game is legal and culturally acceptable in your area, ask around at hunting clubs. Often, clubs will have a bunch of guys who will want stands and too few who want to push the game on drives. Volunteering to help be a driver can get you invited along without having to become a member. If you have rabbit or deer dogs you could find yourself in high cotton with local clubs. Also, offering to help for free on offseason club work days can get set you above ever loafer who only shows up on opening day. And MAKE SURE that you are a good guest if want to be asked back.

This is a great way to hunt if you don't care for standing or stalking. When I was a kid in PA, it was pretty much our standard mode amongst my family. It was usually me, my dad, grandpa, and an uncle or three. We would usually walk into the woods in the dark and find a previously scouted spot to stand until about an hour after sunrise. By then your toes were getting chilly and it was time to get moving a bit. The rest of the day after that was usually walking or driving to one of many areas we knew where one or two people would walk and drive to the other 2 or 3 people. Where to walk and where to stand were determined by a solid 40 years of hunting experience so we were all pretty successful meat-makers.

[RevGeo]

No matter what method you use, successful hunting requires patience and discipline. Ain't no way around it.

[starmac]

There is more than one way to look at it, for me a day, weekend or week in the woods is success.
It is not all about killing, but you spend enough time in the woods, you will find out how you want to hunt, and what your priorities are.

Different areas require different hunting method to successfully bring home the bacon.

[mr.jake]

Im still following the thread and reading fellas. I appreciate these posts.

[Dorado]

This is going to sound weird but I've done this and it works sometimes. I "borrowed" a friend's cell phone and set the ringer with dog barks as loud as I could. I've dropped it in some brush next to a game trail. I then circled around down wind and waited a while. About an hour later a buck came into view. I called the cell using it to scare the buck where I had a shot. I've only done this once. I tracked that deer several days and that was the best shot I could get. It's not something that I plan on doing again. But it does show that sometimes you can use odd techniques. Just remember to keep an open mind.

[starmac]

Glad I didn't have a mouthful while reading that one Dorado. lol

[runfiverun]

that's no worse than walking the ridge of a brush choked gorge and rolling rocks down into it to scare anything thats in there out.
it was too thick to walk or crawl but held a lot of deer once the hunting pressure pushed them into it.

[richhodg66]

Until I was in my mid to late '30s, I didn't have the patience to hunt long from a stand. Now, as long as the weather isn't beating on me, I can sit on the side of a tree in the woods all day long. I love watching the activity of the woods around me, something always interests me. Last September, I watched a small King snake climb up the trunk of the tree I was in and followed him for a long time after he went back down. I've rfrequently had squirrels almost climb in my lap and see Bobcats most years. Oh, by the way, my success rate for killing deer every season is a lot higher since I gained the patience to be still too. All of this applies to ground blinds as well, but I prefer to get in a tree.

[Thumbcocker]

.357 max and Richhodge have valuable input. East of the Missisippi a lot of us have limited room. Stand hunting is popular because it works. I find that my ability to sit still is mostly mental. I know that I am going to get pretty cool by the end of the day. If you expect it you can deal with it. Also I think that the more you know about the woods in general the easier it is to stay engaged in your enviornment. I look at the types of trees, the different birds, the squirrels etc. There is a special type of thrill when you have a wren land on your head or have a squirrel sniff the end of your arrow.

I feel that it takes several years to get to know a piece of ground. Once you put in your time you will be able to identify individual critters and birds. One squirrel on one part of our woods left for "work" within a few minites of the same time each day. Once you really know a piece of ground you can feel when it is "deery" in the woods. When the critters are used to you they can let you know when deer are in the area. I always watch teh squirrels and birds they see deer before I do a lot of the time.

FWIW

[Win1917]

+1...I grew up hunting in open western areas where you spent most of the time up and moving. When I moved to the south a few years ago stand hunting seemed a little weird. After I did it a few times though and got the hang of it I love it now. It's like being a fly on the wall of the forest.

[jimone]

In the last 3 years I've shot a moose and 2 deer, all still hunting. Moose was at 7 yds, one deer at 10 yds (came up behind me dead downwind of me) and last year's doe was a long shot, almost 25 yds. Walk into the wind, zig zag and double back, stay on the sides of ridges, worry more about looking around than being quiet. I usually move 50-100 yds then stop until the woods come back to life, 5-10 minutes, then move again. Keep your eyes open when you take that first step! I wash my clothes in Arm & Hammer unscented detergent and use Clearly Natural unscented soap. I see deer 2-3 times a week while walking my dog, I must be gettin' better lookin'.

Practice whistling at them, they will freeze and look at you just like a rabbit.

No matter how nasty the weather, don't forget you're having fun.

jim

[mr.jake]

A moose at 7 yards would make me a little nervous haha

[jimone]

Not as nervous as I made him. A 260gr Accubond in the head from my 375 Ruger soothed him though.
During the rut they are crazy, not sure if he wanted to mate or fight, but I played hard to get either way.

jim

I must add that only last year's doe was a cast bullet, my first cb deer, using my 375 Ruger Hawkeye African with a Lyman 375449 gas checked and launched at 2000 fps with Varget. I like to hunt with my dangerous game rifle to breed familiarity in case of a return to Africa or Alaska.

[horsesoldier]

If you cant get them to stop by whistling as a last ditch attempt yell at the top of your lungs. It has worked for me in the past lol! Only if the deer are bookin out of the area though.

[kenyerian]

Your 357 would be ideal to do some Black Bear hunting.

[WaywardSon]

While I have taken many deer from a tree stand or a ground blind, I have to say that my favorite method is still hunting. Covering 100 yds. in an hour is a good pace, but no need to hurry either:-) Being in the right place is critical to either method. When still hunting, never forget the wind...it should dictate everything you do. I have seen many deer that clearly suspected something was wrong, but could not detect the danger with their eyes or ears. They will then without fail circle downwind. If it is a deer you want to take, you had better shoot before they scent you because the game is over then.

Use squirrel hunting to scout for deer and refine your technique.

Take up bow hunting. It taught me more about deer behavior than anything else. A deer at 50-60 yards with a bow might as well be in the next county. So you watch...and learn.

Private land is best. It helps to know who is hunting the ground you are on, and where they are. They need to understand what you are doing...and you need to respect their area. Just keep easing around & always....always....keep the wind in your face.

[mart]

Do a Google search for Successful Hunter magazine. The January/February 2004 back issue has an article by Ross Seyfried on still hunting. It is one of the best I've ever read. You won't be disappointed.

Mart

[nelsonted1]

Dad and I used to hunt every which way, usually sitting or driving with our crew. He had one rule: Never suffer if you don't have to. 25 years ago we were set up on the edge of a long valley in MN. We could see hunters strung out all along the other side. Dad had found a little trail and chose that for his spot. He set out his lawn chair, pulled out some corn cobs from his gunny sack and started his fire. He then sat down with the little fire between his feet and his book in hands ready to go. Snow began falling harder and harder. Pretty soon I lost track of the hunters across the way but could clearly see Dad's fire. I still wonder what those guys thought about the flickering under Dad's chair, especially when he jumped up and shot two doe running straight at him. He said they would have rolled him if he hadn't stood up.

Another rule: If the deer are coming toward you don't shoot too soon. My rule: If you're standing on a road don't shoot them till they are on the road with you. That way they are easier to load. This rule works best when temps are below zero that way you have plenty of clothes on when they slam into you. Practice this maneuver ahead of time by standing in a loading chute while loading rodeo bulls.

Ted

[nelsonted1]

Dad set out friend, Milo, on a good spot. He said stay right here. When the deer come they'll come fast and they'll be close. We all walked to the end of the woods and started back driving the woods. We could hear deer ahead of us but no shooting. When we got to the end Milo was bent over catching his breath. He said he could hear the deer coming. Then, at the last moment he said six of them came right at him. Luckily, he had listened to Dad in spite of severe skepticism but instead of being in front of the tree he stood behind it. The tree was only six inches thick so it didn't provide much protection. Milo said he was so busy twisting away from a deer on one side then another on the other side that he didn't get a shot. We were just glad he didn't chicken out and quit hunting with us.

TED

[1bluehorse]

Kinda the same thing happened to me a couple years ago. I wasn't hunting, just out walking (I live in a very rural area, go out my back gate and you're in over 70,000 (yes thousand) acres of privately owned timber land open to hike or horseback, no private vehicles. Anyway just woods bumming, about 6inches of snow on the ground, spooked up a young doe about 15 feet in front of me and the little devil slammed right into me. Happened so fast I didn't have time to move. Course I'm at the age that it takes me 3 minutes to take off my hat so that really was no surprise. Often wondered if she did that on purpose. Probably, I kinda think females are like that.........as far as hunting "technique" I'm a still hunter (thats an odd thing to call slowly walking thru the woods doncha think?) I don't really mean to be still hunting, that's just all the faster I can walk anymore..

[DODGEM250]

I want to start hunting but hate sitting still, advice please (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=148998)


Buy a ground blind with thick covering.

[725]

+1 on DODGEM250. Once you're out of sight and your movements are hidden, read a book, listen to a radio (yes I'm Old), ipad, MP3, etc. Bring a lunch, thermos, write the great American novel or whittle something. Just check out the window regularly.

[nanuk]

... When moving through the woods I moved really slow, say maybe 100 yds an hour or a little more.... Woody


in that one hour, the deer have moved 1/2 mile...

remember, when still hunting, all you are doing is giving deer a chance to see/hear you.

they are moving so much faster than you, that to say you are slowly walking up on them is misleading.... THEY are walking up on YOU!

if you have that many deer in the area, that 100 yds is going to get you into them, you do NOT need to move, they WILL come to you

Really, 100 yds is NOTHING for a deer to hear you. They can hear far better than that.

BUT, if you really do want to move while hunting, get yourself some wraparound moccassins, and some HEAVY wool knit socks, Or in lieu of the leather, some slippers, BUT wear the Heavy knit wool socks. You can be near silent in them. Forget anything with a harder sole. If you can't feel a twig underfoot, it is too hard. As a test, dress as you hunt, and go out very late in the dark, and try to walk 10 feet in the bush, Listening.... if you can hear yourself, ANY big game within 100yds can hear you too... except moose... they will hear you at 300 yds

As for sitting still?
Bring a book, and some camo material, maybe a camera.
if you are in a tree stand, let the material cover your legs, then you can move them without being seen.
Read the book to pass the time, as you WILL hear them before you see them.
Camera is great for taking pics of other wildlife.

the most memorable day in my treestand WITHOUT my camera, had a swarm of wasps come to my jackpine and feed off the fresh sap on the branch ends... they never bothered with me at all.... Then a squirrel jumped onto the arm of my stand and ate a mushroom, with me looking at him from behind. He did turn once and look right at me, but as I was perfectly still, he didn't seem to care. he them jumped to a branch and continued to feed, giving me time to move. as I moved, he just watched me. if I'd had my camera, I'd have a couple good shots.
later that afternoon, one rabbit, several grouse and many more squirrels wandered by.

Remember, the deer will really start moving in the last hour before dark.