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Still Hunting

The term "still-hunting" is actually a misnomer because the hunter does not remain still in a fixed position. Rather, he/she slips quietly through the woods in search of deer. Once a hunter spots a buck he stalks it. Still-hunting is an active, challenging and flexible strategy that allows a hunter to react to what he sees. Unlike the stand hunter who must often watch a buck walk past just out of shooting range, the still-hunter can sneak after him and maybe get a shot.

Still-hunting is difficult because you must deal with the whitetail's keen sense of smell, eyesight and hearing. In order to have a chance of scoring, you must play the wind, sharpen your senses to the nth degree, wear the proper clothing, pay close attention to the environment and hunt with the confidence that you will spot a buck before he senses you and bolts.

Still-hunting allows you to scout as you hunt, and that's a big advantage. Slipping along through the woods, you can discover new rub lines, scrapes, trails, bedding areas and the like that you might have missed on earlier hunts. Maybe the fresh sign you run across tells you deer have changed their patterns. In any event you can continue to still-hunt through a hot zone, or set a couple of stands in the area. Master the art of still-hunting, especially during gun season, to scout out and shoot more trophy bucks.

The goal of still-hunting is to happen upon a buck and kill it then and there. You pit your skills and woods savvy against the keen, natural instincts of the whitetail. You put the wind in your face and sneak quietly through the woods. Walk a couple of steps, stop and listen for movement. Continue the sneak until you spot a buck. Shoot him on the spot or stalk closer.

The still-hunter who possesses good knowledge about the whitetail's habits and living quarters has an excellent chance of scoring.

Slow, quiet footsteps are the key. And try to sound like deer as you still-hunt along. Deer often pause, look and listen and then move on. Do the same and you'll sound more like an animal than a human.

Easing along, you're apt to find new areas that deer inhabit. Inspect fresh rubs, scrapes, and trails, etc. carefully. Look ahead and around for a buck. Listen for a popping twig or rustling leaves. Make sure no deer are in sight before you take another step.

The still-hunter moves in a slow, quiet, calculated manner. Since noise can make or break a hunt, try to still-hunt when there is a steady breeze to muffle your footsteps and cover your moves. Days after a rain or fresh snow are perfect for sneaking around quietly.

Deer can smell you coming a long way off, so always play the wind. Still-hunt into the wind and keep down breeze of a trail, feeding area, scrapes or other place where you expect to see deer.

One of the best times to still-hunt is late in the pre-rut, when even the wisest old buck might let down his guard. It's not uncommon to stalk up on a trophy buck scent-checking a trail in the middle of the day. If you find an area with numerous fresh rubs and scrapes, use maximum stealth. Step slowly and quietly. Listen carefully for sounds of twigs breaking or a buck rubbing his antlers on a tree. Hide behind a tree and look and listen hard for a rutting buck. There's a good chance you'll eventually find one.

Still-hunting for whitetails with bow and arrow is an extreme challenge. It taxes a hunter's skills and woodsmanship. It's a favorite among people who enjoy the challenge of the hunt more than the kill. The still-hunter leaves the security of a tree stand and enters the domain of the whitetail to go one-on-one. It's very difficult, but it is also personally rewarding.

The still-hunter's goal is to see a deer before it sees him. Sometimes he wins, and sometimes he loses. The key is to look not for a whole deer, but for pieces of a buck-an antler tip, the flicker of a tail or the twitch of an ear.

The standard technique is to take 3 very slow steps and then stop for 10 seconds or more, all the while scanning the forest for deer. Then take 3 more steps, stop and look. You'll be surprised how you can awaken your dormant hunting skills and sneak slyly into a buck's bedding area. Experienced still-hunters have been known to shoot dozing bucks in their beds.

You can't take 3 noisy steps in crunchy leaves and expect to get within bow range of a deer. An experienced still-hunter rolls his feet as he steps. He gently places a heel down first and gently rolls the sole of his boot forward to the tip before moving the other foot forward in similar style. Try it. You'll be amazed how you can move through the leaves thick with a minimum of noise.

Every smart still-hunter uses an optic to look for bucks up ahead. A high-quality, compact 7X or 8X binocular that you can hold and focus with one hand is best.

The gun hunter has a big advantage over the still-hunting archer. Yes, he'd like to see a deer before it sees him. But say the gun hunter spots a buck 80 yards away; even if the buck sees him at the same time, the hunter has still won. He needs only raise his gun and fire quickly to score.

A firearm hunter uses the standard, 3-step method of still-hunting. He takes 3 slow, quiet steps, then stops and searches the surrounding forest for any signs of deer. He looks not for a whole deer, but for parts of a buck. Usually, a hunter sees an antler tip glistening in the sun, or a tail twitching, or an ear flickering.

Any rifle, shotgun or muzzleloader will do for still-hunting. Some hunters prefer a fast-handling, short-barreled rifle, like an open-sighted .30-30. Many pistol hunters like to still-hunt in and around thickets, where they can drop bucks at close range.

A good, 8X or 10X binocular is important. The still-hunter who pauses and glasses often will spot a lot of deer out front, and many of them will be in gun range.