I have tried to still hunt, or so I thought, many times in the past but to no avail. I had never really given up on it, seeing others have success at it, but I did sort of put it aside perhaps deciding it just wasn't one of my talents. I share a lease that practically requires this technique though, for I have literally SAT for four seasons and only seen a deer from a stand or blind on two occasions, and shot only once. Boy this is frustrating, lets try this still hunt thing again.

So Thursday last, I enter the woods around 0830 and amble down behind the 'Butchers' place to the hardwood creek bottom. It rained the night before so the hike down to the creek is like walking on soggy potato chips and not the crisp fresh ones like two weeks ago.

I start up the creek, wind from ahead and to the left. After about 30 minutes movment up ahead. Looks like about 11 legs headed off to the left up the hill, although it probably was 12. I must be doing something right, or at least 'righter', I had never gotten this close before without 'flags' or a 'blow-job'. I lay on the bank for about another 20 minutes but no more movement. Back up the creek. About an hour later, again movement to the left. Three deer have overtaken ME, perhaps the were still hunting and moving too fast. They had just past abeam and stopped. One showed me just barely the front of her chest and neck from behind the pine tree, while looking away. One shot, high on the neck just ahead of the chest, deer on the ground.

Not a trophy to be sure, not a remarkable hunt for most. But for me probably the most satisfying to date.

DD, thanks for the tips and instruction.

Gene

BRAVO! Sir. BRAVO! It just keeps gettin' better.N.S.

Still hunting is becomming a lost art. Though I don't have the string of kills that some do I have a decient record as a still hunter. I try to do a lot of squirrel hunting to get my "Wood Legs" on. Moving through the woods requires a different walking (and crawling)style.
If you don't have a pair of binocs get a decient quality pair of 7X that are small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. do most of your glassing from the ground. (ie. looking under the trees) This is how the deer see you first. A deer may not see a man crawling as a threat and sometimes comes closer out of curiousity.
You probably know about quartering into the wind, staying in the shadows and moving when the wind blows.
Try the crawl and trot strategy. Belly crawl up the last few yards to spot about 2/3 the way up a hill overlooking a draw or small valley. Try to go over the hump where you have a cedar, boulder or root wad for cover. Glass the valley looking for deer in bedding spots, thicker cover and any place where a trail enters or disappears. Once you are sure there are no "deer parts" in the valley, stand up and trot to the nearest place you can go to ground(hopefully within 20 to 30 feet) and glass again. If you don't see a deer then trot to the next hump and start again.
Listen to the sounds deer and squirrel make on dry leaves. Learn to sound like them when you move.
You can move quietly in dry leaves if you have the patience. It involves sliding your toe under the leaves untill you can put your foot down on the humus.
Put a small piece of electricians tape over the end of your barrel. This will keep the debris out and won't change your aim point for hunting purposes.
You will be wearing your rifle on your back. Getting it into position from the ground can be problematic. If you get a sling that can be easily removed from the fore stock you can then slide it foreward (while lifting your body slightly off the ground) and into firing position while leaving the rear of the sling attached. If standing remove the rear of the sling and slide the gun around close to your body.
Hopefull this didn't bore you. I sometimes ramble about my favorite things.

You are welcome sir. I'd never lie about a thing so artful as the still hunt.

When you can walk up on turkeys you're almost graduated. It's when you can leave without spooking them that you have. Keep on keepin' on.

Dan

Pres., TYHC

http://www.HowSweet.ItIs

Good job .
Still hunting is tough on your nervers.

I still hunt corn feilds with a bow .
Nothing like watching a good buck walk past you at 90" and not finding a hole to shoot thruogh.

Johnch

I absolutely love still hunting. Read G. Fred Asbells book about ground hunting it's really good although directed to bowhunters. I've never tried with a rifle in my hands as my rifle hunting is usually on the prairies and still hunting isn't the order of the day there. You can use "deer walking" to fool animals--you step toe first then heel but do it forcefully so it sounds like the tap tap of a four legged animal.

the chef

Good Job,muffin.
Still hunting is a lost practice in most States.
Every now and then the Revenue'ers find one up in the mountains around here.
But the 'Juggers' are getting a lot better at hiding their stills.Most are indoors now with gas heat and filtered fumes so they are hard to find.

PT, you rascal! You owe me another keyboard cause I just got this'n wet.

Dan

Pres., TYHC

http://www.ROTF.LMAO

Still hunting is a skill I have been working on. I walked into an area with a doe and an * point without spooking them the other day. They were at about 50 yds, I was moving really slowly.I have had my best luck placing the outside of my foot, roll to toe, then lastly my heel. Very slow and tiring but effective.For me, hiding my face is mandatory. I use charcoal and white ash.It seems like with the face covered squirrels and deer are pretty much incapable of seeing a person. I have had deer very close study me carefully and then ignore me.I even had a 4 point counter-stalk me the other day.He ahd bedded down near me where I could see him, after a while I moved just a little, he disapeared. About 20 minutes later he came up from behing me very fast, I thought it was a person. I turned around and he ran for it. Kind of unnerving behing hunted by the deer.

Frank, an old trick I learned about gay deer some years back, when they approach from the rear just fart in their face. Stops 'em in their tracks just like a grunt call...mebbe it is a grunt call to them...? Anyway, they stop. If they're downwind they'll skid to a stop. That's your chance BYW, just turn real quick and do your quickdraw thingy...

Dan

Pres., TYHC

http://www.TailGunner.Gambit

Actually Dan, that is the little known deer "fart" call. As you know most things downwind of such a call, even when made by a human, are stopped in their tracks, gay or not. Some calls of course are better made vigorously, others tenderly, still others with high emotional content. I have never been able to make a convincing call like the one you describe, even though I often practiced .

Damn, and I always just assumed they were gay. Guess that's just the old paranoia comin' back from when I lived in Coconut Grove. A fart in public in that place could get you a lot of dates, not that you'd want 'em.

The "Convincing Call" is an acquired thing Ned, takes a lot of effort if you know what I mean. Camp beans help, that's all I know. Well, if you clench your cheeks really hard it will get a crat's attention too. "Shoot" for a high E note, works every time. Should sound just like a varmint squeaker call. Did I ever tell you I can call turkeys with a plastic soda straw?

Dan

Pres., TYHC

http://www.Surround.Sound

quote:

"Shoot" for a high E note,

I figure that a lawn leopard would "prarie dawg" a look over tall grass.Long nuff to take the shot ,I guess.