Five effective strategies for successful still-hunting
By Ben Allen
Still hunting, in my opinion, is the art of blending into the natural environment, while on the move, until the opportunity you seek, presents itself.
These are the five tips, to help do just that.
Keep the wind in your face
The first one may seem obvious to most but it’s important to note the wind direction. Get the wind in your face before starting your hunt. If the wind is swirling don’t let it discourage you because it doesn’t do you any good to worry about things you can’t control!
Stay in cover
Now, while you are moving through the woods, always be looking for the areas that conceal your movement. You want to be as elusive as possible while moving. Use dark areas, blown down trees or whatever your area has to conceal you as you slip from one observation point to another.
Move slowly
This brings us to the third tip. When you are moving, move as if you are trying not to scare that big buck, that you know is just out of your sight. Don’t be in a hurry. Typically when I’m still hunting, I’m doing so because I know I’m in the right area. Spend ten to fifteen minutes just staying put and observing everything around you before sneaking off another fifty or so yards to repeat the same thing.
Stay quiet, or sound like a deer (or squirrel)
The fourth tip addresses how I move from place to place. You are the most vulnerable to detection while you are mobile. Foot placement is key to keeping quiet. When possible I always step on rocks or tree roots to avoid leaves or twigs. More often than not I’ll find myself in dry leaves. You will notice while waiting the ten min in between moving, that there are plenty of noises that surround you.
Take note of these noises, can you mimic them to cover the sound of your movements? I like to make a quick, light, sweep of the leaves with the toe of my boot, before placing my foot, to mimic a squirrel running around. I also like to make my steps sound like the cadence of a deer’s steps, if there’s no avoiding a loud spot. Get creative, just don’t rush.
Be prepared to shoot
The last tip is about positioning yourself to shoot when the time comes. When I first started having success while still hunting, my first reaction would be to freeze and not move a muscle when I heard a deer coming more times than not ,this would result in being in an awkward position when the time came to shoot or just being busted because I was out in the open. I have found that as soon as you realize something is happening, start looking for the best position to be in when the deer shows up.
The base of a big tree is my favorite go to spot because you can use it to move around if the deer changes its position or direction. Bushes rocks and blow downs also will work well. I always try to move when I hear the deer moving. If you are not able to move, try to make your silhouette as small as possible, and be ready to shoot as soon as you have the chance.
Good luck on your next hunt and just remember, that buck you were after is just up ahead of you out of sight! Be patient and blend into your surroundings until you get your chance.
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