Not-so-Still Hunting: How to Still Hunt the Big Woods

Still hunting, by most hunters’ definition, means to moves slowly and deliberately through the woods. Most of the hunter’s time is spent being still and looking and listening for any sign of a deer. The object of the game when still hunting is to spot that buck before he spots you.

To accomplish this, the still hunter must possess some skills that the average hunter does not have. A good “woods eye” is critical for the still hunter. Most hunters probably have good eyesight, but that doesn’t mean they have a “woods eye”. A Hunter with a good “woods eye” can distinguish subtle differences in color and shapes in the woods. He will also be able to pick up movement especially from the peripheral. It is critical for a Still Hunter to be able to pick up on anything out of place in the woods. It takes time and experience to develop a good “woods eye”.

Listen

Good hearing is a plus when it come to still hunting. Being able to detect the faint snap of a twig or rustling in the leaves can alert the hunter that there is something around long before it may come into view. Knowing what makes certain sounds once again takes time and experience. Not long ago I wrote an article called Sound Advice, so I won’t go anymore into hearing except to say that if you don’t possess good hearing you will have to rely on your eyesight much more.

Look

Having good vision and hearing is critical but just as critical is being able to slip through the woods quietly as though you are a part of it. I don’t care how good your eyesight is, if you snap a stick every other step you will not get close enough to a deer to see him first. Likewise, if you spend your time walking out in the open woods the odds of you seeing a deer first are slim unless the deer are moving and you happen to be stopped at the right time.

Stay quiet

Good still huunters have learned to use natural woods sounds and cover to help them blend into their surroundings. It might be by using the wind rustling through the trees or water running in a stream to conceal their footsteps. I remember sneaking up to within twenty yards of a bedded buck by taking one step every time the wind rustled the trees. It took me about a half an hour to cover thirty yards. The buck stood up in front of me, unaware that I was there. Unfortunately I muffed the shot by shooting into a tree when I tried to thread the bullet through a blow down. They have also learned to keep themselves hidden in the edge of the green growth or thick brush where they are less likely to be spotted.

Cover ground

In most parts of the country where the deer densities are high, a still hunter may only cover a half a mile in a day. Those hunters may see all kinds of deer in that half mile. In the Big Woods it is whole different story though. In a lot of places you might not find any sign of a deer in a half a mile of still hunting. In the Big Woods, you have to still hunt the sign as you find it. This might mean walking along without stopping for a long time. It might also mean spending hours working the edge of a cedar swamp where the bucks have rubbed a good number of brown ash trees. I equate still hunting in the Big Woods with scouting. It is really one and the same, depending on whether or not you are carrying a gun.

Hunt the sign

The key to successful Big Woods still hunting is to hunt the sign. In other words, don’t spend a lot of time where you are not seeing buck sign. Instead concentrate on finding the buck sign and then hunting slowly once you find it. If you hunt through an area and then run out of sign, pick up the pace until you find more sign. It may sound unorthodox, but if you figure the bucks may only be using ten percent of the woods in their territory it only make sense to spend you time in that same ten percent.

When you find the buck sign follow their trails to find out where they are traveling. This may point you in the right direction to the next area with good sign. I’ve had days where I covered ten miles still hunting, because I just couldn’t find the sign I wanted to see. I have spent other days in the woods and not gone more than a mile. When there is no tracking snow I spend my days still hunting and I can tell you that shooting a buck while still hunting in the Big Woods is just as big of an accomplishment. Just remember when you still hunt it is ok to be not so still.

Pick up a set of Big Woods Bucks Wool Hunting Gear to keep you quiet and warm while still hunting this fall.