Still Hunting

ETipp said:

I do believe that some people get actual still hunting and stalking mixed up. They are not the same.

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Still Hunting:

"As the name implies, still hunting is walking stealthily through an animal's habitat, stopping frequently—sometimes for long periods—to scan and listen for game. Typically, big-game hunters use this method in unfamiliar terrain or where stands are impractical or forbidden."

The object is to spot stationary/bedded animals, or intercept an animal during its undisturbed routine, either situation before the animal discovers your presence. Just as often as not, a still hunt turns in a stalk if the right circumstances present themselves. For all practical purposes, still hunting and stalking are conjoined skills, but not rocket science.

oldschoolhunter55 said:

i used to know some older guys.they would tell me stories about stalking and still hunting. lol them 2 guys loved each other but they honestly loved and look forward to drinking coffee and arguing about the difference. lol. i was young. i asked them could i go(was around 12 years old) ugh. they both said a flat out NO. hahaha. really miss them old boys and their stories. good neighbors to have around.

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Indeed. Still hunting and stalking are similar but with some differences. I can see where some folks might get them confused.

Still hunting is basically moving at a snails pace all the way to the game before they spot you. For big game, wind direction is taken into consideration the entire time. It matters not for squirrel hunting.

Stalking is much the same except moving a bit faster until game is spotted (or following sign) then stalking them as necessary while sneaking up on them for a shot.

I use sometime use a combination of both in the south east but primarily use the still hunting method. Packing light and not carrying anything unnecessary helps a lot, especially in the mountains.

OldMaineWoodsman said:

Nothing like the hard copy to read on a cold evening.

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YES but you and I are lucky...., that's out of print in that version, so instead of directing the guys to a place to buy a used copy, I linked to the "fee site". I too prefer to sit with it in my hands, and read.

LD

Codger Craig Wilcox said:

TY!

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you are very welcome

Use to still hunt in big wooded state forest land ,always got lost. Take better part of the day to find my way back. For a while I believed there really were several Bigfoot in that area, because I would get back to the spot I parked my trunk and it was gone. I knew they moved it and then l had to spend hours looking for it.

Stand hunting where deer are numerous has its benefits. Especially for an old guy who doesn't get far from the truck because dragging one out is much more difficult when you are 76. Plenty of places are still wild near a private road.

My grandfather was a PH ,hunted on three continents. He knew what he was talking about. We hunted in NW Penna. Tough terrain and bitter cold during deer season. He told my brother and i , to find a good place to sit, usually a large "blowdown" or toppled tree. We would make ourselves a good seat in the root ball, dig it out a bit if needed, and place some foliage around it so we could move a bit and not be seen. My grandfather said always have something solid at your back that will stop a bullet. Then we would wrap Orange tape around the tree, and perhaps one or two smaller ones around us to let all the "idiots: and wannabes who only hunt for three days a year, know where we were so we would not get shot. We would each have our own Shooting positions,set up the same way, about 50-75 yds apart. Opening day at times sounded like WW III, so may knuckleheads shooting at who knows what. point is, the first three days we sat and the losers would move the deer to us. I took all my deer with shots less than 60 yds, because they never knew I was there. After three days the woods were empty of most of the idiots and only the real hunters remained. Then we might still hunt, very slow walk and listen. We did not use tree stands, because we considered it unsporting. Deer do not "normally" look high up into trees! I took all my deer this way and never had a problem.

johnraleksa said:

Use to still hunt in big wooded state forest land ,always got lost. Take better part of the day to find my way back. For a while I believed there really were several Bigfoot in that area, because I would get back to the spot I parked my trunk and it was gone. I knew they moved it and then l had to spend hours looking for it.

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lol. oh yes. someone moved my truck a lot. they smart because they covered their tracks

I’ve hunted using both methods. I like still Hunting. When squirrels come up almost on you. It is funny. Other animals also. I enjoy being on my stand before dawn and being there as the woods wakes up.
When I have walked I go very slow. If you can develop some stealth habits they come in handy. Toe down first then slowly lower the rest of your foot. A few steps and stop. Look and listen. Set on a log for just a break. Here comes a nice doe browsing along.
My disabilities now keep me from really getting back into the woods. I sure do have great memories

once upon a time I was a Forester buying timber for a sawmill. I spent a lot of time in the woods, walking brutally straight lines through the thickest of tangles….very noisy. Every 198 feet I’d stop to do my sampling which would take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, usually a very quiet time. Occasionally while walking id see a deer stay right in bed, or stand to be ready for the flight. Either way, if i kept going they’d stay put, but if I stopped they’d run. Most of the time, though, I’d see most deer when I was finished with my sample and taking that first step toward my next sample point is when they’d burst from cover. I adapted this in many ways for still hunting, learning to read cover and terrain to cover ground when needed, slow down when needed and when to stop to play the game of “who blinks first”. Today I mostly hunt from stands on my small property but I still get into ‘big woods’ for a nice day still hunting. Rain or high winds are best for me.

Dan R said:

once upon a time I was a Forester buying timber for a sawmill. I spent a lot of time in the woods, walking brutally straight lines through the thickest of tangles….very noisy. Every 198 feet I’d stop to do my sampling which would take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, usually a very quiet time. Occasionally while walking id see a deer stay right in bed, or stand to be ready for the flight. Either way, if i kept going they’d stay put, but if I stopped they’d run. Most of the time, though, I’d see most deer when I was finished with my sample and taking that first step toward my next sample point is when they’d burst from cover. I adapted this in many ways for still hunting, learning to read cover and terrain to cover ground when needed, slow down when needed and when to stop to play the game of “who blinks first”. Today I mostly hunt from stands on my small property but I still get into ‘big woods’ for a nice day still hunting. Rain or high winds are best for me.

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Indeed, true still hunting is an art.