Still hunting in the classic sense around here is practically impossible. I’ve done it on occasion but only in larger creek bottoms. Even there a foot of sycamore, oak and other hardwood leaves makes it really tough unless it’s after a rain or pretty windy.
Most hunting land is owned by paper companies and consists of pine plantations at varying stages of growth. Cutovers where you can see hundreds of yards but covered with logging debris or saplings so thick you can’t see ten yards. Oh, and no snow.
Food plots, shooting houses and tree stands are the way to go.
Do a search for NAS Meridian, MS. on google earth or your favorite app with aerial photos. Then go about 3-4 miles WNW and check out the timber. Still hunting ain’t happening there.
In my experience still hunting in the southeast isn't productive due to being so thick. Mainly speaking of public land, seems the wind blows 360* anywhere within 30 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, which is where I lived most of my adult life.
Find an area with a lot of sign, climb a tree on the edge of the thick stuff and wait it out. Also deer/hogs DO go nocturnal especially during warmish hunting seasons. Oddly from what I've seen on Game Cams they often don't move until well after dark, > midnight too 3-4am is their moving around time near coastal areas.
Now in northcentral Arkansas mature hardwoods hunting is tough, 3 game cams out last year, VERY FEW deer. Sylamore WMA.
There are roads cut through the woods every quarter mile, lads cruise the place in their trucks for something to do.
The place is heavily Trapped which is good for the deer herd, although very few coyotes to hunt. I've always been able to call coyotes/etc.. Called many days calling last year daylight to dark never heard or saw a single critter other than hawk/owl.
