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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 184
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 184 |
I normally hunt PA and/or NE OH. I do a slow walk stopping quite often. Unfortunately my back bothers me more now that I'm older and is affecting my legs more. Starting not to be able to go as far as I would like. Walked up many a deer that way.
When you can get the last word with an echo, you may have the last word with your wife. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce If goose was the only meat, there would be a lot more vegetarians. - Lloyd Adams, waterfowl hunter
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,095 Likes: 3
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,095 Likes: 3 |
I love tracking and still hunting. Once you get on a track you can learn what a deer is doing. I had one that would always go through a thicket and circle around to the left and come out behind me after the third time we hit a thicket and instead of following through I circled left on the way in and stood there waiting for him to walk to me.. I was on that track for most of the day shooting him at last light. It took me hours in the dark to drag him out to a trail.
Last edited by erich; 12/08/21.
After the first shot the rest are just noise.
Make mine a Minaska
Heaven has walls and rules, H-ll has open borders
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,944
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,944 |
I have never been good at tracking, there are enough deer in the Black Hills that tracks get awful cluttered. Have not had much success.
I like still hunting, but normally it involves going from rattling location to rattling location. Or sitting for awhile, then moving to another location to sit. Have never put on 10-15 miles going after deer. Have done it many times covering ground while bowhunting elk.
Spot and stalk and is my preferred method. I have not sat in a treestand for many years, easily close to 15. I do not mind ground blinds, and that is how I hunt deer with my traditional bows
I like trucks, one of the best ground blinds ever made. Contain scent and do not leave a bunch of human scent on the ground contaminating the area.
Last edited by CRS; 12/08/21.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,387 Likes: 45
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,387 Likes: 45 |
Spot and stalk or still hunt. Is there any other way to actually hunt? We are lucky I guess. Those guys in the east hunt from stands. I love to be out there still hunting, tracking and reading sign. I don't just get on a track though, sometimes you have to try to anticipate where they are going and then get there before they do. That all depends on the time of day though. Elk always watch their backtrack so you can't just get on a track and follow it... No other way for me..
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,557 Likes: 25
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,557 Likes: 25 |
I could never stand just sitting in a blind. I have to be out there on foot. This year my partner and I spotted 9 elk from about 1.5 miles away and we watched them bed down in a shallow draw. We drove about 1/2 mile on a road to get the wind right and then hiked about 1.25 miles to get to them. We knew exactly where they were and walked right into them. We both got our cows.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,699 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,699 Likes: 1 |
Spot and stalk or still hunt. Is there any other way to actually hunt? We are lucky I guess. Those guys in the east hunt from stands. I love to be out there still hunting, tracking and reading sign. I don't just get on a track though, sometimes you have to try to anticipate where they are going and then get there before they do. That all depends on the time of day though. Elk always watch their backtrack so you can't just get on a track and follow it... No other way for me.. Yes, you are lucky. I would have loved to have spent my deer hunting life tracking, still hunting, or stalking. However, conditions in the South don't allow it. Flat, too much underbrush, and ground covered with woody debris all combine to make silent movement, however slow, impossible. Some very local exceptions may exist, but I haven't seen them in person. By the way, most southerners misuse the term still hunt. They really mean "stand hunt". It's been my understanding that to still hunt means to move so slowly as to appear to be still.
The biggest problem our country has is not systemic racism, it's systemic stupidity.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,858 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,858 Likes: 10 |
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 googel 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.
Last edited by navlav8r; 12/09/21.
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,292 Likes: 11
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,292 Likes: 11 |
Glass, spot and stalk. Pack the meat out on my back. That is how I was taught to hut and that is how I hunt. Personally I HATE sitting in a blind if there is another way to hunt. I'll do it, but that is my least favorite way to hunt.
You get out of life what you are willing to accept. If you ain't happy, do something about it!
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,307 Likes: 2
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,307 Likes: 2 |
Still hunting and spot and stalk are the only ways I hunted until a few years ago, plus tracking for some of the African stuff. Age caught up with me and Texas box blinds started looking more and more attractive.
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653 |
The OP posted in General Game, yet talked about old school tactic he uses on Whitetail deer. On Whitetail deer I do very little of what he outlined as "old school". Hunting Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan private land I spend a lot of time studying terrain, feed and bedding areas, then sit on the ground, stump, log, bucket or set up a ground blind or ladder stand.
If there is enough hunters available, conduct deer drives. To me, while hunting Whitetail deer, the most exhilarating experience is being on stand and knowing there are 10-20 drivers moving toward you.
You're Welcome At My Fire Anytime
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 320
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 320 |
A whole lot of mining activity...Both past and present around here. The woods are criscrossed with old overgrown mining and logging roads.
I just can't stand to sit in one place too long. I'm always wondering what might be right over that next rise or on the other side of that thicket.
I generally just park my vehicle down low....near the creek or railroad tracks and start sneaking along some of those old roads. Always hunting uphill and into the wind.
Sometimes it works out, Most of the time it don't but when I do kill one, I have a downhill drag.
One other thing, I'm only 52 years old but dragging deer is getting tougher each and every year so I have been holding out for the smaller ones. Got me a trophy doe a week and a half ago.....Got tenderloins, backstraps , 2 roasts and 17 pounds of burger out of her....Very easy to drag.
Don't let the name fool Ya!
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,741
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,741 |
In Oregon we have lots of public land. In my estimation about 5% of tag holders are hunters who wear out boots. The other 95% wear out tires.
The anti American Constitutional party (Democrat). Wants to dismantle your rights, limiting every aspect of your constitutional rights. Death by 1000 cuts is the tactic. Each cut bleeds constitutional rights to control you. Control is the goal.
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Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 945
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 945 |
A whole lot of mining activity...Both past and present around here. The woods are criscrossed with old overgrown mining and logging roads.
I just can't stand to sit in one place too long. I'm always wondering what might be right over that next rise or on the other side of that thicket.
I generally just park my vehicle down low....near the creek or railroad tracks and start sneaking along some of those old roads. Always hunting uphill and into the wind.
Sometimes it works out, Most of the time it don't but when I do kill one, I have a downhill drag.
One other thing, I'm only 52 years old but dragging deer is getting tougher each and every year so I have been holding out for the smaller ones. Got me a trophy doe a week and a half ago.....Got tenderloins, backstraps , 2 roasts and 17 pounds of burger out of her....Very easy to drag. Why drag?
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,095 Likes: 3
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,095 Likes: 3 |
Some states require deer to be brought into the check station whole.. field dressing ok.
Years ago we would hang them in a tree near the kill sight and the last day of the season the whole camp would spend the day dragging them in.
Last edited by erich; 12/10/21.
After the first shot the rest are just noise.
Make mine a Minaska
Heaven has walls and rules, H-ll has open borders
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,592 Likes: 11
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,592 Likes: 11 |
Still hunting, spot-and-stalk, tracking, stand hunting, calling, drive hunting; I adapt to the conditions, terrain, and game behaviour. I’m not attached to any one method of hunting (though truck hunting is the least enjoyable, IMO).
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,313 Likes: 4
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,313 Likes: 4 |
(though truck hunting is the least enjoyable, IMO). As a rancher friend said to me once after helping me get a backcountry bull out; for me anymore, a hardship hunt is manual windows!
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,592 Likes: 11
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,592 Likes: 11 |
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,368 Likes: 13
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,368 Likes: 13 |
(though truck hunting is the least enjoyable, IMO). As a rancher friend said to me once after helping me get a backcountry bull out; for me anymore, a hardship hunt is manual windows!HA! Now that is a good one!
Semper Fi
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,626 Likes: 52
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,626 Likes: 52 |
I like walking and stalking, but don’t hunt anywhere open enough to do that.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,956
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,956 |
Depends on where you are. If you have a small plot of land or there are allot of hunters in the area then still hunting. If you have room to roam and you don't have to worry about being shot and the conditions are right, spot and stalk all the way. I love spot and stalk hunting in the rain. I have killed numerous deer that way including a wall hanger.
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