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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 |
I used to still hunt a lot when I was younger. I liked to do it on rainy days and windy afternoons. I did it in thick woods and have shot deer at less than 20 yards walking. It requires patience to do it well. You have to hunt hard with your eyes seeing everything before you move and moving slowly enough and moving the right way. So you spot them before they see you. Yeah, successful still hunting definitely requires more skill than some other forms of hunting.
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 464
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 464 |
That's pretty neat. I never would have thought that'd work.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 24,767 Likes: 30
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 24,767 Likes: 30 |
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.
PRESIDENT TRUMP 2024/2028 !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bristoe The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 24,767 Likes: 30
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 24,767 Likes: 30 |
Do share. All I heard was that they were for “public access” and working for getting more accessibility. I’m sure there’s more to it. I did see the thread on corner crossing and some things about BHA after I posted this. Are there any trustworthy organizations for hunters doing anything for public access and public lands that aren’t a bunch of shisters? The closer I get to freedom/retirement the more I’m looking into public access and public lands across the country. Just looking for solid information on who’s on the up and up and who to avoid. Hunting, fishing and public lands and access are what mean the most to me and always have. Sifting through the bullshit is always a pain. Brinky72, Howdy. Don't know of any groups doing what you ask about, sounds like you need one of the modern map apps for hunting/fishing public land on a phone or GPS. Something definitely needs to be done about landlocked public land that can't be accessed.
PRESIDENT TRUMP 2024/2028 !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bristoe The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,671 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,671 Likes: 6 |
(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!
WWP53D
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,671 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,671 Likes: 6 |
Still hunting, spot-and-stalk, tracking, stand hunting, calling, drive hunting; I adapt to the conditions, terrain, and game behaviour. Same here. I've been lucky enough to chase whitetails in a bunch of different states and provinces. What works in some is a recipe for disaster (and tag sandwich) in others.
WWP53D
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,903
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,903 |
Do share. All I heard was that they were for “public access” and working for getting more accessibility. I’m sure there’s more to it. I did see the thread on corner crossing and some things about BHA after I posted this. Are there any trustworthy organizations for hunters doing anything for public access and public lands that aren’t a bunch of shisters? The closer I get to freedom/retirement the more I’m looking into public access and public lands across the country. Just looking for solid information on who’s on the up and up and who to avoid. Hunting, fishing and public lands and access are what mean the most to me and always have. Sifting through the bullshit is always a pain. Brinky72, Howdy. Don't know of any groups doing what you ask about, sounds like you need one of the modern map apps for hunting/fishing public land on a phone or GPS. Something definitely needs to be done about landlocked public land that can't be accessed. Funny you mention the map app. I have OnX and found out that it’s not so current and accurate. I was looking at a parcel of land for sale and asked the neighbor about it come in find out he had bought it. Ten years ago. OnX showed a different owner and the realtor dropped a pin a half mile off.
Keep your powder dry and stay frosty my friends.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,478 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,478 Likes: 3 |
Who else does it old school and how? Still hunting mostly ... my preference. Natural blinds .. sit in a pocket in the brush to break up my silhouette and see what walks by. Very rarely spot and stalk. We do a little of just about everything here 'cept tree stands. I've seen 2 in 50 years. One was pretty nice, the other was a home-made wooden death trap, a plank platform probably 30, maybe 40 feet above ground in a triangle of 3 firs. The ladder two it was made of 2 small fir trees sawed down with pieces of branch nailed between them. I know who built it .. despite the shoddy condition they were using it every year. Seems like one of those situations where you need a safety rope tied 'round your neck so you can't fall clear to the ground. The nice one .. I'd been running trail cams there for 2 winters before I saw it. Almost left the owner a note to watch his back 'cause there were a pair of cougars I was getting on my cameras fairly frequently. Probably should have.
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Here be dragons ...
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 145
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 145 |
I cut my teeth in Illinois hunting from a blind on the edges of corn fields. I live in western Oregon now doing spot and stalk and still hunting. Tough hunting out here but I love it. I only hunt national forest and BLM now.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,228 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,228 Likes: 2 |
Buckin brush will net bucks, but gettin high and glassing 5-6 year old clearcuts will produce more bucks for ya. 👍
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ain’t easy havin pals.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,411 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,411 Likes: 5 |
The mention of old school and still hunting takes me back to my most memorable hunt. Technically, I was still hunting when I spotted him and then spent most of the day trying to get from 1/2 mile to 150 yds in open timber to be able to lob a 540 grain cast bullet loaded over blackpowder in this 45-70. Nearly 100% of my hunting is still hunting...
Last edited by JGray; 01/18/22.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,871
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,871 |
Nice buck Is the Ballard an original?
"The more I am around people the better I like my dog." Mark Twain
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,411 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,411 Likes: 5 |
Thanks - it's a Cody repro from the late 1990's...
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,871
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,871 |
Excellent! I used to shoot with those folks.
"The more I am around people the better I like my dog." Mark Twain
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,625 |
The mention of old school and still hunting takes me back to my most memorable hunt. Technically, I was still hunting when I spotted him and then spent most of the day trying to get from 1/2 mile to 150 yds in open timber to be able to lob a 540 grain cast bullet loaded over blackpowder in this 45-70. Nearly 100% of my hunting is still hunting... Outstanding accomplishment! Quite a buck taken with quite a rifle. Thanks for sharing!
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,411 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,411 Likes: 5 |
Thanks for the kind words - it's the best buck I've taken and the rifle/load is what makes it very special to me. My wife's not fond of critters on the wall, but I won that one
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 145
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 145 |
Looks great! Congratulations!
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,124 Likes: 8
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,124 Likes: 8 |
Just curious who still does it. I’m fortunate to Lunt in an area where there are large tracts of federal,state and, corporate land open to the public. I can go for miles on a track and never see a boot print or other human sign. I do a mix of hunting styles depending on snow cover,sign and weather. And, if my ass is really wore out I just might sit for a minute or two. Typical day on which is November 15 th here in Michigan I usually go to known areas that have good sign and go above 12-15 miles that day. If I have good snow I’ll cut a good track and run it. If the snow is light and old it’s a bit tougher but I’ll still run a track. No snow? Well that is where still hunting plays in and I might sit on the side of a ridge during prime time overlooking a good looking area with sign. If I come up on a cut while looking for a good track I’ll glass it for a while and if I happen to see a shooter then the stalking game is on. Sometimes this ends in a situation of just getting in a good position for a shot or it can turn into a track if the buck moves on. This is my preferred way of hunting and rarely sit. Again if I’m whooped from the day I’ll slow up at the end of day and bust out my portable hammock chair I carry in my pack. Or if I’m sitting on a tag at the end of the season I’ll blast a doe from a blind to fill the larder.
Who else does it old school and how? Apart from the snow, that is the way all Aussies hunt. Never saw or heard of a tree stand there and the country is too big to sit still, so never enters the mind. The only time we may sit and seek is when deer hunting in thicker scrub where movement is the best tip in the bush. Deer only make up a small part of the hunting and kills taken there. The other thing is, Aussie's call everything out of the city "the bush" even if its barren open land is still "up the bush".
When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,879 Likes: 4
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,879 Likes: 4 |
When I first bought my 200 acre farm in GA (have since sold it), I enjoyed spot and stalk as I could never do that on leased land, mostly out of consideration of other hunters, I saw lots of flags but rarely shot anything while on foot. Once I got serious and settled into stands and waited them out, I started seeing and killing the kind of bucks that were typical for the area. We just don't have the open space in the south to do much glassing and stalking.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,802
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,802 |
Thats some seriously flat country. Good on ya for working it the best you can with a cow decoy!
Carry what you’re willing to fight with - Mackay Sagebrush
Perfect is the enemy of good enough
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