iSnipe

No one said you did Leroy.

The OP said: "...a stillhunting gait is really more like tiptoeing/walking on the balls of the feet. I was trying to remind myself of this as I crept the woods and, for whatever reason, I realized that a deer's foot is built exactly for this."

Best to read and comprehend, then reply based on what has been said... to you.

iSnipe

Buck Hunter 1

i still hunt in a tree to tree fashion. I like to get lean into a tres= and stay there for 5-10 minutes before next move. I also during thattime look for my next lean or stop behind a downed tree or stump whatever . I then have an idea of what I am stepping into. Get of known trails and onto deer trails that are tough, get on your hands and knees and go threw the thickets stay off quad paths places humans are known to walk. Hunt into the wind if at all possible and quarter it if you can't. Never work ridgetops standing up, crawl on hands and knees you are outlined looking down in of you are standing there, crawling on hands and knees you actually are down on all 4's. First wet snow is best, follwed by rain for stalking. The head jerk, if you are jerking your head you are probably going rigid at the same time, they will see this, if you continue your movement slowly threw it you iwll cause less alaarm to that animal. Reme=ber a jerk or sudden stop is an alert stance to a deer or animal. Good luck, takes years of frustration, but you know when you get it right.

Father Forkhorn

Good point about going rigid--that definitely happened. I've done it in stands before, too.

This is all really very helpful. Understanding how you all do it is giving me insight into how to improve.

I hadn't really given too much thought to selecting the route based on what it allows to be seen; more focused on selecting a route that uses cover/shadows and allows for quiet movement. I have to admit, a big buck would have probably been running for the next county rather than stopping to look back as that doe did, so I'm glad to learn anything that would keep that from happening.

outdoorsman09

my advice is probably a little rusty since i haven't practiced the methods in a few years.

i started stalking and still hunting my cousins through the woods and fields when i was in high school... that was a few years ago...lol...i'm only 23. but the thing that i know makes a difference is one very important action. PAY ATTENTION! if you can't pay attention to everything around you, you are moving too fast. I like to plan where i'm going next, which tree or stump i'm going to stand or squat by. i plan where i'm going to place my feet visually... remember though, like someone else said, you may need to try a single step multiple times. then when i do move, i never make a pattern to my steps... two steps, pause, three steps, pause, etc.

i always figured five to ten seconds of movement for ten minutes of observation... its definately not fast hunting...thats why its named for what it is. i usually try not to stand, deer seem to pick out a standing person, but they don't seem to be as aware of a person squatting. expecially if you are bowhunting, lay the bow across your knees if its not the deer you're after. it gives the appearance of branchs.

as someone else said, don't be afraid to make noise either. i routinely use a grunt call when the ground is noisy. i once still hunted up to another bow hunter who was looking for a deer that he shot the day before... i felt pretty bad when i blew a short grunt to his left when he was only about 5 feet away. i only saw him about 50 feet down the trail. i stopped, squatted with my bow across my knees next to some sticks and he never saw me. he didn't know i was there till i stood up. that was about two minutes after i grunted. but we are hunting deer and not people... anyhow...thats about all i have to say... i don't have much experience but what i have and what i do seems to work for me... which is what matters