When to still hunt

[postman]

What time of day, and at what point in the season is the best for still hunting?

[Woods Walker]

Personally I like to wait until the leaves start to fall, as it opens up the woods and I can see better. But you don't have to do that. Marc Anthony killed himself a HUGE buck stillhunting a couple of weeks and it was posted here.
 
As far as what time of day, it's just like if you were treestand hunting. You want to be out there when the deer are moving. If they are moving, then you have a much better chance of seeing them first, which is the whole idea.
 
If the ground conditions are damp, that's good also, as it makes it easier for you to walk quieter. I also really like windy days...REAL windy days...the kind that treestand hunters stay home for. The deer don't like being in the wind either, so they will concentrate in wind protected areas, and that makes it a lot easier for you to find deer. The HUNTING of those deer is still difficult...as you may now have too many eyes and ears to contend with, but at least you're into deer.
 
I also love to hunt this way during the rut, as deer are on the move, and you may encounter a buck just about anytime. If you see a single doe acting "hot"...tail twitching, looking backwards frequently...you can get close to where she was and wait for the buck that will follow. It gives you a LOT more freedom.

[Hoytamania]

I have only still hunted a few time, i mainly do it in a new area as a way of scouting, no better sign in the wood for a hunter than the deer themselves. I do also try to pick wet or windy days to help keep myself quiet and not disturb deer too much, im more looking for a spot to set up than try to get one still hunting, but dont get me wrong, ill take the shot if i get the chance to.

[rjohns46]

Do you guys prefer to use a blind, or hide in brush or some sort of natural element when it is windy or really wet out?

[Woods Walker]

Well, I don't bow hunt in the rain, but I do during firearm season. I will usually stay mobile and try to slip up on deer that are bedded or moving through the woods.
 
If I'm hunting linear cover, I will sometimes hunker down in a natural blind out of the wind if I think it's a good spot.

[Hoytamania]

When ground hunting i just use natural cover. Its cheaper, haha. But if i have the choice, you can never go wrong with a tree stand, i just prefer them because you can see much more when higher up, helps calm down the buck fever for me, haha.

[Jerimy240]

I use a climber frequently and I leave it on the tree if I know I'm going to be hunting from the same tree multiple days. I'm a relatively new hunter and this may be a mistake I'm making because I could be leaving my scent in the area. I'm concerned about making too much noise in the mornings.

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: Jerimy240

I use a climber frequently and I leave it on the tree if I know I'm going to be hunting from the same tree multiple days. I'm a relatively new hunter and this may be a mistake I'm making because I could be leaving my scent in the area. I'm concerned about making too much noise in the mornings.

 
No...it's not a mistake. If it's a good area, then it' worth doing. Just make sure you ONLY hunt the stand though when the wind is right for that location.
 
And BTW, the subject of this thread...stillhunting...is slowly moving through a hunting area on foot, with frequent stops...some of which may be 10 minutes to an hour. Treestand hunting or ground blind stands are generally not considered to be stillhunting.
 
But having said that, let's go back to your question. If you are concerned about making noise in the dark as you walk in, why not try waiting until you can see in the woods, and then slowly stillhunting to your tree? This way you won't blow everything out on your way in when it's dark, and any deer you DO see on your way in you can let pass unaware (if you're moving slow enough), and you may even get a shot. 

[Blake Dandurand]

I agree with woods, i like to wait untill its just light enough to see the deer, then i sneak in, although i only do this when i am still hunting an area, but it easily applies to stand hunting also.

[Jerimy240]

Thanks for the heads-up. I figured the "still" in stillhunting meant hunting from a stand. I've mainly used it to differentiate it from dog hunting here in South Carolina. I've never used dogs and find it unsportsmanlike. I've never tried it, so I guess I can't knock it too much though. I'm sure that's been debated several times in the forums. Regardless, thanks for the advice guys