Many years ago I was gifted a longbow from my brother for a December birthday. That first hunt with the longbow in January was what had me hooked on traditional archery. I was sitting on a stump on a snowy evening when I was surrounded by a large group of does. One eventually presented a very close shot, but I instead arrowed a tree. I was hooked.
As a compound bow hunter I spent most of my hunting time perched in a tree stand. As I evolved in my journey I started hunting more from the ground stillhunting. Stillhunting is a skill and like any skill the more you do it the better you get.
A fine old buck taken from the ground.
I recently had a chance to evaluate my past 16 years of traditional bowhunting. During that time I'll killed 25 deer. Half of those were from the ground vs a blind or treestand. Looking at only the last 5 years that percentage jumps to 63%. My total success rate in the last 5 years is 32% greater than the total. This tells me that I have learned a thing or two about sneaking around on deer as I have done it more.
A recent week long deer camp trip to the big public lands of Allegheny county really exemplified how this can help a hunter. There were 7 hunters in camp including one shooting a compound and one a crossbow. After a morning sit at a pre-scouted location, I spent the rest of the week stillhunting. I managed to spot a group of 3 deer and snuck up about 65 yards to arrow one. If I had just sat there tethered to a tree they would have simply fed off and away. Sure I may have blown the stalk, but it was an opportunity. Sneaking within bow range of 3 sets of deer eyes and ears is a difficult task!
Later that week I caught a distracted buck who was being harassed by 2 coyotes, and quickly working up to him sent an arrow through the ribs at 25 yards. Again, if I was stuck to a tree or not moved from my seat, I would have likely gone home with just a story.
There are several things that I have learned over the years that help. Some folks talk about "walking like a deer", by making sounds like a deer walking instead of a human. I have tried this but never with much success. Almost always, I find it is best if the animals do not know you are there at all.
1. Use your Binos
2. Go slowly
The first bit of advice is to have a good pair of binoculars and keep them out and ready. I like to sling mine with an oversized piece of parachute cord under the arm opposite my bow shoulder. If you look carefully you can see them in the above two photos as it hangs about the level of the belt. I stop and glass often. Seeing the animal first is paramount to success. Scanning with the glass also helps you slow down. Stand still/sit more than you move, and when you move, move slow as molasses in the wintertime.
3. Play the wind
Hunt into, or across the wind. When your stuck in the treestand and the wind changes it could really screw up your hunt. Stillhunting you just need to adjust and continue. I keep a piece of unwaxed dental floss tied to the top loop of my bowstring and can check the wind constantly that way with minimal movement.
You can see the frayed ends of the unwaxed floss catch the wind easily in the above photo.
4. Bean Boots
Not any LL Bean Boots will do either. The original Maine Hunting Shoe in my opinion is the best and closest thing to a modern Indian moccasin there is. They run small and I wear them tight. The smallest twig can be felt though the soft gum rubber bottom. Not cracking those unseen twigs makes for a quiet sneak. They are slippery when wet, and some experience is needed on different terrain, but I have used them from desert to Mountains to swamp with success. I carry insulated overshoes when it is real cold and still sneak around between sits in my beans. Fred Bear used to use tennis shoes for the same reasons, but they get wet and soggy.
5. Don't wear loud clothes
I prefer wool. Wool not only absorbs reflected light, it is super quiet. There is nothing better in the woods. When it is warm I like thin wool twill pants like what LL Bean used to call field pants. Some like the newer wool camo like first-lite, but I don't like the baggy "freedom of movement" cut of those. Some do. I rarely us camo anymore and have not seen a decrease in success or encounters from wearing non-camo. Grey wool blends in great with winter hardwoods, and plaids break up the outline. I still wear my old cotton military BDU pants, but even they are noisy compared to wool.
6. Trails are quieter than breaking brush
Using deer trails and roads can be effective for moving quietly. Just be aware deer like to bed up in places where they can watch the trails and roads people are known to use. Sometimes, they will be close, and will let you pass if they think you have not seen them. If you see one like this, you need to make a shot while you are moving and acting causally. If you stop and look at the deer it will bolt before you can draw. I've never killed one this way, but I have had several opportunities like this. One time, I was walking with a friend in front and I saw a deer watching. I told my friend to keep walking and I stopped behind a tree. The deer watched my friend and I was able to peak around the tree and get a shot as the deer was busy watching him (deer can't count). On my home property I take a leaf blower and blow a circuit to walk after the leaves have fallen. Deer use these open trails too so you can actually create a runway past your ground blind if you want.
7. Never step on, what you can step over
Timeless advice from Fred Bear.
8. Sit when the deer are moving, move when the deer are bedded
You can sneak up on a bedded animal. I have done it many times with elk and deer. I tend to sit still in the early morning and evening and sneak around in the afternoon. Bedding areas are effective. Sitting too long gets you stiff, cold, and is counterproductive. Why not sneak around a bit and change locations after too long. You may bump into something, and if you see it first game on!
9. If you can sneak up in bow range of a squirrel you can do it with a deer.
Practice your sneaking skills on squirrels, no better practice for deer. I tend to shoot one or two squirrels with my bow a year.
To sum up, sneaking around the woods is a skill you get better at the more you practice. Don't be afraid to try. Don't be so rigid in your hunting. Be flexible and it may payoff in the long run. Did I mention it is fun!
