Walking or sitting for deer?

[Joe Btfsplk]

I only have two years experience hunting whitetail, and would really like to harvest a mulie if the draw works in my favour one of these years. Last year, I tried walking the area, and scared up a moose cow with two calves, who knew I was there. She was booking it in the opposite direction. I saw no whitetail at all. Getting tired later in the day, I sat in my favourite little wooded area looking down on a slough, and out walked a beautiful mulie doe about two hundred yards away. Of course, I don’t have a tag, so all I can do is look. She rubbed salt in the wound by coming towards me until about 25 yards away when she sighted me and pronked off. I did not see a whitetail at all.
Question; is the option of walking better in general, or is sitting better? Does it depend on terrain or my physical condition? I hunt where there is vehicle access to most areas, so I will not have to pack out an animal. Keep in mind my level of experience and the fact that I am 68 years old.

By the way, was it just a bad year for me or are whitetail numbers down in some areas? I did eventually get a small doe, but there was not much meat in the freezer this season…

[elkhunter11]

For most people, hunting in cover, sitting will be more productive, because most people move too fast/noisy, and are seen or heard, or scented. Some people that have the patience and experience do well at still hunting.
For open country, I like spot and stalk for deer. In open country, you can see deer farther, and you are usually far enough away , that you see them , before you spook them, and you can then plan a stalk using the wind and the land to advantage.

[warriorboy10]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

For most people, hunting in cover, sitting will be more productive, because most people move too fast/noisy, and are seen or heard, or scented. Some people that have the patience and experience do well at still hunting.
For open country, I like spot and stalk for deer. In open country, you can see deer farther, and you are usually far enough away , that you see them , before you spook them, and you can then plan a stalk using the wind and the land to advantage.

My thoughts also. In my experience practice your shooting skills at distance and get to know your rifle on an intimate level for best succuess. You won't regret it!

[aragor764]

The amount of time I said to myself "if I would have just sat there and waited" are too many to count, so I mostly walk to an area and sit for extended periods of time now, depending on the terrain and the wind of course.

[slough shark]

Thick bush is generally better to sit, I’ve also usually had better luck for whitetail sitting. Mule deer I hunt areas with some visibility and it’s mostly spot and stalk.

[Pekan]

Sounds like you found a system that works for you.
I think the common wisdom is to sit for whitetails, but if you're looking for does vs mature bucks the truck method maybe just as good as sitting.

[catnthehat]

It depends ds on the area, amount of sign, and my mood as to whether or not I sit ir still hunt.
I have done both in the same area fir many years.
Cat

[Hogie135]

Both. There isn't one answer. I find the easier the access as you said there was deer will spook easier. I've walked into deer who didnt care, and i have walked into deer who blew at me and ran. Do what you enjoy most. Personally, I walk a bit until i find a nice spot. then sit. move and repeat. If you find a well used game trail, sit off that trail somewhere keeping wind in mind and wait.

Get yourself a doe bleat can, when sitting in November if thats when you are out use that to arouse some interest. You can also get a little stool from canadian tire which is light and easier to attach to a backpack and you have a seat wherever you want, Depending on your physical limits, try and get away from easily accessed areas. Time in the woods will show you everything.

[-JR-]

I can tell you now ,since i am very close to your age my hunting style has changed also . I used to leave my quad in my truck and start walking before the sun came out and return at noon for lunch when i hunted on crown land . I would do both walk until i see tracks then sit and wait .then keep walking and sit again .
I stopped hunting farm land now ,because every 1/2 hr someone thought they owned the land and would just drive in, and circle the field where I was sitting in and then drive out fast .
Now that I am older like you i need to be more safe , I try to keep the truck in my vision at all times when i solo hunt. ( I sold my ATV 2 years ago ) Been mostly road hunting on crown land now driving down lease roads very slow . and just looking down cut lines . Its worked out really good because now i can hunt during the week away from the weekend crowds . I filled two tags in the first two weeks last year doing this .
A lot of people frown upon road hunters in trucks ,but its no different than them driving Atv on the roads and cut lines.
I hope this helps you being more safe .

[calgarychef]

Cover, food, water are the three things all animals need.
Find that (it won’t be difficult) then find a good trail between the three. Get off the trail as far as you feel comfortable shooting and wait. Bring a chair! Get comfy, they’ll show up.

[Drewski Canuck]

Trouble with deer hunting is very soon after season opener the deer go nocternal to feed.

Many times on a full moon in November when there was snow on the ground I have driven to my hunting spot and saw a shadow it was so bright!

I would be a full hour before daylight, and you could see a mouse on the snow in a field. No Deer, as they had already worked their way into the bush out of the field.

Learn to rattle and call. GO into the bush cover that the deer are trailing into from the fields. Find a cross fence area in the bush that gives line of sight of a couple hundred yards in each direction, use cover scents, and sit for a good couple hours morning and evening. Pay attention to the downwind shooting lanes.

You will be surprised how close to the field you can be. Often going in a couple hundred yards into the bush is all you need. Deer move around in cover all day long. The Fields are empty up to last light and often well after last light, thanks to the guys using a truck blind.

If you want to walk the bush, it really is tough as you have to walk into the wind, and it better be good and windy to cover the noise you will make.

Drewski

[Stinky Buffalo]

One thing to remember is that it’s not “the law” to have to head back to the truck/camp for lunch.

I still do, as hunting for me is very much a social activity as it is a passion for the animals that I hunt. And sometimes I’ll be changing areas halfway through the day. Or sometimes we just need to warm up.

I’ve come back to my stand after lunch to find that the deer have been investigating my tracks and stand while I was away.

If you can stay in a promising spot all day, minimize spreading your scent around, stop and sit for a while, it’s amazing what pops out.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Mulie or Whitetail ? I've always found Mulies move around less than Whitetails and are more predictable, I've always used a spot and stalk technique.

[Smokinyotes]

My favourite way to hunt white tails is in a blind overlooking an alfalfa field. A heater is a must in November when it’s cold.

[Pioneer2]

at mid-day just staying put ,letting others push them leaving.

[eaglemountainman]

Depending on terrain, I'll either stillhunt, spot and stalk or snow track. It's the way I was taught by my dad and gramps. The thought of sitting in one spot for hours on end holds no appeal to me. Sometimes, as I've aged, I'll seek out a stump or rock to set and stretch out my back when it gets tight, but after 15-20 minutes, I'm back on the move.

[Joe Btfsplk]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

My favourite way to hunt white tails is in a blind overlooking an alfalfa field. A heater is a must in November when it’s cold.

I do have a small blind, and they do block some wind, but no alfalfa. Might have to try it again this year.

“Been mostly road hunting on crown land now driving down lease roads very slow . and just looking down cut lines . Its worked out really good because now i can hunt during the week away from the weekend crowds . I filled two tags in the first two weeks last year doing this .
A lot of people frown upon road hunters in trucks ,but it’s no different than them driving Atv on the roads and cut lines.”

I got my doe this year doing precisely that!

I see many people have had to change techniques as they age, it’s informative to see what you have done! Thanks for all the comments!

[58thecat]

Mostly set up in areas I had previously scouted that showed sign and sit with the wind direction always a huge consideration where I sit.

On super windy days I like to poke around slowly using the wind to cover up sound as they are more likely bedded down.

[mourinho]

Can do a combo as well. Walk slowly 50-100yds then stand/sit on stump for 5-10 minutes and listen/look; then repeat.

Best way to combine both methods. I am amazed at how many deer you can actually hear coming way in the distance.

[Apatrickson]

I am not the most experienced hunter out there but I will share my experiences. I have found that when hunting whitetail sitting in a stand is the best option as when I have been walking I tend to bust them more often. When I hunt muleys I am often in large and long coulees. I have had a lot of success hiking them and keeping an eye out for deer. However I have also had luck sitting on the side of a coulee and calling. Honestly I can't tell you one is better then the other, but that is just what I prefer to do

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Joe Btfsplk

I only have two years experience hunting whitetail, and would really like to harvest a mulie if the draw works in my favour one of these years. Last year, I tried walking the area, and scared up a moose cow with two calves, who knew I was there. She was booking it in the opposite direction. I saw no whitetail at all. Getting tired later in the day, I sat in my favourite little wooded area looking down on a slough, and out walked a beautiful mulie doe about two hundred yards away. Of course, I don’t have a tag, so all I can do is look. She rubbed salt in the wound by coming towards me until about 25 yards away when she sighted me and pronked off. I did not see a whitetail at all.
Question; is the option of walking better in general, or is sitting better? Does it depend on terrain or my physical condition? I hunt where there is vehicle access to most areas, so I will not have to pack out an animal. Keep in mind my level of experience and the fact that I am 68 years old.

By the way, was it just a bad year for me or are whitetail numbers down in some areas? I did eventually get a small doe, but there was not much meat in the freezer this season…

One final observation on the VS issue... An experienced still hunter will usually have no trouble switching to stand hunting when the situation calls for it. The same can not usually be said of a die hard stand hunter.

[aragor764]

Also if you come up North and hunt in November, it will likely be to cold to sit for extended periods of time anyway!

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by Apatrickson

I am not the most experienced hunter out there but I will share my experiences. I have found that when hunting whitetail sitting in a stand is the best option as when I have been walking I tend to bust them more often. When I hunt muleys I am often in large and long coulees. I have had a lot of success hiking them and keeping an eye out for deer. However I have also had luck sitting on the side of a coulee and calling. Honestly I can't tell you one is better then the other, but that is just what I prefer to do

If you're busting or bumping deer, you're walking to fast and not looking close enough. I learned this over time. It's hard to slow down your walk and increase you viewing. Good binoculars in cover are a great asset to have. Once I learned this, I started having more opportunities for a shot.

Originally Posted by aragor764

Also if you come up North and hunt in November, it will likely be to cold to sit for extended periods of time anyway!

The colder it was the more I sat. I found deer to be more active in cold weather. Combine the cold with other hunters bumping deer. I had great chances with harvesting a deer.

BW

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

If you're busting or bumping deer, you're walking to fast and not looking close enough. I learned this over time. It's hard to slow down your walk and increase you viewing. Good binoculars in cover are a great asset to have. Once I learned this, I started having more opportunities for a shot.



The colder it was the more I sat. I found deer to be more active in cold weather. Combine the cold with other hunters bumping deer. I had great chances with harvesting a deer.

BW

I've found that a big part of it is sounding like a deer way before you make actual contact, and on that front it is entirely possible to move too slow.

Case in point, last year's conditions were terrible for still hunting. Early on in the season I was trying to compensate by moving incredibly slow, but was forced to hunt a stand in order to connect with a decent buck. After killing my buck I continued to hunt moose the rest of the season, needing to cover more ground/ find sign I moved much faster but did my best to move in a deer like fashion... I saw deer like crazy and had several mature bucks come charging in to check me out.

In more instances than not a deer will hear you coming before you see it, if you are moving on a deer trail, at a deer pace/ cadence, and with the flow of "traffic" its pretty normal to still get good shot opportunities. Break any one of those rules and you wont, sound more like a sneaking predator than an unalarmed deer and you will also have trouble.

[Joe Btfsplk]

Originally Posted by aragor764

Also if you come up North and hunt in November, it will likely be to cold to sit for extended periods of time anyway!

Colder than north of Two Hills? Born and raised Alberta boy here, cold I can usually handle - but as I age its the wind that makes me miserable. 🥶 And my truck has a good heater! Seriously, if its that cold I prolly won’t be in the bush…

[aragor764]

Originally Posted by Joe Btfsplk

Colder than north of Two Hills? Born and raised Alberta boy here, cold I can usually handle - but as I age its the wind that makes me miserable. 🥶 And my truck has a good heater! Seriously, if its that cold I prolly won’t be in the bush…

I wasn't trying to compare coldness and wind speeds, just trying to say that during mid November I can typically only sit for 2 hours at a time before having to move. I am up in WMU 512 btw.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Joe Btfsplk

Colder than north of Two Hills? Born and raised Alberta boy here, cold I can usually handle - but as I age its the wind that makes me miserable. 🥶 And my truck has a good heater! Seriously, if its that cold I prolly won’t be in the bush…

In my area, where south facing slopes are relatively rare, still hunting one on a -27 day is usually well worth the discomfort.

You know how one learns this type of thing? Its not from riding around in a truck or sitting on a hay field, I can assure you of that. Probably at some point my knees wont take me over the ridges anymore and its quite likely that is when I will start shooting my biggest deer, but it will be a direct result of hundreds of kilometers I've walked on game trails, and millions of fresh tracks I've examined and compared.

[Prairiekid]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

One final observation on the VS issue... An experienced still hunter will usually have no trouble switching to stand hunting when the situation calls for it. The same can not usually be said of a die hard stand hunter.

to add to Bushleagues comment, in the past when I am still hunting but decide to sit for a bit I can stop in a spot with fresh sign. Then have a snack and drink and listen/watch the forest. I have had some good luck with that as well.