After the first week of deer season, the number of hunters in the woods drops alarmingly.  

Tree stands can still be effective when the deer are moving in their natural patterns, but if hunting pressure has disrupted that pattern and without other hunters pushing the deer past you this is the time of year that still-hunting comes into its own.

I love to still-hunt, but it takes the right attitude and soft, quiet clothing to do so. You have to be prepared to watch a few white tails bounce away from you, but persistence and paying close attention to a few basic rules can reward your efforts.

Personally, I feel I have the best chance of scoring on the windiest days. Believe it or not, deer move and feed more during blustery weather than many think, confining their movement to daylight hours and lying up at night. With the rattling of limbs, waving branches and blowing leaves your noise and movement is largely camouflaged.

It is not unusual to stalk very close to deer in windy conditions, especially in the thicker cover usually too noisy to stalk through. With patience and a little luck you can move within yards of the wily whitetail if you’re hunting up wind and moving stealthily in the waving and swaying branches. I strongly suggest wearing a camouflage mask; your shining face will betray you to the deer in an up close encounter. Heavy rain and snow can also mask your movements by nullifying the deer’s acute senses as well.

During normal weather conditions the wind should always be one of your biggest concerns. The deer’s nose is a remarkably sensitive organ, one I have grown to dislike for its ability to make me look foolish. You would think from the deer’s panicked reactions to my odor that they believe I stink, my odor obnoxious!

My wife, proofreading this article just made a rather unflattering comment she seemed to find hilarious, but I don’t believe I’ll pass her cryptic remarks along to you, bless her heart!

Anyway, always hunt into the wind as much as possible. Deer who have spotted motion, but are not positive exactly what they’ve seen, will commonly stand and stare at you for some time, often moving to get a better look and presenting you with a shot if they can’t catch your wind. Of course, large bucks have very little curiosity and often crouch and sneak off if unsure of just what’s out there.

Since McKean and our neighboring counties are blessed with many ridges and valleys, it’s easy to enjoy hunting the many hilltops edges and benches.  Sneak to a contour break and peek over the edge, watching carefully.  Then retreat back out of sight, move ahead 50 to 75 and carefully repeat the process.

Pay attention to little details while still hunting. Line up a large tree to mask your outline. Forward motion should only be enough for your head to be visible above the break of the hill, hiding your body from the sight of any game below you.  I’ve shot a lot of deer using this method, but it takes confidence in your game plan and miles of walking to be successful, especially in today’s hunting conditions.

Again, details are critical; remember to always, and I mean always, move up behind a large tree before looking over the edge. This not only hides your motion, but also provides a rest to steady your rifle, shotgun or muzzleloader against. I don’t know about you, but the unexpected sight of a big buck makes my aim a little wobbly and you may have to shoot at a small area of the deer through brush or other cover. A solid, unmoving tree trunk can steady that aim.

Another little hint that can pay big dividends is this: when you’re finishing climbing a steep hill, just before you break over the top, stop and catch your breath. Stand there until your breathing slows and your legs are rested and steady. You just never know when a big buck may be just out of sight over that edge and shaky legs, breathing heavily with sweat in your eyes doesn’t add up to making a quick and accurate shot under pressure. Being rested and prepared to shoot accurately may be the secret to bagging your trophy.

Bucks who have survived the first day are cagey critters and would rather circle and sneak than run. Let’s face it, the further they run the greater the risk they will encounter another hunter. It is not uncommon for a buck to run out about 100 yards and stop. Then he’ll watch his back trail to see if you are following or not.  If you are a good offhand shot, wait about a minute and then very carefully sidestep half a step at a time using your scope to try and locate him at the edge of your sight.  Don’t use your binoculars to do this, you need your rifle up and ready to fire.  Once that buck feels you have seen him he’ll turn and run for good. One of the better whitetail deer hunters I knew, Dan Kessler, shot many nice bucks using this exact technique. You more often than not will only have a head or neck to shoot at, but this is a chance you would never have had before.

So, when things are slow, get out of your stand and take your time moving through areas you know hold deer. Still-hunting, like any skill, improves the more you use it.  Try these tricks of the trade and discover a few of your own. It is a very satisfying experience to beat a cagey whitetail one on one.