Going after whitetails, especially one with a good-sized rack, is a thought that no doubt has begun to occupy the minds of a lot of serious buck hunters. Scouting is well underway, with us checking the images from our trail cameras, driving around some of our favorite haunts, and spending time in our favorite hunting spots. What I find kind of interesting these days is how we go about pursuing those deer once the various seasons get underway. I think it’s pretty safe to say that most deer hunters these days will probably find themselves comfortably parked in some kind of treestand where they patiently wait for that unsuspecting buck to come by.
Essentially, when considering deer hunting, there are three primary approaches to pursuing whitetails: treestand setups, deer drives, and what’s often referred to as still hunting.
When I started deer hunting as a kid, my grandfather took me on my first deer hunts, and he didn’t use any of the previously mentioned approaches; his method was simple- walk as far as you can, as fast as you can. It was not unusual to cover six or eight miles in an afternoon hunt. Every now and then, he would yell, “There goes one,” and I would look up and see a “white pointed thing” bolting through the woods. One day, I saw a deer standing sideways and realized they were brown and not “pointed white things”.
OK, so I exaggerated a little bit in the previous paragraph, but the point is, my grandfather’s approach was not the best method for taking a deer.
Certainly, there are times when we have to move in the woods, but doing so slowly and quietly pays off.
Actually, that’s what still hunting is all about — moving cautiously, keeping a sharp eye out, and stopping frequently.
When I hunted elk in Montana, I basically still hunted; that way, I could cover some territory, scout for fresh elk sign, and hopefully still get a shot off at an elk. Three days into the hunt, I shot a nice 6×6 bull. In 2009, when I drew a bull elk tag in Pennsylvania, I basically utilized the same hunting approach, and a couple of days into the hunt, I nailed an 8×8 bull. Obviously, sometimes it works.
A method that seems to be used far less these days is the deer drive; several hunters are posted while a line of other hunters walks in the direction of the stationary hunters in an attempt to push deer in their direction. This technique seemed to be pretty popular at deer camps, but it was often used even on local farms and wooded areas. You could hear the drivers calling out as they moved through the woods, but that’s a sound I rarely hear these days.
I don’t think there’s much disagreement these days as to which deer hunting approach is now the most utilized, and that’s the treestand. Hunting from a treestand has its benefits; the height of the treestand helps conceal movements, and it probably helps keep human scent from being as much of a factor.
Treestands have come a long way. In my first hunt from a treestand, I actually slithered up a tree and stood on a couple of tree limbs. Eventually, I put cross boards up the tree trunk and some boards across the tree limbs. Wow, we’ve come a long way since then.
Now we have access to a variety of portable treestands and more permanent options that are safer and stronger. In addition to those treestands, there are now numerous enclosed treestands that can house more than just one hunter. Many hunters, especially those on private land, have turned to enclosed treestands. If you don’t want to purchase one, you can build one from wood and include a nice set of steps. These days, there is comfortable seating, counter space to help serve as a rest for your rifle, and many hunters these days include some portable heaters for additional comfort.
Like a lot of other hunters, I think I’m beginning to like those elevated and closed-in hunting shelters; you might even be able to sneak in a little nap.
