How to move through thick forest?

[8mm Enthusiast]

Does anyone here have tips on how to quietly move through thick forests such as the one in the image covered with branches, stems, and foliage without making excessive noise?

I find it extremely challenging trying to balance these three things: not making excessive noise, not making any rapid movements, still moving at a pace to cover ground in a timely manner.

I wear glasses so my eyes are protected. I have thought about using a machete to cut through, however, am concerned about the noise that the slashing would make and how that could alert the critters around me of my presence.

Any tips from experienced individuals would be appreciated.

 

[Wolfshead]

I was always told that you should never answer a question with a question, but….
What is your purpose of moving through this area?
What I mean by that is, are you just going from point A to point B, or, are you hunting this thick area with the thought that something is in there?
I love to still hunt for whitetails, and I were hunting here, I would first try to see if there were signs of a trail going into or out of this area. Unless I thought that there was something in here that I wanted to get to I may skirt this area looking for sign along the way.
If deer are in this area often times you might see trails, and be able to move along them “easier “ than just going through the thick stuff.
If I needed to go through there, I would go very slowly, and one step at a time.
I would do what I call a ninja walk. (Other people may call it something else) Let me see if I can explain this.
Place your body weight on your back foot which ever that may be. Then with your front foot, step forward no more than 4” inches front of your back foot, and settle it on to the ground feeling for anything that may snap under it.
Once the front foot is quietly on the ground, slowly shift your weight from the back foot to the front foot. Settle for a moment, then repeat.
Wearing quiet clothing is a must because the brush is going to rub and scrape over you and certain materials can make a lot of noise.
This is where wool is a good hunting clothing choice, for example.
The 4” or shorter step is important to maintain your balance and not have to step too quickly and make noise.
Again if it were me I would be looking for a trail(s) going through first to move along and then go very very slowly, ninja walking through there.
By going slowly I mean take a ninja step, pause look, listen, then take another step, etc….
Listen for the sounds of the area, birds, squirrels, and listen for their noises to continue or stop. If they stop you may be moving too fast. Stop and wait for them to settle and start doing their thing again. Listen for any sound the deer might make.
Every step you take is going to change what you can see, and what can see you. Take your time and scan very carefully the area your going to.
Places like this can have a lot of debris on the ground so you may have to plan on how to get around that.
Every step look and plan your route and it may change with every step.

This may be way more than what you’ve asked for, but that is how I would do it.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

move like an animal, take 2 steps, wait six, thats the sound a squirrel makes. do not sound like a human walking and game will not be watching your direction. Every creature that constantly makes noise in the woods is either a predator or a flock of turkeys, and game will always check which one you are.

 

[Blkram]

As mentioned, why do you need to pass through this type of brush?
If you must, find game trails to use as the animals will follow the easiest path through the brush to make it easier, quicker and quieter. Just as you are trying to do. Or as mentioned, find other paths around this type of brush to get to your destination.

If you must get through this area to your destination, and there is no other path around...take time in the off season to clear a path you can use during hunting season, or whatever other purpose you have for accessing that area. You'll also be surprised at how quickly other animals will adopt the use of that path. But do not cut a straight path, with long lines of sight. This will not mimic nature, and will allow animals to spot you you quicker, or allow other predators to spot prey quicker, and will upset the nature of this space and potential bedding/nesting area for other animals and birds (game species or not). But even with a path, slow down.

If you must, move slowly, and stop frequently. Steady progress will cause you problems as mentioned. Animals and birds will notice and alert other game to your presence, negating your attempt to stalk quietly through this. Animals do not typically move steadily through this type of terrain, unless vacating/fleeing the area due to pressure from predators/humans.
And no animal walks heel and toe with their footsteps, so you must not either. Place your foot flat on the ground before putting your weight on it. This forces you to take shorter steps and move slower, which is a good thing when moving quietly through an area. This will also keep you from stumbling on rocks, twigs or roots, and uneven ground, which will also cause you to make more noise as you move through the brush.
If it is windy, it will cover some of your noise. But even the wind isn't steady. It will gust and vary in intensity. Try to time your movements with the wind. But keep it in your face.

Most inexperienced hunters figure they must cover ground quickly, and scare most animals away long before they get a chance to see them, because of their haste. Slow down!. Still hunting is moving one or two/three steps at a time and stopping to glass, even in the thick stuff. You will be surprised at how much more game you will see if you slow down and glass more often!
And do not forget to use your other senses! Most hunters forget to listen and smell when still hunting, and only think about using sight to find game. Constantly monitor the wind. It will not only carry your scent to animals downwind, but will carry there scent and sounds to you too. I have been often alerted to the presence of nearby game because I smelled them before I heard or saw them. When wet from light rain or dew, most animals have a distinctive odour that you can learn to identify, and alert you to there nearby presence long before you may see or hear them in thick brush.

The mention of wearing quiet clothing is also valuable. Wool and soft fleece will make less noise when brushed by trees, shrubs and grasses as you pass through thick brush. Soft soled footwear is also essential. Moccasins would be best...but do little to keep your feet dry and warm when wet from rain and dew. They also allow you to feel the ground beneath your feet before putting your weight down, and will keep you from stepping on branches and twigs that may snap under your weight, also alarming animals and birds to your presence.
Be aware of your size, including your pack, as most will allow contact with their body and pack as they move through the brush, and this will make extra noise. If travelling in pairs, you can learn to work together to mitigate this, by holding branches out of the way for one another. And watch your rifle barrel, so that it is not getting caught on the brush as you move through it. And synthetic stalks are noisier, making an unnatural sounds when brush whacks it or brushes across it. (Wood stocks are more forgiving here)

And practice good scent control of you and your clothing and equipment. this will also help you from being noticed so quickly. Do not forget to apply scent control to your footwear, as this leaves the most scent on your trail. How many times have you watched hunting videos from Alaska where a grizzly or brown bear has come across the hunters trail, even hours later, and spooked of the scent trail in the grass? I have seen this many times over the past 30 years, so it does happen. You cannot fool their noses! Even of you can fool their hearing or eyesight with camo or calls.

Hope this helps you.

 

[JD338]

My blind faces a huckleberry swamp that is surrounded by some pretty thick nasty brush. I cut some shooting lanes through it with my brush saw and now the deer use them instead of going around. I altered their movement so now they will be coming out in front of me.

JD338

 

[3 Meter Para Bellum]

I would do what I call a ninja walk. (Other people may call it something else) Let me see if I can explain this.

As someone who has practices some Kung Fu, I can can confirm that what you describe as a ninja walk is in fact common to a few different martial arts that may very well have been used by ninja at some point. That basic method of stepping is common to Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Gua Zhang, and Xing Yi Chuan.

Now whether you look like a ninja while doing it, I can't say...

 

[RL338]

Crawling thru that is a young man’s sport. I now sit in a stand and have them come to me thru the brush onto cut firing lanes.
If you would be successful in taking game in that mess , the drag out of there work be challenging to say the least.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

I was always told that you should never answer a question with a question, but….
What is your purpose of moving through this area?
What I mean by that is, are you just going from point A to point B, or, are you hunting this thick area with the thought that something is in there?
I love to still hunt for whitetails, and I were hunting here, I would first try to see if there were signs of a trail going into or out of this area. Unless I thought that there was something in here that I wanted to get to I may skirt this area looking for sign along the way.
If deer are in this area often times you might see trails, and be able to move along them “easier “ than just going through the thick stuff.
If I needed to go through there, I would go very slowly, and one step at a time.
I would do what I call a ninja walk. (Other people may call it something else) Let me see if I can explain this.
Place your body weight on your back foot which ever that may be. Then with your front foot, step forward no more than 4” inches front of your back foot, and settle it on to the ground feeling for anything that may snap under it.
Once the front foot is quietly on the ground, slowly shift your weight from the back foot to the front foot. Settle for a moment, then repeat.
Wearing quiet clothing is a must because the brush is going to rub and scrape over you and certain materials can make a lot of noise.
This is where wool is a good hunting clothing choice, for example.
The 4” or shorter step is important to maintain your balance and not have to step too quickly and make noise.
Again if it were me I would be looking for a trail(s) going through first to move along and then go very very slowly, ninja walking through there.
By going slowly I mean take a ninja step, pause look, listen, then take another step, etc….
Listen for the sounds of the area, birds, squirrels, and listen for their noises to continue or stop. If they stop you may be moving too fast. Stop and wait for them to settle and start doing their thing again. Listen for any sound the deer might make.
Every step you take is going to change what you can see, and what can see you. Take your time and scan very carefully the area your going to.
Places like this can have a lot of debris on the ground so you may have to plan on how to get around that.
Every step look and plan your route and it may change with every step.

This may be way more than what you’ve asked for, but that is how I would do it.

move like an animal, take 2 steps, wait six, thats the sound a squirrel makes. do not sound like a human walking and game will not be watching your direction. Every creature that constantly makes noise in the woods is either a predator or a flock of turkeys, and game will always check which one you are.

As mentioned, why do you need to pass through this type of brush?
If you must, find game trails to use as the animals will follow the easiest path through the brush to make it easier, quicker and quieter. Just as you are trying to do. Or as mentioned, find other paths around this type of brush to get to your destination.

If you must get through this area to your destination, and there is no other path around...take time in the off season to clear a path you can use during hunting season, or whatever other purpose you have for accessing that area. You'll also be surprised at how quickly other animals will adopt the use of that path. But do not cut a straight path, with long lines of sight. This will not mimic nature, and will allow animals to spot you you quicker, or allow other predators to spot prey quicker, and will upset the nature of this space and potential bedding/nesting area for other animals and birds (game species or not). But even with a path, slow down.

If you must, move slowly, and stop frequently. Steady progress will cause you problems as mentioned. Animals and birds will notice and alert other game to your presence, negating your attempt to stalk quietly through this. Animals do not typically move steadily through this type of terrain, unless vacating/fleeing the area due to pressure from predators/humans.
And no animal walks heel and toe with their footsteps, so you must not either. Place your foot flat on the ground before putting your weight on it. This forces you to take shorter steps and move slower, which is a good thing when moving quietly through an area. This will also keep you from stumbling on rocks, twigs or roots, and uneven ground, which will also cause you to make more noise as you move through the brush.
If it is windy, it will cover some of your noise. But even the wind isn't steady. It will gust and vary in intensity. Try to time your movements with the wind. But keep it in your face.

Most inexperienced hunters figure they must cover ground quickly, and scare most animals away long before they get a chance to see them, because of their haste. Slow down!. Still hunting is moving one or two/three steps at a time and stopping to glass, even in the thick stuff. You will be surprised at how much more game you will see if you slow down and glass more often!
And do not forget to use your other senses! Most hunters forget to listen and smell when still hunting, and only think about using sight to find game. Constantly monitor the wind. It will not only carry your scent to animals downwind, but will carry there scent and sounds to you too. I have been often alerted to the presence of nearby game because I smelled them before I heard or saw them. When wet from light rain or dew, most animals have a distinctive odour that you can learn to identify, and alert you to there nearby presence long before you may see or hear them in thick brush.

The mention of wearing quiet clothing is also valuable. Wool and soft fleece will make less noise when brushed by trees, shrubs and grasses as you pass through thick brush. Soft soled footwear is also essential. Moccasins would be best...but do little to keep your feet dry and warm when wet from rain and dew. They also allow you to feel the ground beneath your feet before putting your weight down, and will keep you from stepping on branches and twigs that may snap under your weight, also alarming animals and birds to your presence.
Be aware of your size, including your pack, as most will allow contact with their body and pack as they move through the brush, and this will make extra noise. If travelling in pairs, you can learn to work together to mitigate this, by holding branches out of the way for one another. And watch your rifle barrel, so that it is not getting caught on the brush as you move through it. And synthetic stalks are noisier, making an unnatural sounds when brush whacks it or brushes across it. (Wood stocks are more forgiving here)

And practice good scent control of you and your clothing and equipment. this will also help you from being noticed so quickly. Do not forget to apply scent control to your footwear, as this leaves the most scent on your trail. How many times have you watched hunting videos from Alaska where a grizzly or brown bear has come across the hunters trail, even hours later, and spooked of the scent trail in the grass? I have seen this many times over the past 30 years, so it does happen. You cannot fool their noses! Even of you can fool their hearing or eyesight with camo or calls.

Hope this helps you.

Crawling thru that is a young man’s sport. I now sit in a stand and have them come to me thru the brush onto cut firing lanes.
If you would be successful in taking game in that mess , the drag out of there work be challenging to say the least.

A lot to unpack here. Thanks for all the commentary.

Firstly the reason I was trying to navigate this forest in the first place was to (this may sound stupid) find porcupines and snowshoe hares. My mentality was that I needed to go "deep" and "off trail, where the animals really are" in order to find them. Most of the deer droppings I saw in this forest were only in the first couple steps inside. The deeper I got, the less droppings I saw. It is likely that animals just like us humans prefer to travel down clearer paths to avoid unseen predators and other circumstances. I guess I still have the mentality of "finding" the animals rather than "the animals are there, given the right conditions they will come out".

I was impatient and gave up quickly when trying to enter this forest. Game trails are present however they disappear very quickly. I do walk quietly, try not to make quick movements and have tightly secured my gear and clothing so that they don't make extra noise. I am also trying to get into the habit of not walking in a straight line but instead zig zagging across terrain to make myself less predictable.

Today, I was successfully able to navigate the forest in the image below by not rushing and being patient and realistic with myself. Although it is less thick than the one in the original post, still it was good practice. I am trying to practice more and more on checking the ground I step on, taking periodic stops and just listening in, and also am planning to start using scent blocking enzyme sprays.

I will revisit the forest in the original post again during deer season when the foliage will be less dense as I saw some large bodied whitetail does in the area. I will be patient with myself. If I can, I will avoid it all together and just get setup in a blind in a semi-open area.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

Crawling thru that is a young man’s sport. I now sit in a stand and have them come to me thru the brush onto cut firing lanes.
If you would be successful in taking game in that mess , the drag out of there work be challenging to say the least.

I certainly am young and foolish at this stage however am trying to obtain as much experience as I can through actual time in the field. I started off watching content online and arguing like many others, about minute ballistic details of the many different rifle cartridges that are out there and which one is the best.

The cartridge talk is long gone now and reality is starting to set in hahaha.

 

[Wolfshead]

There is SO much to learn about here, and it is years worth of learning and experience to try and explain in a thread on a forum.
BUT, asking questions is a great way to get your start and begin the process!
You’ve gotten some great responses here which is a great start.
I am far from an expert, but I can help some.
Understand that deer are edge animals. They like when two types of edges (such as your thick woods and open woods) come together. Often time you may see sign on, and in edges, but not always in the “middle” of the stuff.
Deer like to take the easy path. If you see trails in the woods that zig-zag a lot they tend to be “varmint” trails, as deer will walk more straight lined.
I would suggest that you look into, and study deer behavior. This will help you to understand more how they think and behave.

If you like to read, I have these three books, and would recommend them to you.
There may be some answers to your questions the you may have now and come up with later as you continue down this “trail”.
They have helped me some, and they are interesting reads especially the Sell, and VanDyke ones as they’re from a different era.

American Deer Hunter (Stackpole Classics): Sell, Francis E.: 9780811737531: Amazon.com: Books

American Deer Hunter (Stackpole Classics) [Sell, Francis E.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. American Deer Hunter (Stackpole Classics)

www.amazon.com

The Still Hunter: The Classic Guide Book to Stealthy Hunting of Deer - How to Track, Shoot and Maintain Your Equipment and Hunting Rifle: Dyke, Theodore Van: 9781987703962: Amazon.com: Books

The Still Hunter: The Classic Guide Book to Stealthy Hunting of Deer - How to Track, Shoot and Maintain Your Equipment and Hunting Rifle [Dyke, Theodore Van] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Still Hunter: The Classic Guide Book to Stealthy Hunting of Deer - How to Track...

www.amazon.com

New Release - Hunting Big Woods Bucks 2nd Edition by Hal Blood Combine

This book is a revised and an updated version of the Authors first two books: Hunting Big Woods Bucks and Big Woods Bucks Volume II. In this newest edition, Hal combines both books into one easy-to-read and understand version, with highlights and new information since his first two books were...

www.bigwoodsbucks.com

I hope this helps!

 

[Wolfshead]

There is a lot of knowledge and years of experience on this site.
I love threads like this as I can also get information from those who have, most likely, much more experience than I do.
I look forward to see what others add and such.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

You have been given lots of good advice. There is something you might consider if this is an area you will hunt fairly often. Go thru this mess and cut some lanes-trails following deer trails making wider or make your own. Do this well before season starts so they will get used to it. Then slip along using the advice given above. One of my friends said when he was a kid that he was going to go squirrel hunting with a buddy on a relative's farm and the weather was really dry making walking very noisy in the leaves. He had read an article in a magazine about raking paths in the leaves so that walking wouldn't be as noisy. So they did that couple days before going hunting. The result he said was they were able to sneak along, and the squirrels didn't hear them resulting both hunters getting their limit. Worth a try.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

There is a lot of knowledge and years of experience on this site.
I love threads like this as I can also get information from those who have, most likely, much more experience than I do.
I look forward to see what others add and such.

Agreed.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

There is a lot of knowledge and years of experience on this site.
I love threads like this as I can also get information from those who have, most likely, much more experience than I do.
I look forward to see what others add and such.

This is a way of life. And it will take me years to become good enough to consistently harvest game with thousands of hours spent in the field. I am sure the experienced members on this forum have spent many days and nights in the field accumulating a lifetime worth of experience.

It shows the challenge, depth, and beauty of hunting.

 

[Blkram]

Some more good points given!

Just a note, that while some animals are "edge" lovers, others are not, such as the smaller game that you are after. It is important to know not only about the targeted species, but also of the others that make this habitat their home, as you will disturb them as you pass through their habitat, and they will alarm and make your target species aware of your presence. The edge lovers will still access these areas for bedding during the day or windy/inclement weather...but will prefer coniferous forest to deciduous forest, if available for bedding in bad weather, as it will be 10-20 degrees warmer there. The reason the trails peter out is because they are spreading out to find their beds once within these areas, so the travel becomes less concentrated. And most animals want to hide their beds or nests, as part of their instinctive nature for self protection, so there may not be a single, easily identified trail to these sites.

Raking your trail a couple of days ahead of your hunting entry will prove valuable as stated above. If you watch the leopard hunting videos or shows on TV, or read about them, you will note that the trackers are constantly brushing the paths to the baits and blinds to allow for silent entry when it comes time to access the blind for the hunt. But you must maintain it. If the winds pick up after you have raked your trail, it is likely that more leaves and litter will be on your trail when you do go in, so you must still move slowly and cautiously to keep quiet, or go in again and rake it clear again.

If you do not have a raked trail, and are moving through new areas covered in noisy, dry ground litter, you can use your foot to slowly move the litter aside before setting your foot down in the newly cleared spot. If travelling in pairs, the follower will make less noise if stepping in the footprints of the front person, who has already made the spot cleared/compressed. Picking your path ahead of you helps too, so that you can choose ground with less noisy ground litter and obstacles.

Be patient; it takes time to learn and master these skills. But it will make you a better hunter. And you will learn to spot more sign of the animals using the habitat, or passing through it. This will add to your knowledge base, and your experience in the woods.

 

[JD338]

I have a Stihl FS311 brush saw with a Beaver Blade. It makes short work on brush and trees up to 6" diameter.

JD338

 

[Blkram]

My Milwaukee Sawz-All with a 12" blade works well too!
I carry 2 blades; one for brush/wood, and one for breaking down bone on game.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

I finally got to take my first shots of this hunting season today at some doves. I stood on the edge of a tree line as a bunch of doves kept swarming over it. Unfortunately I missed all my shots. It was with a .410 bolt action with a fixed choke of full constriction. I plan on taking the 12 gauge over-under tomorrow with interchangeable chokes constricted to improved cylinder first shot and modified second shot.