Still Hunting: Moving Slow

Still hunting means moving slowly and deliberately to spot game before it spots you: a few steps, then a long, motionless scan, from the downwind side. How to do it, quiet clothing and boots, the trade-offs, and the safety rules, following the Alaska Bowhunter Safety Course.

By Fjords Team · May 20, 2026 · Updated Oct 28, 2026

Still hunting doesn’t mean sitting still. The Alaska Bowhunter Safety Course describes it as moving slowly and deliberately until you spot game before it spots you. This guide covers how to do it, what to wear, its pros and cons, and safety, following that course. More methods are in our methods section.

How it works (Alaska course)

A few steps, then stop: take a few slow, deliberate steps, then stand or squat motionless for several minutes while scanning all around for game.
From the downwind side: like stalking and glassing, still hunting is usually most effective from downwind, and the animal must be completely relaxed and unaware of you.
Pay exact attention to wind, sunlight and weather.
When you see an animal, the still hunt becomes a stalk: move slowly into range, on a diagonal rather than straight at the animal, which is less threatening if it has seen you.

Clothing and boots (Alaska course)

Quiet fabrics: wool, brushed cotton or soft-napped synthetics rustle less.
Soft soles: soft-crepe soles with little tread are very quiet for still hunting, but can be slippery on dry leaves or moss; choose boots for your terrain.
Camouflage breaks up your outline, but stillness matters more: wildlife reacts more to movement than to shape or colour.

Pros and cons (Alaska course)

Pros: among the most effective ways to hunt big game where a lot of walking and spotting is needed; you find more wallows, scrapes, rubs, tracks and other sign; and you see wild country.
Cons: it takes skill and some luck to get into range unseen, because movement alerts animals, and you must take care not to be mistaken for game by other hunters.

Safety

Never load an arrow until you’re ready to shoot (Alaska course); with a firearm, follow your hunter education rules for carrying and when to chamber a round.
Be visible to other hunters: wear the fluorescent orange your state requires.
Know your target and what’s beyond it before any shot.

See our whitetail deer and black bear profiles for species where still hunting is used.