What do you do in the stand?

[Morgoroth]

I am pretty new to hunting in general this is my first year really deer hunting.

I still have not gotten anything yet though one of the guys I hunt with did.
We know the land has deer because we have seen them in the off season and we have jumped a number of them when walking the property.

I have been probably a half-dozen times now, and I just can't get one in the scope.

I am starting to wonder if I am doing it wrong. I know you have to be as quiet and still as possible, but how do you keep from moving at least a little for hours at a time?

We are hunting in wooded areas so the deer are not far away or anything.

[Scout]

When I was younger and could see better, I would read. Every few minutes, I would look around and then go back to reading for a few minutes. In those days I would sit for 8 hour at a time. Now, I can't stay in the stand for more than 5 or 6 hours. I don't really think that you have to be so totally still in the stand. I have killed a pile of deer out of climbers and ladder stands while reading or smoking my pipe. I just try to be quiet and keep my movements slow.

[Morgoroth]

Scout-

How far up and away are you in those stands?

One of my places is on the ground and pretty close quarters.
Also did you have any type of blind?

[howlnmad]

If I'm in a ground blind, I'll read also or do a crossword puzzle book but no smoking. If I'm in an elevated shooting house or a climbing stand or ladder stand, i'll do those I mentioned before but I will smoke. Regardless of what some may say, I've laid many deer (and one russian boar) to rest with a smoke sticking out the left corner of my mouth. When I'm in a tree, I'll usually be 20 ft or so up.

[Buzzcook]

Stare and day dream, eat snacks and drink coffee.

Although now that I have a mp3 player I might add some tunes.

[Morgoroth]

Thanks for the responses.

I guess I am doing better than I thought, I'm just unlucky.

How far away can deer hear/smell/see you?

The guy I go with pretty much thinks they have super powers.

[davlandrum]

freeze...

[hogdogs]

SLEEP



Brent

[firingpinhead]

before dawn, read something scary, like Monster Hunter International-makes them deer and hogs look like easy meat.

[lefteyedom]

Best sleep I have ever had has been in a deer stand.

Otherwise I read//

[OlCrip]

Deer are creatures of habit. They are also used to seeing, hearing, and smelling humans in their woods. I've had 'em eyeball me whilst I was running a chainsaw, them being almost 30 yards away. I hunt from a ground blind now and it has heat, a small cook stove, a lantern, a snack table for my radio and cigarettes and a gallon jug for relieving myself. I often read. I'm 64 years old and have hunted every year since I was 12. It'd be nice to say that I've harvested a deer every year. Alas and alack, I haven't. Some years, when I would still hunt or hunt from a hideyhole I would get skunked. But not since I started using a commercial ground blind. Arthritis kinda laid me low for a while and the ground blind allows me to still go out and enjoy the woods. I just can't take the cold like I used to so my ground blind has a heater in it. The deer are used to all the different smells. Hahaha, even had a young buck stick his head into my blind one year, just to see what was in there I guess. Him I let live for another year.

[Noonan]

I am always looking. Section off the area you are hunting into zones and watch one intently for a few minutes. Then move on to the next zone. I like to use binoculars. I see a lot of deer that a lot of people would miss. I don't necessarily get a shot at them, but I see them. In my opinion, if you aren't constantly looking around, you're not really hunting.

[bswiv]

When I was younger I spent most of my stand time wondering what Louann was doing.

Now, over 30 years later, I spend most of my stand time WORRYING about what Louann is doing.

You asked.............

[GeauxTide]

Catnap.

[S&W Kinda Guy]

I just sit there and do nothing. Im kinda young though, so my back doesn't start hurting unless I'm up there for 10+ hours. Plus when ever I see a deer, my adrenaline starts to rush.

[shortwave]

I've had my share of naps in the stand thats for sure.

I've got one stand in a shag bark hickory tree that the squirrels run up and down that thing like crazy. When I hunt that stand, I'm always very still to see how close the squrrels will get to me. I've had them in my lap, on my shoulders and legs.

During pre-rut, rattling and grunting about every 30-45mins. and glassing in between uses up alot of time.

[Cowboy_mo]

I try to look around different sections of the area. Use the binos to watch the hawks and other birds. Laugh at the squirrels playing in the trees around me. Contemplate the meaning of life and occassionally doze off for a catnap.

[Legionnaire]

I keep my eyes and ears alert.

Mentally, I sometimes free associate, other times pray or meditate. I try NOT to think about work or professional or relational problems, although sometimes solutions or paths forward come to me ... maybe as a result of prayer or free association. I try not to sleep. And I never read or do anything that pulls my eyes or ears from the hunt.


Sometimes, I try to stay warm (thus the BLUE smiley ...)

[surbat6]

As a few of the previous posts said, sit quiet and still, watch (moving your head as little as possible) and listen. I'd add, face the wind. Any deer downwind of you will probably pick up your smell (or the smell of your gun oil) and avoid the area.
Reading is a pleasant activity but there's a good chance that both you and the deer will be surprised, and if that's the case, my money's on the deer.
In the off-season, deer become accustomed to the scent of humans, but after the first shots on the first day, they associate human smell with the danger of becoming a delicious roast.

[slugfest]

Try downloading a podcast to an ipod and listening to some good talk radio. One earbud in and one out lets you still listen to the wildlife

[the blur]

these days you can text message all day

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

One thing to remember is that you don't have to be a statue for X amount of hours, you just have to remember HOW to move. Don't make any quick movements that critters might key in on. Ever see a cat stalk his prey? They move or they'd never get in range... they just move very slowly. If you do something while moving that makes noise (knock over your snack or step on a twig) freeze for a few moments, then after scanning the area for eyes on you resume your slow, methodical movements.

I don't do the book/i-pod/etc. stuff... to me that takes away from the reason I'm there (YMMV.) I do space out at times, but any noticeable footsteps or rustling of leaves brings me back into focus. Camouflage is more than the brand of clothing you wear while hunting. You also need to sound, move and (when possible) smell like a native animal.

[Art Eatman]

Locating a stand where commonly travelled paths are visible is a help. No point in watching where deer don't generally go. They generally move from a bedding area to a feeding area or vice versa. Helps to read the articles about which is where in the hunting magazines when first getting into the game.

[huntinaz]

Anybody ever watch for deer in these deer stands of yours???!

[bamaranger]

I think (naw, I know) deer can see movement, especially large quick movement, very easily at distances well over 100 even in woodlands. . A deer can see an upright walking human, in a very large open field quite easily. at distances past 1/4 mile. They see much better in twilight or bad light due to the make up of their eyes, rods and cones.

Those big ears are not for show. I don't know how to quantify it, but deer seem very good at hearing unnatural noises quite well. A squeaking stand, a safety going off, etc.

And their noses.........the eyes and ears are just back up to the nose. You hear accounts of deer getting beat by hunters upwind, but not often, and I don't believe by a big buck hardly ever. I believe big bucks are the wind (not my quote, but I wish I'd said it). I've seen deer wind other hunters at distances of 2-300 yds and sneak off. I've had them blow at me from downwind, me in a tree, clean and showered, care w/ clothes, boots etc from similar distances.

A deer picks you up w/ one sense, and confirms you with another, and they're in survival mode, provided they are not conditioned or ignorant of humans.