What do you do in the stand? - Page 3

hooligan1 · November 26, 2010, 09:36 AM

HEhehehe, now that's funny, I finally hear from another hunter that is just like my youngest son. ( I make him bring his Yugio cards and read all twice to keep him still and quiet)

Greybeard · November 26, 2010, 09:50 AM

When practical, I try to be in the blind and set up well before legal shooting hours begin or end. I sometimes putz around with texting or surfing on my phone during the slow times, yet especially during the 30 minutes each side of sunrise and sunset, I try to have the binocs working.

dnr1128 · November 27, 2010, 12:35 AM

Quote:

I have ADHD.
I have to move around, make noise, crunch leaves, text, snap twigs, use my calls every 2 minutes, zipper and unzip my jacket every 5 minutes.

Me too. Must be why I'm not very successful.

22-rimfire · November 27, 2010, 09:07 AM

It sounds like you just need to be persistant. What you do depends on the stand. I read paper back books sometimes. Suck on hard candy... and sometimes just think about Louann.

When hunting from an open stand, move your body as little as possible and it helps to sit down. Use your eyes and turn your head slowly. Keep hand movement to a minimum but if you move them, try to keep your hands inside your body profile.

If all the deer are always "over there", I would consider moving my stand closer. Then you will see them where your stand was or you walk over there during the day and see fresh tracks under your stand. It never fails.

Maybe you just need to smoke while on your stand. That way at least you can blame evil tobacco.

HiBC · November 27, 2010, 05:16 PM

National forest land in Northern Colorado does not seem to present the same tree stand opportunities,
I'll compare it to ice fishing .Many places have the deluxe shanties.We mostly sit out on buckets.I have seen a few shanties blow by me in wyoming.Folks inside sounded scared as they went by.
I do take stands a few hours at a time,a blowdown or some rocks ,whatever presents itself.Improvement means moving the lumps under my butt and breaking off the twig in my face.I have a German surplus sleeping pad,thin closed cell foam,that folds up like a map.It weighs nothing.It will fit easily in a small pack .Nice buttpad folded,and opened,i can sit on snow,warm and dry.
An old,worn,limp poncho liner goes in,too.I drape it over the top of me.Rifle is outside,available with minimal movement.Movement of my hands,legs ,feet,etc is concealed under the poncho liner.I wear those wool fingerless polka-dot palm gloves.also.My hands flash less.
I can scratch,grab a cookie,whatever,without showing any motion.
Repackage food so all that crackling and ripping,tearing noise is not there.
A fisherman must have faith,believe the fish are there,to wait for a bite.
In your mind,see the deer /elk you can't see.Realize,no matter what you plan,likely the critter will appear when you don't expect it,or from a direction other than the one you selected.(The whole elk herd is quietly slipping by 50 yds up the hill behind you)
Listen.Very intently listen.That shot you just heard,700 yds away,assume the elk are traveling now,how will they come to you?Did you hear that?
Maybe even,we radiate out thoughts a bit.Circles go out.A magpie knows,somehow,if you have a 22 or a shovel in your hand.Be at peace.

Honda4me · November 27, 2010, 10:16 PM

When hunting I enjoy the show going on around me. The sounds of silence. The birds or woodpeckers or squirrels. I don't want to be distracted by a book or IPOD. Stay alert. I act like a sniper is hunting for me & looking to kill me. That sniper is the deer and he could be anywhere. Watching & waiting for you to betray your presence. You must see him first & take the first good shot you get (hopefully with a rest).

The prey is always being hunted and knows in order to survive must move slowly, be quiet and stay hidden. It is watching, smelling and listening like it's life depends on it, because it does.

uwtriguy · November 28, 2010, 09:09 AM

My iPhone. I'm getting AWESOME at PGA Golf on there. Also able to conduct email business if need be.

Sensai · November 28, 2010, 03:08 PM

My grandkids are old enough now to hunt, and often they will hunt with me on my land. They normally place their stands along the treeline by a 12 acre field, I'm normally along the same treeline. I say all of this because I can no longer enjoy my time on the stand as I did in olden days. My granddaughter said, after an unusually cold December hunt last year, that from the sounds that she heard she could tell that the cold did not interfer with my sleep.

I suppose that I will have to stay awake and actually watch the deer now. What a bother.

waterfowler · November 28, 2010, 08:14 PM

A deer's peripheral vision is about 18 ft up , so set up higher than that if possible.

Morgoroth · November 29, 2010, 10:34 AM

Wow Waterfowler, I did not know that.

I have two places set up.

One at the front of the property where there is a blind and it is pretty dense, longest distance to shoot is probably 20yrds, but there is a timed feeder at the end of the 20yrds on the left.

The other is at the back of the property and it is probably 15 or so feet up with a lane that is about 30yrds, but no feeder.

we have jumped a bunch walking around, but the only one we have gotten is one my buddy got in the "blind."

I should say, the blind is a plastic bag and a butt pad between two trees.

DanB · November 30, 2010, 10:57 PM

lets see. I've read the OK hunting regs book for 2010-2011 cover to cover one day.

Opening day of rifle I didn't sleep worth a damn. I can't count the number of times I nodded off that morning. no need for anything else.

Thanksgiving morning was to cold to think about doing anything else. Just happy to be in a ground blind and not the tree stand.
Friday after thanksgiving I had a 5 hour energy drink before jumping on the 4wheeler. dang it if I didn't leave my latest deer magazine wide awake no wind. I sat and enjoyed the silence.

I take some snacks packaged in quiet packaging. Cell phone stays on the charger until I get out of the truck. I'll surf the web, Facebook, textmessage hunting buddies. send texts to those i know aren't hunting but wish they were.

Yes pretty much everything but kill deer.

jimbob86 · November 30, 2010, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Deer are creatures of habit.

Yep.

Quote:

They are also used to seeing, hearing, and smelling humans in their woods.

Depends upon where "their" woods is ...... where I hunt deer are not accustomed to humans that are not driving a tractor ..... pickups passing on the county road don't bother them, unless they slow down, stop, or turn into the field road. If they hear that, they are hightailing it for cover.

On stand, I do my best impersonation of a stump or a pile of leaves ...... I think about past hunts, think about where we'll go look for deer in the afternoon (deer do most of their moving in the hours around dawn and dusk, and you have to go to them during the mid-day hours, particularly if it is warm).....

Lazy R · December 1, 2010, 12:10 AM

Dang, I feel bad for you guys sitting there all day. I go out and put ten or fifteen miles on the legs, then drag something out a looooong ways to the truck. Lotta work, and lotta reward.

camper4lyfe · December 1, 2010, 08:48 PM

I spend a lot of time wishing I'd brought a pellet gun or something similar to get rid of all the squirrels that are driving me nuts. As my brother-in-law and I say, "the best way to see squirrels is to go hunt deer. The best way to see deer is to go hunt squirrels". We almost always see one when we're hunting the other.

Those dang squirrels make SO much noise! I always think they're deer.

sixgun67 · December 2, 2010, 11:29 AM

AMEN to seeing squirrels during deer hunting, and deer during squirrel hunting!
sixgun

markj · December 2, 2010, 05:43 PM

I cant sit still, so I dont use a stand. I stalk my deer, keeps me interested and is very hard to do. Put on the sneakers and go sneak up on one

you will never want to be in a stand again.

dnr1128 · December 3, 2010, 08:27 AM

I can't count the number of times I've been sure there's a deer moving around just out of sight and I'm glassing around, heart pounding, only to see a goofy little tree rat running around in the leaves.

ritepath · December 3, 2010, 09:36 PM

I hadn't hunted that much for 10 or 15 years until this year. So this year I head out and most everywhere has cell signal. So now I surf the internet, text friends and upload hunting pics to Facebook.

Morgoroth · December 6, 2010, 02:02 PM

I final got my first one Sat!

Nothing impressive, but it was my first deer.

Thought for sure I had scared them all off. I had to stand and stretch my legs right before that. Good thing there was a blind around the stand.

Willie Lowman · December 6, 2010, 02:35 PM

Try my best to sit still and wiggle my toes to keep them warm.

Sometimes I aim my 870 at a white tail and shoot slugs at it.

jal5 · December 6, 2010, 03:00 PM

I watch the woods and listen as quietly as I can.

I find my days of sitting completely still in a metal ladder stand are behind me now, the legs, toes cramp up or my old back acts up a bit. The ground blinds are good now, I can move more when these old bones need it and the deer are none the wiser. Also helps block icy winds, snow, and light rain too.

My buddie's enclosed tripods and quad stands are the best- up high enough and enclosed with camo. I also enjoy the various displays nature offers in the smaller critters and always use the time for prayer and reflection. Oh yeah, sometimes I get a deer!

Joe

cnimrod · December 8, 2010, 08:51 AM

back in the 70's sitting on stand upstate NY with dad. Had a "working girl" visit us I don't recall the exact conversation, father wasn't exactly honest with his then 12 yr old son. "she's just lost son" But i know now what some guys were doing on stand. Just moved from one orange dot to the next...

November 26, 2010, 09:36 AM	#51
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	HEhehehe, now that's funny, I finally hear from another hunter that is just like my youngest son. ( I make him bring his Yugio cards and read all twice to keep him still and quiet) __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

November 26, 2010, 09:50 AM	#52
Greybeard Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2002 Location: Denton County Texas Posts: 686	When practical, I try to be in the blind and set up well before legal shooting hours begin or end. I sometimes putz around with texting or surfing on my phone during the slow times, yet especially during the 30 minutes each side of sunrise and sunset, I try to have the binocs working. __________________ www.dentoncountysports.com A Private Palace for Pistol Proficiency

November 27, 2010, 09:07 AM	#54
22-rimfire Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 5,323	It sounds like you just need to be persistant. What you do depends on the stand. I read paper back books sometimes. Suck on hard candy... and sometimes just think about Louann. When hunting from an open stand, move your body as little as possible and it helps to sit down. Use your eyes and turn your head slowly. Keep hand movement to a minimum but if you move them, try to keep your hands inside your body profile. If all the deer are always "over there", I would consider moving my stand closer. Then you will see them where your stand was or you walk over there during the day and see fresh tracks under your stand. It never fails. Maybe you just need to smoke while on your stand. That way at least you can blame evil tobacco. Last edited by 22-rimfire; November 27, 2010 at 09:14 AM.

November 28, 2010, 03:08 PM	#58
Sensai Member Join Date: October 14, 2008 Location: Southeastern Virginia Posts: 86	My grandkids are old enough now to hunt, and often they will hunt with me on my land. They normally place their stands along the treeline by a 12 acre field, I'm normally along the same treeline. I say all of this because I can no longer enjoy my time on the stand as I did in olden days. My granddaughter said, after an unusually cold December hunt last year, that from the sounds that she heard she could tell that the cold did not interfer with my sleep. I suppose that I will have to stay awake and actually watch the deer now. What a bother. __________________ Gary Take-offs are optional, landings are manditory!!

November 28, 2010, 08:14 PM	#59
waterfowler Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2010 Posts: 115	A deer's peripheral vision is about 18 ft up , so set up higher than that if possible. __________________ If guns are outlawed, only the outlaws will have guns

November 27, 2010, 05:16 PM	#55
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	National forest land in Northern Colorado does not seem to present the same tree stand opportunities, I'll compare it to ice fishing .Many places have the deluxe shanties.We mostly sit out on buckets.I have seen a few shanties blow by me in wyoming.Folks inside sounded scared as they went by. I do take stands a few hours at a time,a blowdown or some rocks ,whatever presents itself.Improvement means moving the lumps under my butt and breaking off the twig in my face.I have a German surplus sleeping pad,thin closed cell foam,that folds up like a map.It weighs nothing.It will fit easily in a small pack .Nice buttpad folded,and opened,i can sit on snow,warm and dry. An old,worn,limp poncho liner goes in,too.I drape it over the top of me.Rifle is outside,available with minimal movement.Movement of my hands,legs ,feet,etc is concealed under the poncho liner.I wear those wool fingerless polka-dot palm gloves.also.My hands flash less. I can scratch,grab a cookie,whatever,without showing any motion. Repackage food so all that crackling and ripping,tearing noise is not there. A fisherman must have faith,believe the fish are there,to wait for a bite. In your mind,see the deer /elk you can't see.Realize,no matter what you plan,likely the critter will appear when you don't expect it,or from a direction other than the one you selected.(The whole elk herd is quietly slipping by 50 yds up the hill behind you) Listen.Very intently listen.That shot you just heard,700 yds away,assume the elk are traveling now,how will they come to you?Did you hear that? Maybe even,we radiate out thoughts a bit.Circles go out.A magpie knows,somehow,if you have a 22 or a shovel in your hand.Be at peace.

November 27, 2010, 10:16 PM	#56
Honda4me Member Join Date: May 16, 2010 Location: Tulsa, OK. Posts: 41	When hunting I enjoy the show going on around me. The sounds of silence. The birds or woodpeckers or squirrels. I don't want to be distracted by a book or IPOD. Stay alert. I act like a sniper is hunting for me & looking to kill me. That sniper is the deer and he could be anywhere. Watching & waiting for you to betray your presence. You must see him first & take the first good shot you get (hopefully with a rest). The prey is always being hunted and knows in order to survive must move slowly, be quiet and stay hidden. It is watching, smelling and listening like it's life depends on it, because it does.

November 28, 2010, 09:09 AM	#57
uwtriguy Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Posts: 37	My iPhone. I'm getting AWESOME at PGA Golf on there. Also able to conduct email business if need be.

November 29, 2010, 10:34 AM	#60
Morgoroth Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2010 Posts: 198	Wow Waterfowler, I did not know that. I have two places set up. One at the front of the property where there is a blind and it is pretty dense, longest distance to shoot is probably 20yrds, but there is a timed feeder at the end of the 20yrds on the left. The other is at the back of the property and it is probably 15 or so feet up with a lane that is about 30yrds, but no feeder. we have jumped a bunch walking around, but the only one we have gotten is one my buddy got in the "blind." I should say, the blind is a plastic bag and a butt pad between two trees.

November 30, 2010, 10:57 PM	#61
DanB Member Join Date: August 21, 2009 Posts: 28	lets see. I've read the OK hunting regs book for 2010-2011 cover to cover one day. Opening day of rifle I didn't sleep worth a damn. I can't count the number of times I nodded off that morning. no need for anything else. Thanksgiving morning was to cold to think about doing anything else. Just happy to be in a ground blind and not the tree stand. Friday after thanksgiving I had a 5 hour energy drink before jumping on the 4wheeler. dang it if I didn't leave my latest deer magazine wide awake no wind. I sat and enjoyed the silence. I take some snacks packaged in quiet packaging. Cell phone stays on the charger until I get out of the truck. I'll surf the web, Facebook, textmessage hunting buddies. send texts to those i know aren't hunting but wish they were. Yes pretty much everything but kill deer.

December 1, 2010, 12:10 AM	#63
Lazy R Member Join Date: April 23, 2009 Location: Bitterroot Valley Montana Posts: 29	Dang, I feel bad for you guys sitting there all day. I go out and put ten or fifteen miles on the legs, then drag something out a looooong ways to the truck. Lotta work, and lotta reward.

December 1, 2010, 08:48 PM	#64
camper4lyfe Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2008 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 165	I spend a lot of time wishing I'd brought a pellet gun or something similar to get rid of all the squirrels that are driving me nuts. As my brother-in-law and I say, "the best way to see squirrels is to go hunt deer. The best way to see deer is to go hunt squirrels". We almost always see one when we're hunting the other. Those dang squirrels make SO much noise! I always think they're deer.

December 2, 2010, 11:29 AM	#65
sixgun67 Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2009 Location: New Philadelphia, Oh Posts: 238	AMEN to seeing squirrels during deer hunting, and deer during squirrel hunting! sixgun

December 2, 2010, 05:43 PM	#66
markj Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2005 Location: Crescent Iowa Posts: 2,971	I cant sit still, so I dont use a stand. I stalk my deer, keeps me interested and is very hard to do. Put on the sneakers and go sneak up on one you will never want to be in a stand again.

December 3, 2010, 08:27 AM	#67
dnr1128 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Posts: 166	I can't count the number of times I've been sure there's a deer moving around just out of sight and I'm glassing around, heart pounding, only to see a goofy little tree rat running around in the leaves.

December 3, 2010, 09:36 PM	#68
ritepath Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,419	I hadn't hunted that much for 10 or 15 years until this year. So this year I head out and most everywhere has cell signal. So now I surf the internet, text friends and upload hunting pics to Facebook.

December 6, 2010, 02:02 PM	#69
Morgoroth Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2010 Posts: 198	I final got my first one Sat! Nothing impressive, but it was my first deer. Thought for sure I had scared them all off. I had to stand and stretch my legs right before that. Good thing there was a blind around the stand.

December 6, 2010, 02:35 PM	#70
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	Try my best to sit still and wiggle my toes to keep them warm. Sometimes I aim my 870 at a white tail and shoot slugs at it. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

December 6, 2010, 03:00 PM	#71
jal5 Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2009 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 419	I watch the woods and listen as quietly as I can. I find my days of sitting completely still in a metal ladder stand are behind me now, the legs, toes cramp up or my old back acts up a bit. The ground blinds are good now, I can move more when these old bones need it and the deer are none the wiser. Also helps block icy winds, snow, and light rain too. My buddie's enclosed tripods and quad stands are the best- up high enough and enclosed with camo. I also enjoy the various displays nature offers in the smaller critters and always use the time for prayer and reflection. Oh yeah, sometimes I get a deer! Joe __________________ We live in the greatest country on Earth- always be thankful!

December 8, 2010, 08:51 AM	#72
cnimrod Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2009 Location: NJ/NY Posts: 152	funny story back in the 70's sitting on stand upstate NY with dad. Had a "working girl" visit us I don't recall the exact conversation, father wasn't exactly honest with his then 12 yr old son. "she's just lost son" But i know now what some guys were doing on stand. Just moved from one orange dot to the next...