Do any of you stay in your tree stand or blind all day without a break? For those who do, what time do you find the deer moving? I'm thinking about doing this over a rye field this black powder season.
When the rut is on, you bet I stay all day, or when I get the buck of my choosing, whichever comes first.
It seems to depend on the weather a little, but if the temps are above 80, I wouldn't stay in stand all day. (Yes we had a day that was 84 during muzzleloader season.) I have had good look still hunting (walking/stopping in open hardwoods) when it was hot. I shot a nice deer about 1/2 mile a place by still hunting till I found the deer bedded. I made the shot about 11:15 in the morning and the morning started cool enough I was wearing a coat. During rut you may see a buck moving at anytime of the day, and maybe even a long ways from any cover. During the cold weather I have noticed early morning and late evening are usually top time for deer movement, but have seen nearly as much movement around the noon hour.
many ways to hunt deer...
first understand deer's sense of smell is their main defense. you can be covered head to toe with carbon clothing and still be scented.
know your territory and what winds will probably do. go early and often to learn your hunting grounds.
some hunt from stands... some stalk
I'll do a combination of both depending upon wind conditions. mostly I'll be stalking.
that's how I've killed most of my deer.
start early ... best, get into your hunting zone well before first light.
take a high quality pair of binoculars ... good glass can help spot deer camo'd in place.
know where natural funnels are.... find out bedding areas and food sources. etc, etc, etc.
best to find an experience buddy to school you.... wear ORANGE!!!
first understand deer's sense of smell is their main defense. you can be covered head to toe with carbon clothing and still be scented.
know your territory and what winds will probably do. go early and often to learn your hunting grounds.
some hunt from stands... some stalk
I'll do a combination of both depending upon wind conditions. mostly I'll be stalking.
that's how I've killed most of my deer.
start early ... best, get into your hunting zone well before first light.
take a high quality pair of binoculars ... good glass can help spot deer camo'd in place.
know where natural funnels are.... find out bedding areas and food sources. etc, etc, etc.
best to find an experience buddy to school you.... wear ORANGE!!!
If anyone can sit in one place for more than 3 hours, my hats off to them. Would if I could, but I can't. Usually 1.5 hours is max before I'm bored to death and/or sleeping. So I have to get up and move, slowly, stalking, until I decide to plop down again for an ambush, or go to a different stand or blind. If I'm sleepy, then I have to stalk hunt only, to stay awake. But that's ok, because stalk hunting is more fun anyway.
an hour and a half! come on doc
i have never sat from sun up til sun down but i usually get in my stand a half to an hour before day break and using dont move til about 11 or so then get down go to the truck and eat then back at it about 3 or 4 depending on time of year and when it gets dark
I've sat in a stand for 13-14 hours, I've set up for no more than 2 hrs at daylight and sunset, and I've still hunted all day long taking breaks and setting up in good looking areas for an hour or so.
It all depends on the situation, time of year, weather, ect ect.
One thing I will say is that over time you develop a 6th sense for this stuff. I've learned not to ignore it. Many don't understand it but trust me it works.
Regardless of all of this, if you're not confident in your setup and comfortable you need to do something different because you're just going to fidget not pay attention and educate the deer in your area.
Good luck.
It all depends on the situation, time of year, weather, ect ect.
One thing I will say is that over time you develop a 6th sense for this stuff. I've learned not to ignore it. Many don't understand it but trust me it works.
Regardless of all of this, if you're not confident in your setup and comfortable you need to do something different because you're just going to fidget not pay attention and educate the deer in your area.
Good luck.
I do the 2 hr before legal light in the morning, and the 3pm in the afternoon during bow and early MZ season.
When early rut, rut, and post rut when the bucks are moving, I'm in the stand from morning to night, maybe taking a 1hr break for lunch.
I read a lot of paperback novels during that time.
For some reason, just about every deer I've ever shot, or shot at, was right around 7am, or 9am. Not before, not after, and not in between. I usually go back to camp during the mid-day. And head back out around 2pm, staying until dark-thirty.
Now, if I really, really want to harvest a deer, especially if there's a good buck around, and it hasn't rained in many days, I'll hunt all day near water.
Now, if I really, really want to harvest a deer, especially if there's a good buck around, and it hasn't rained in many days, I'll hunt all day near water.
done good at daylight and around 11:00.
The first day of muzzle loader has been good for us.
The first day of muzzle loader has been good for us.
