Alright guys with the rut approaching i have been thinking a lot about the time i spend in each stand. I normally give a stand about 3 or 4 days between hunts to let Scent dissolve. But is this truly necessary? How much time do you guys spend in stands during the rut? Do you spend several days in a row out of the same stand?
I have no problem sitting a stand as long as I'm seeing deer and not spooking them. If I spook a deer, i'll let it cool for a day or two.
I will spend 2 - 3 days in a row hunting a stand and this has produced deer for me in the past. It gives you a true picture of what is moving around and what is happening in that area.
I sit as long as I'm seeing deer. During the rut you have both cruising bucks as well as does that may be ready to mate. There is alot of deer movement that may not be typical in prerut. I see bucks on my trailcams that I've not seen earlier in the season.
Many years ago I was told that deer have a three day cycle .
So hunt a spot four days before giving up on it .
I hunt my stands based on wind flow and movement patterns. If things are staying the same, I'll stay there.
I am sitting all day tomorrow and the next three days after that then working three nights and plan on doing the same thing until I kill a buck.
I hunt a spot until I either stop seeing deer there, or spook one. Then I give the spot 3 or 4 days before going back. In the meantime, I just go do the same thing at another spot.
Many variables and possibilities for success and error.
A particular buck may not even routinely visit a certain area but every three days.
A buck long ranging buck may make a visit only once.
If former presence of does significantly diminishes in an area during the prime rut phase, I personally, move and/or give the area a break.
As long as I'm seeing deer and not spooking any I'm not skeered to hunt a couple days espicily if it's a good rut stand and the rut is in. Otherwise I like to give as much time between sits as possible- so having more stands and blinds than ya have time for is helpful
Tim
Everyday.
Our season is almost over so I don't worry about over hunting any of them.
I hunted many 3 days in a row. Now. I can set 3 days and not see a deer so I guess that's different than you guys who see deer and have allot pass through.
This year I'm only hunting the particular stands if the wind is perfect for that stand.
Except in a circumstance like on Saturday. I hunted a stand about 20 yards from a road. Across the road is a house with a deer fence around it. my scent was blowing across the road right at the house surrounded by the deer fence. I'm pretty comfortable that no deer caught my scent because of this. That stand I would hunt more than once every three days because of this unique situation.