just curious as to how long everyone stays on stand when they hunt. i like to sit for about 5 hours when possible. only problem i run in to is i get uncomfortable after more then 5 with the exception of when i use my Treelounge. draw back to the Treelounge is it is a TERRIABLE bow stand.
starting the last week of Oct. I try to spend the whole day on stand. I do get down though and take a short nap.
doug77
If I hunt in afternoons after work, 1hr 45 min - 2 hrs depending on how quick I get to the stand.
On saturdays when time restrictions not a factor-- Mornings- sun up to bout 10:30 the afternoon I try to get to stand bout 4 hrs before dark.
During rut- I try to stay as much as posibble-- coming down to only get lunch and to take care of some business then back to it till dark.
It really varies, during the rut I may not even go into the woods until 10:30 and than stay until dark. Early season I do not like to hunt too many mornings as I feel it does more harm than good as I am bumping deer in the dark that are out feeding or returning to bed. I acnnot really answer as it has so much to do with the time of season I am hunting. If I had to give an average I would say 3hrs. or so per sit. Shawn
Basically from here on out I'll generally hunt as Shawn mentioned but if I do get a morning hunt in I'll stay well into the early afternoon, I've seen a lot of activity after most people would be headed home
During the rut I try all day if I have confidence in the area. The rest of the time, I figure 4hrs in the morning and 3 or 4 in the afternoon
I average 5 hours. I try to get in an hour before first light, sit until 10 or 11. Then I walk a few hundred yards to my house, eat a nice meal, drink some coffee and head back out. If Im hunting afternoons, I will head out around 11 or 12 and sit until dark. Sometimes my sits are interupted by a wind change, then I just go exploring and play with calls, rattling and such.
2 to 3 hours for me, Ken, mostly in the afternoon. I'm standing most of the time and that's all I can take.
2 to 3 hrs mostly in pm as if you bump deer in dark you do more harm than good but in the rut Mornings are perfect get to your stand 1 hr before daylight and at first light rattle your antlers and get ready to shoot if there are deer in area they almost allways come in hard and fast in the am good luck also never sit in your stand longer than you can sit still as deer will see any movement especally when the leaves have fallen
Depends on the situation. When hunting alone, I'll often go 4 hrs at a whack... more if it's "busy" out.
If I'm hunting with my friend Bubba, an hour and a half is about as long as I can make it before he comes stumbling along.
:banghead:
during the rut from daylight to dark, but it will test you. The older I get the harder it gets. regular hunting about the same as most people do.
Billy
Normal 3 to 4 hours... The first two weeks of November 5,6 hours or more if the deer are moving.
JDS III
As long as it takes!
About 3 hours at a time.
All day on weekends and vac, i'm a firm believer that you can't kill a deer if your sitting at home! if i hunt after work 3 to 5 hours! i have taken many of deer between 11am and2pm! but i'm very comfortable in the woods and enjoy being out there rain,snow or shine!
18hrs is my longest stint. missed a big fallow buck on the 18th hour! the stuff that gives you nightmares.
I enjoy bow hunting out of my Tree Lounge. Why is it terrible for you ?
3-4 hours is usually all I can take, esp if nothings moving.
On my bear hunt last year I sat for 7-8 hours a day.
About a half hour to an hour.....but you know me Brother, I gotta get up and walk!!!!! :archer:
the bow adaptor for the Treelounge is like a spring board if you are 200 pounds, i don't like to have it give like it does. no doubt it is safe but for bow hunting i do not like it. i can sit in the lounge all day with out a problem if i bring food.
I max out at about four hours if I'm in a tree but, usually longer if I'm in a ground blind. During the rut usually longer; all day if the spot is hot with action.(nut)
Early Season - afternoons in stand by 4:00 - till dark.
By mid season begin hunting mornings also - in stand at gray light till 10:00 AM
November - in stand before light - sit till noon
PM sit 2:30 till dark - if rut dates coincide with a full moon - we enter at 7 or 8 AM and stay as long as possible - maybe even dark.
When I want to stay "in the woods" all day during mid season I will use a ground blind for the 10:00 AM to 2:00 Pm period - works best in southern river bottoms where deer are very active mid morning and mid afternoon - these are very well shaded areas that are really too dark after sunset. Also where we hunt the deer rut at this time in Mid October - which kicks activity up quite a bit.
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I can sit in the Lounge all day too. I know what 'ya mean about the giving thing, I'm 210. I just don't move in it too fast. The more of an angle, it seems to move less.
3-4 hrs in the morning and evening. If things are hot I'll do all dayers, dark to dark.
Burnsie
4 hrs on average. I read that just about every deer will move some every 4 hours, I just figure that if I am there for 4 hours I should see movement.
If I am hunting alone, I will stay for 5 hours then get a snack and move to another spot for the remainder of the day, basically an all day hunt.
I don't hunt from a stand but, during the rut I'll spend the entire day, dawn 'til dusk in the woods. I've been known to sit under some low hanging branches and watch a trail for hours that showed signs of travel. I carry a little pack stool strapped to my pack and when I find a good spot, I'll pull it out and sit.
About an hour and a half, maybe two hours is all I care to fool with stationary hunting....I'm not a real patient man. An exception to that would be if I'm bugleing or cow calling elk and I'm getting a good response. You fellas have probably had more success than me but I love to spot & stalk. 100% of my big game hunting has been in the Rocky Mtn West and most of that in Wyoming. To sit all day in one spot just seems silly from my perspective. Can't do it.
All day if I have the time otherwise 6 hrs on average. My longest was the day I shot my first deer with trad gear. The wife dropped me off on state land at 5:30am and picked me up at 8:15pm.
My coldest sit was in -8 degree temps with 15 mph winds for 8 hrs. I pulled my longjohns up to my chest and tucked my arms in. Didn't see a single deer,LOL!
Last year was the 2nd coldest with 6 degrees for a high with wind chill included. I got in before light and at 3pm some doe came in. I was so cold that I could hardly draw my bow. My arrow fell off the rest and that was the end of that day.
Some day I'll either get the right clothes or have sense enough to get out of the cold. Being addicted to hunting has it's flaws,LOL!
If I'm on vacation and there are no obligations with the family or chores, I often to dark to dark.
If the leaves are crispy and I can rely on my ears to hear a deer come in, I sometimes take a book to pass the time. Never had a deer sneak up on my yet under those conditions.
I have spent the entire day in my climber, not a lot of fun. I like popup blinds for the freedom of movement and selection of snacks for those long sits.
I miss my WT DEER!!!! Im thinking hard about moving back to WI just for them, and just coming out for the month of September for elk. Back on track learn your area! I have spots in Wi that were a total bust to hunt in the morning, spots you could sneek in for a hour if i was running late. I just try not to push deer around. I guess what i'm saying is hunt as long and as much as you can. (depends on how the land lays and so on. Over hunting a stand is bad) If you have the time to sit all day during the rut, get after it. I've seen some big boys between 12-3. I've also shot some monsters by running out after work for an hour. this kinda turned to a ramble, but what I'm saying is the longer the better, but by all means get out when you can (if it doesn't scare deer around.
I generally sit for 3-4 hours nowadays....though I must admit that I've been up a tree from dawn till dusk on more than one occasion. Mostly I sit the blind till late morning then I may move to another area and still hunt for a while and then go back to the stand in the afternoon
I try to stay 2-3 hours, I know I can stay alot longer if I'm seeing game. Even if its tukeys, tree rats or other critters, if I'm seeing activity I can saty alot longer.