Post by: Curtiss Cardinal on November 12, 2006, 08:20:00 AM
If I stand hunt I fall asleep and wake up when it's dark. If I still hunt or try to spot and stalk I am muscle tired and achy and that doesn't led itself to stealthy moving through the woods. I'm kinda at my wit's end. :banghead:
Post by: Littlefeather on November 12, 2006, 08:26:00 AM
Post by: Curtiss Cardinal on November 12, 2006, 08:44:00 AM
Post by: Abel on November 12, 2006, 09:52:00 AM
Post by: CJ5 on November 12, 2006, 10:12:00 AM
Post by: heydeerman on November 12, 2006, 10:13:00 AM
Post by: Rico on November 12, 2006, 12:20:00 PM
Probably your not getting enough of the right sleep darken the windows and put in some ear plugs. Good Luck
Post by: dgf41 on November 12, 2006, 12:25:00 PM
Post by: Deadsmple on November 12, 2006, 03:12:00 PM
This is what I do to stay fresh at work and on my time off. First thing is to not sleep right after work. People that work day jobs usually wake up only an hour or so before they have to go to work. They don't normally hit the hay once they get home. Too many obligations. So by doing this, the only time I'm losing sleep is when I'm walking home in the evening from the woods.
The next thing to do is to keep those hours even on weekends and days off. This helps the body stay in the correct mode. With a little time the internal clock adjusts to this lifestyle. I know that's not what most people want to hear but if you want to stay healthy while working nights this is really the only way to go.
My suggestion to most people is to find a day job if you do not want to change to this kind of lifestyle. Hope I was of some help.
Post by: bayoulongbowman on November 12, 2006, 03:15:00 PM
Post by: BamBooBender on November 12, 2006, 03:29:00 PM
!["[dntthnk]"]("graemlins/dntthnk.gif" "\"\"")
Post by: Problem Child on November 12, 2006, 04:41:00 PM
Post by: sar on November 12, 2006, 07:49:00 PM
Penguin caffeinated mints work pretty well also. They only have about 15mg of caffeine each though. they're better for maintenance than for loading.
Post by: traditionalkid131 on November 12, 2006, 07:56:00 PM
Post by: southernarcher on November 12, 2006, 10:47:00 PM
Post by: Dalebow on November 12, 2006, 11:26:00 PM
I worked 3rd shift and would hunt some in the morn then head to bed or went to bed and hunted the evening util went back:-)
No good answer but hang in there!!
Post by: Brian Halbleib on November 13, 2006, 04:46:00 AM
Been working steady midnights for about 8 years now. Used to get off at 8 and was sleeping by 8:30 and hunted the evenings. Now I have two daughters and my wife is a school teacher so hunting during the week is just about an exercise in futility, especially after the clocks turn back.
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
Post by: Mike Burch on July 08, 2007, 10:50:00 PM
I'd like to hear some more experiences on working this shift and how it affects your hunting and health.
Post by: Slasher on July 08, 2007, 11:06:00 PM
Just kidding, The hardest part was the regular distractions like the phone and light.. I used alum foil over the windows... Light problem fixed!!! Then unplug the phone problem solved...
I found that I only slept 4-6 hrs a day, but I was well rested (except when I had been drinking...) I'm with keeping to the schedule if at all possible... Didn't matter If I went to bed @ 6am or 11.a.m. The 11-4 sleepin makes for best of both werlds as far as hunting goes
Lotsa a luck, but if it makes you miserable, might consider a job change... no job is worth health or happiness...
Post by: woodchucker on July 08, 2007, 11:26:00 PM
First.....I have to explain my "style" of hunting.
I'm strictly a ground hunter.I NEVER go in the woods in the dark.I always wear a good foam seat cushion attached to my belt.I stillhunt my way into my "spot" at first light.Then I sit untill I feel like moving,then I stillhunt to another "spot".When I'm done for the day,I stillhunt my way out of the woods.
Now,I am VERY fortunate to have several weeks vacation,which I take during the hunting season.On the days that I work,I come home at 6am,wake my oldest son Kevin and send him off to high school.Then I wake my wife Lisa,and send her off to work.By now it's about 6:30 and I go to bed for a nap untill about 8am.Then,I get up and wake my little guy Tyler,get him fed and dressed and on the school bus at 8:45. By 9am I'm on my way hunting,and I hunt untill 2-2:30pm then come home to get Tyler off the school bus at 3:30pm. We eat supper at about 4:30pm,then after supper I go back to bed and sleep untill 9pm,then I get up and go to work.For those of you who are wondering,I see ALOT of deer hunting during the "mid-day" hours!!!!!
On a "normal" day when I'm not hunting I sleep from 9am to 3pm.
RAW HIDE.....As you can see,My hunting is good,and as long as I'm hunting,My "health" is GREAT!!!!!
As you can see,It may take some adjustment.....But it certainly CAN be done :thumbsup:
Post by: Weekend Warrior on July 08, 2007, 11:52:00 PM
I feel for you
I worked 3rd for 5-6 years.. I was the same way..The best way and only way I could hunt was go to sleep as soon as I got home.. I would sleep for 5-6 hrs Hunted only in the evenings until weekend...Finaly got a day job it doesn't pay as much,I Work 4 10hr day and off Fri,Sat,Sun..
Good Luck
Post by: heydeerman on July 09, 2007, 12:30:00 AM
Post by: OzarkRamblr on July 09, 2007, 03:26:00 AM
When I was working on the ambulance I learned how to sleep literally any where. I also learned the joys of the "combat nap", grabbing a few minutes whenever I could. You had to to cope with the long and irregular hours.
Now that I work "regular hours", I still take combat naps. That's mostly because of my insomnia though. I consider 4 uninterrupted hours of sleep an oasis.
To some degree it affects my hunting, I have more time to hunt than the average person. But because of my awful sleep habits I find that I often have to hunt tired. Sometimes when I go to the woods I actually look forward to taking a nap at the base of a tree, it's very peaceful and all the stress and cares of the outside world really seem to melt away. To me it's still been a good trip and I don't usually sleep more than an hour or so. I'm out there for me any way, the focus of my hunting often changes when I get to the woods.
Post by: Molson on July 09, 2007, 04:03:00 AM
Sleeping right after I got home worked best for me. I could adjust it by a few hours here and there to accomodate morning or evening hunts. It's best to stay on the same schedule, even on your days off. If you do, you'll find you can adjust what time you go to bed by about four hours either way and still get good rest. If you fall into the "stay up all day and sleep at night" trap on your days off, you'll always feel fatigued during the work week.
Post by: sticshooter on July 09, 2007, 07:19:00 AM
Post by: papaw on July 09, 2007, 07:44:00 AM
third shift for years. When you get off work you
stay awake just like any other shift. When I get off work in hunting season I am in the woods
until 11:00am then I go home and od whatever
then sleep. Then I get up about 5:00pm eat and back to the woods until time to go to work. My shift don't start until 10:00pm.
Third shift is a way of life for me. I would not work any other shift. You have to give into it or you it will make you miserable.
Post by: Scott Gray on July 09, 2007, 10:16:00 AM
My son plays sports so I would be up at about 1500 and would be up until it was time to go to work. That was the hard part. In my mind I knew that "normal" folks would just get up and head to work.
I stayed on nights for so long because my wife worked days and with me working nights there was always someone home to take care of our children if one was sick or such. Now my daughter is 19 and my son is 15 so I was able to change shifts two months ago and you know what? I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! This is the first time in 14 years that I actually feel normal...well, as normal as I can be. I love being home in the evenings knowing that I do not have to drop everything and head to work.
The problem I had was that if I went hunting in the morning after work I would not want to leave in time to get some sleep. Evening hunts always worked out better for me. :)
Post by: DTS on July 09, 2007, 11:24:00 AM
Post by: K.S.TRAPPER on July 09, 2007, 11:42:00 AM
I went through a time when I had trouble sleeping, Like a couple of years but it was a bad time in my life. Finally I got back on a regular routine and it all smoothed out. I stopped drinking pop, Quit eating fast food, Tried decafe coffee but it made things worse went back to regular coffee started eating right working out even if just for a run now and then and started taking a one a day vitamin.
I work 14 days a month 7 days and 7 nights. So you can see I have lots of time for Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and camping and lots of family time which is the best part.
You can do it, You just have to get the mind and the body consistant and every thing will work out. :)
Tracy
Post by: drewsbow on July 09, 2007, 01:01:00 PM
Post by: mrgreenhead on July 09, 2007, 04:00:00 PM
Post by: LeeNY on July 09, 2007, 04:52:00 PM
When I had the next day off I'd hunt as soon as I got off work until noon then a little nap. Back out before dark. On my days off hunt as much as possible.
Worked for me at the time.
Post by: pete p on July 10, 2007, 12:42:00 AM
Post by: Joseph on July 10, 2007, 05:26:00 AM