This is interesting, we live very full lives in cities, and become accustomed to lots of 'artificial' stimuli manmade stuff. When alone and in the 'emptiness' of the wilderness it is hard to make the switch and be in the moment of being outdoors. Books are fine and I am sure there are flat periods. I like reading something historical about the area, but I do that in camp. I take a nice plain sketch book and a field guide along in my pack and I draw and sketch. I  make copious notes, check lists of birds etc. I will try to draw a 360 portrait of the view from the hide or stand. I take photos, and list animal sounds etc. This way your attention is focussed outwards and you are conscious of the surroundings and not buried in the book. The journal is as complete a record of my day as I can make it. I also hope fervently for blank spots in the record! Those will be when there are animals close by! In camp I will have other bigger books to read when we are not jawing by the fire. I once took a book of knots and a piece of cord and practised knot making, it was fun and quiet but I was looking down and not at the world around.
chrisg

RIGHT NOW (THE BOOK OF JAMES)

"Thunder Over the Ochocos"...history of Oregon before it was a state and after. I hunt in many of the places that many events occurred. It will make many days up in those mountains and meadows more reflective of what transpired.

I have taken books into the stand several times but never read a page. To worried about missing something going on.

Right now at home I am reading Digital Fortress  and T J Conrads (?)  The Traditional Bowhunters Handbook

QuoteHis Ender anthology is some of the most emotive, well written prose to ever grace a page!  

100% agreed. Everyone should at least read Ender's Game.


I'm reading volume one of Shelby Foote's three volume series on the history of the Civil War. I know how it ends.    :D    Not a good book to carry in the woods, though... it's rather large.


I've also been reading some Inspector Morse mysteries by Colin Dexter. Those would fit in a pack nicely.  

Another good read: Dick Proenneke's  One Man's Wilderness, An Alaskan Odyssey.


I'd also recommend the children series "The Ranger's Apprentice" series by John Flannigan. Good stuff to read when out in the woods with your bow.

Chris,

 I assumed nothing, if you had read the first post,the man asked what we are/were reading while on stand or in a blind. The reason I said what I did is because of the elitist baloney that some people have to throw around.Do what ever makes you happy and is legal. Personally I listen to the radio and read while on stand or in my blind. It has never affected my hunt in a negative way and I sure won't put someone down for not shooting a custom bow or reading a book while on stand

"Poachers"  Tom Franklin   http://www.amazon.com/Poachers-Stories-Tom-Franklin/dp/0688177719#reader_0688177719

I don't read anything while on stand.  I had a good 10, come in behind me and make a scrape that I never saw till he was on top of me.  And that was while I was paying attention!!

QuoteOriginally posted by NightHawk:
I assumed nothing, if you had read the first post,

I had read your first post, that would be the quote that I was talking about?  As far as you not assuming you did, you addressed your responce as a general statement to all of us.  And although his question was do you pack a book to your stand or blind- STAND is a relative term used for spot as well as tree stand.

I don't read in my tree stand, but when I bought a new farm in a different ecological area, I started carrying a tree identification book to learn more about the trees there.

QuoteOriginally posted by bozara:
I don't read in my tree stand, but when I bought a new farm in a different ecological area, I started carrying a tree identification book to learn more about the trees there.

That is important, I had to take a class in school called EMR(environmental resource managment) because of my second completer in Environmental science, and we spent a good two months on tree identification.  And it has really, really helped me as a hunter.  Too bad we did that unit in the spring when there were leaves!

I carry the Word of God with me... pocket New Testament, but don't read it too much in the stand.

I just finished Ruark's Africa.  It's a collection of magazine articles he wrote in the late 50's to the mid 60's.  If you are into Aftrica and like Ruark's style it's well worth the effort.

Also recently read Super Slam by Chuck Adams.  Very well worth the effort...

I've never read while on stand and probably never will.  That's the time to let the mind wander, solve all of your problems, design gadgets, plan future hunts or fishing trips.

In my easy chair I do my reading.  The last three books:
"Spandau Diaries" Albert Speer
"Bows on the Little Delta" Glenn St.Charles
"D-Day" Anthony Beevor

green eggs and ham.....anyone know that one?  

Nighthawk,  here is what you stated...for your enjoyment:

"lots of BS in this thread!! Anyone that claims to be reading tracks from a tree stand.....well I aint buyin it. "Reading" the woods should have been done before you poisitioned your stand of blind. maybe that's why some of ya aren't bringing home anything but memories???"

Not everyone sits in a tree stand all day and reads books.  I can read at home, during evening hours, when some are probably watching the mindless dribble of sitcoms or the outdoor channel.  Some of us spend our time  on the ground, where we can study those things I spoke of, while attending to the process at hand; hunting with the bow and arrow....not reading a Dean Koontz thriller.  But alas we are all different, so smoke 'em if you got 'em.

'War and Peace' ...... no wait -its bigger than that....its the Cabelas book I just got in the mail!!!!!

I wanna enjoy any second when I am hunting try to learn any single detail that mother Earth shows to me.