I HATE to sit... Help!

[MN Public Hunter]

I believe what you stated really depends on the state you plan to hunt and in certain states you would not need to sit. If you are stuck on sitting it all depends on the dates as well. If it's the rut you need to be on stand all day which take an enormous amount of dedication to do, trust me I know because I do it every year. In the early part of the Nov you can get away with just a few hours in the am and in the pm. A few hours at a time is not really a big deal, I watch the wildlife and daydream about crap like the biggest deer coming in to 20 yards. I honestly don't read on stand because that is when one slips in one you and you have a book in your hand. It's really not too good to be super warm either, just comfortable. Heat packs help, but then again so do good clothes. The most important thing is a comfortable stand, but not to comfortable so you fall asleep in it. If you get tired, climb down and nap at the base of the tree or go back to your truck.

 

[Tufrthnails]

I daydream a lot! Any animal movement in the area will hold my attention though so if I got birds, squirrels, or anything like that I am pretty good. I do the slow stand stretch routine every couple of hours. I also bring plenty of snacks. Last year I brought a book and that helped me take a nap seriously I was out in 2 pages! My grandfather used to bring his knife and whittle a stick for hours.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I give you guys credit who can sit all day. I've never even tried any kind of stand whether it's ground or tree. I'm the type that can't stand sitting in one spot. I find it hard to stop to eat a snack. I usually cram it down and walk off with a full mouth.

 

[Wally Dog]

Optimism and anticipation works for me. Then again I was taught by some great sitters in the northwoods of MN.

 

[Southwind]

I grew up in whitetail woods and really had to force myself to learn how to sit for hours. The foam pad especially in the cold is a must and a lot of what the other gents have stated as well in watching nature, or just the plain optimism, day dreaming of what might unfold. When it is really cold and all of the above has run it's course you have to keep you mind off the cold and not to be crude but day dreaming of a little nookie helps and certainly doesn't hurt the blood flow any. Call me crazy.

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Just go stalking, that's the real way to hunt!

 

[James Riley]

I crawl. I do that with my son sometimes. We just go out back, find a point in the distance, like a couple hundred yards, and crawl toward it. It takes great discipline to do that properly. Look for arrowheads, scat, bugs, etc. Try to make each move silent. If you look up too much your neck gets sore. I've had deer look at me like WTF? Going through the shit brush and leaves is challenging.

 

[kenton]

The best thing that I have found to sit for a long time is to actually hunt. Just because you're stationary doesn't mean you can't be active. When you're hunting while walking what are you actually doing? Searching for any movement, shape, color, ect that indicates a deer, do the same thing in a stand. Time passes much quicker if you're actively searching rather than just daydreaming.

 

[onpoint]

In my head, I know the best way to hunt whitetails is to find a good spot and sit and wait. I believe that. Trouble is, I hate sitting. I would rather climb a mountain than sit in a tree. Especially in November, it takes enormous willpower for me to sit still for 45 minutes. What are your favorite tips for enduring a good stand in cool or cold weather?

Sit hunting is for 13 year olds, the lazy, the fat, the old.
I'm way past 13, only lazy at home, yeah maybe a bit fat, and approaching old.
I don't sit and hunt. My dogs won't allow it, that carries through to my hunting for four legged things.

My tip? Wait till you get old, fat or lazy enough to sit. Until then, move, walking by as many critters as possible. It's worked for me for 40 years.

Disclaimer - I hate hunting whitetails.............

 

[rjlefty3]

Don't do it. Find some snow and go track one down!

This!

I'm like you, I'd much rather climb a mountain then sit in a stand. Although, like others have said - if you can stay comfortable and somewhat entertained (games on your phone or something like that) it does make things easier. Also helps to be seeing things, whether deer or not. I've been fortunate enough to see some pretty cool things while up in a tree.

 

[onpoint]

This!

I'm like you, I'd much rather climb a mountain then sit in a stand. Although, like others have said - if you can stay comfortable and somewhat entertained (games on your phone or something like that) it does make things easier. Also helps to be seeing things, whether deer or not. I've been fortunate enough to see some pretty cool things while up in a tree.

"games on your phone or something like that"

I guess I am way older than I thought I was, judging by my reaction to this

 

[N2TRKYS]

Sitting in a stand for 3-4 hours is nothing, if you're in the right spot. However, I love getting to hunt deer and turkeys out West. It's a lot easier hunting out West with the spot and stalk.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Sitting in a stand for 3-4 hours is nothing, if you're in the right spot. However, I love getting to hunt deer and turkeys out West. It's a lot easier hunting out West with the spot and stalk.

You come out here to hunt for turkeys?

 

[N2TRKYS]

You come out here to hunt for turkeys?

I've been hunting Nebraska for a few years. Been wanting to hit CO and NM one day in the near future. You got any leads on some that you'd share or do you hunt them, too?

 

[tarheel]

Still hunting takes patience and technique. I've hunted from tree stands but not in 20 years or so; at 73 why risk it. Mostly I do a combination of spot and stalk/still hunting. My stand is usually with my butt on the ground and leant up against a nice white oak or similar and then I break up the area where a deer would appear into a grid and become familiar with every shadow and shaking leaf in each area just by observation. The whitetail can at times be a ghost and if you're familiar with every shape and shadow it isn't difficult to notice when something doesn't fit or when movement takes place. Doing all that helps with the patience issue and when that doesn't work a good nap certainly does.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I've been hunting Nebraska for a few years. Been wanting to hit CO and NM one day in the near future. You got any leads on some that you'd share or do you hunt them, too?

I don't hunt for turkeys, but I see them all the time. I can give you a couple of spots.

 

[Gunner46]

Kenton nailed it ! Just because you are moving, doesn't mean you're not hunting.

The key to a stand is pre-scouting. Put in the time up front. Think on a much smaller scale than you would if you were .... say in eastern Wyoming. There you can see for miles & miles. From a stand it may be 200, 100, 50, 25 yds. If you know it's a good location before you ever plant your buttox, you'll be a lot more patient. PAY ATTENTION to what is going on around you. Use your ears as well as what you can see. Embrace that you have the advantage. Game sees movement before structure.

Birds chirping? Squirrels suddenly get alert? Is that crunch, crunch a bird hopping in the leaves, another d@mn squirrel.....or is it a buck?

Pay attention to what the wind is doing, close & as far as you can see?. What are the shadows doing?

Most of all..... CHILL. If you already know you're on a hot spot, by the pre-scouting, relax. It pays off.

It paid off for my brother who shot his 1st buck at 0 yds. YES, ZERO. Unless you count straight down from a tree stand !

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Think of still hunting as a moving tree stand. The reason it's called still hunting is you should be standing still more than walking. One step and look everywhere..one more step and look everywhere.

I've started to write a book on still hunting, but it's a struggle. I'm not a writer. I find it hard to put on paper what I do instinctively. There's so much more to still hunting than a slow walk in the woods.

 

[RobG]

Last night I staked out a spot 20 yards from a well used trail. After 45 minutes I saw some deer walking from left to right about 300 yards away. They went behind some willows so I figured I'd head them off. I got to my "new" spot and soon they appeared about 100 yards away heading towards me. Then the bastards turned, went through the willows, and walked right up the trail I originally set up on. Always happens that way...

 

[ericsplls]

About all of my whitetail hunting is in south GA. When I hunt public land I pretty much stay put. I usually hunt public land from a climbing stand and there's just too much noise climbing down. On private land where I have the luxury of placing several stands I will often have one on the edge of a feed source and another a couple hundred yards back in the thick stuff. If the action is slow I often still hunt from one stand to the next. It's actually a little easier for me to be still here because I have a general Idea that the deer are close even though I can't see them. When I go west I always wonder what is over the next peak.