How much patience do you have when you are sitting all day and not seeing anything? Do get up and move say at noon if you are not seeing anything? Do you stay put and remain confident in your spot? Discuss what makes you move and what makes you stay put. Past stories and experiences both way are encouraged. Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
During the rut I never move, only way I would consider is if I was completely busted and even then I'd consider staying. I can sit all day early and late season so knowing its the rut only makes it that much easier. That's the best thing about the rut, it can happen at any given time. 30 seconds is all it takes to change it from the worst sit ever to the most exciting hunt experienced. I want to be there for that 30 seconds.
The weather, namely the wind, could make me move. But, if I'm in for an all dayer, I'm not typically getting out until dark, or blood.
Back 10 years ago I was a die hard all day sitter during the month of November. Had a job to where I could save up all of my vacation and take the first three weeks of November off. I got to do that two years in a row. I hunted a funnel that led from a ridge to a 5 acre CRP field. I would see action all day long. It seemed it would slow between the hours of 12-2, but the rest of the time was rocking. I saw 12 bucks in one sit. 3 that were in the 130's and one that I put an arrow through at 11:50 am that went 153". I've seen some of my biggest deer between 10am to noon. It is hard to sit if your not seeing anything. My suggestion is to hunt a funnel between bedding areas and you are going to see deer. I have long since lost that ground to hunt on, but I took that 153" and two years later I took a 141" 8pt and my dad took a 148" 9 pt all out of the same funnel. It's all in where you are hunting at that time period.
This conversation can go anywhere it wants but my intent is say you have several good funnels to hunt. You pick one and are not seeing anything all morning. Do you move to another funnel or stay put? Everything else being equal. And why either way Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
I have sat in the same place all day more than I have moved (usually around 11:00am or later but before 1:00pm) but sometimes I will move just because. It can be a "gut feeling" that I have convinced myself I have or it can be just a change of pace. There are times I have moved only 100 yards, to the other side of the ridge, and there are times I have moved 15 miles away. Depends on what I feel like at the time. Like Fitz said though, I will move for sure if the wind has gone bad for that spot.
I don't usually second guess my strategy until I am done hunting for the day. If I didn't see anything then I will think about hunting differently the next time. I was hunting on Wednesday and I sat for five hours without seeing a single deer. Then right before I was about to leave I saw the second biggest buck I've seen all season. A perfect morning hunt would be to see deer constantly, you know you are in a good spot, and then you bag a buck before 10 a.m. It doesn't always or even often work like that. Sometimes the buck you want to shoot shows up 2 hours or more after the "peak" time of the day. So I don't usually move until the sun goes down.
What do you guys take with for all day sits? i mean like food wise. And anything else you normally bring. Ive never at all day before so im just trying to get an idea.
Only addition-a person, especially a hunter other than those I'm hunting with and if I see them we best have a prearranged meeting, a deer being hauled behind them or them asking for help on a trailing job.
Water, dried fruit/apple, Sandwich (usually Peanut Butter and honey/jelly). -- figure if I'm gonna throw scent in the air it'll be scents the deer may be attracted to...
In past years I used small hang ons for everything. Sitting all day in one of those sucks. For me one of the most important things is being comforatable. As long as I'm comfy I'm good to sit all day. Doesn't matter if I don't see one deer for the first half of the day. During the rut if really doesn't matter where you are. I try to get close I A bedding area or an area that will usually hold plenty does. Early season I'll sit for about 5 hours at a time and focus on food sources and travel routes to bedding. When the rut hits it's just a matter of putting in time. As far as food goes I'll bring in a few protien/cereal bars and a sandwich. I un wrap anything that will make noise and put it in a ziplock. Ill bring 2 bottles of water and a 5 hour energy drink. Anything can happen at anytime and that thought alone keeps me in the stand. If I don't see anything I might move the next day but I usually never get down mid day. So for me the number one thing to sit all day is comfort. Having a quality stand/seat and layers to keep warm is crucial.
Yes, if I'm in a spot that I know produces and I have not seen a deer in the first three hours, I will move to another funnel. Absolutely, I will. You have to be where the does are. I've been known to load up and head to another property and sit. I've sit three different stands in one day before. You have to make things happen. If your gut tells you to move then move. If I'm seeing a couple deer an hour, I'm staying put.
Haw two years ago I couldn't decide if I should me on or not. it was my first sit in a new set up and I finally gave in at 1 and moved to another site. prior to leaving I set up a camera to see if if the area was anygood. well the following week I checked the camera and not even an hour after I moved I had my target buck in front of my stand with a couple of does. I'll never leave again. unless the wind is messing with me or I know for a fact that I'm in the wrong place. Last year I was about to move on another new set up, because I had planned on moving just before my buddy go to the woods for the even hunt. I was about to get down at 2 when out of now were I had a nice buck (I shot him during shotgun season) come in and bed down 40 yard in front of my stand directly infront of me. I had one stupid branch in the way to make a shot. luckily for me the branch was there, because an hour later 3 PM I have our target buck walk out of now where and literily step on the other buck then disappear into thickness of the forest. It was the closest encounter I've ever had to a buck that would exceed 160". I wish I could have that hour back with my video camera. anyways the moral of the story is just remember that as soon as you get out of your stand he'll show up for sure.
When sitting all day I never move, reguardless of movement. I stay put for the entire day, it could happen at any moment. If I think im not in the right spot then I move the next day. Once im commited to an all day sit, I truely sit all day. Alot of the time is sucks but ive also seen great deer around 12-1 alot of the time i stay patient.
Yes! A matter of fact if you leave your bow in the tree and get down he'll be waiting for you broadside. True story!
If I am confident in the stand I wont move unless the wind shifts. If the wind shifts and is not favorable I bail right away.
During the pre, and post rut, I usually try to set up on a bottleneck area, preferably between a few bedding areas. During the rut I set up right IN a large, thick bedding area, so when the bucks are locked down with does I am right where the are hiding. Once set up, I don't move for any reason short of a lightning storm. You're better off holding tight and waiting it out. I have sat from daybreak seeing nothing and then all of a sudden at 2pm all heck breaks loose. A comfortable stand in a tree with cover is a must. Even the best of us are going to fidget when sitting all day, and cover will help hide your movements. A thermos filled with a hot drink is a must too!
