I do mostly spot and stalk hunting due to blacktail don't pattern as well as whitetail. That being said this last year I was able to actually somewhat pattern one buck. He went to the same bedding area 2 days in a row but the time he went was about 4 hours apart. The next day I decided to make a makeshift blind behind a downed tree along his path. I sat for about 2 hours and starting dozing off. It doesnt help California archery season for the zone I hunt is in July and hot out to say the least. I heard some leaves russle about 20 yards away and here's that buck staring at me as I wake up. No shot! He's on to me and bolts. My question is how do you stay awake? I'm used to hiking all over the place and maybe sitting still for glassing or waiting for a buck to feed closer to me so sitting still doesn't work for me. Any tricks?
Sometimes I go to stand fully expecting to nap, there. I welcome it a LOT more than I fight it. It's just a deer!
Getting up at 4AM to get in the stand before day break... I def. end up with naps. So far I haven't woke up to be staring at a buck. But 1 time I was hunting on the ground on the edge of a field and dozed off for about 10min. When i woke up I was stiff so i stood up to stretch. About that time a doe came out of the woods about 3-4ft to my right. I could of leaned over and patted her on the butt if I wanted to she was so close at first. Since I had a rifle at the time and no doe season with rifles I just stood there like a statue and watched her wonder around the field for 15-20min and then exit the other side.
Anymore when I head to a stand or Blind I am planning on hunting from daylight til dark if at all possible. I may eat a candy bar or drink a cup of coffee when it is not exactly prime time, but movement, etc is always deliberate & slow to not alert an unseen Buck. If I was going to sleep I'd go Home I really don't have much trouble with dozing off but I do think being well rested when you head to the woods is important. I've hunted with buddies on a few instances where they were packing a camera or I was. I've watched more than one fall asleep. Pretty comical actually! I always let them know what they missed. I think keeping my mind busy evaluating everything around helps keep me alert. Dan
I fell asleep one time and the one time I did I was in my tree lounge.. very safe stand to sleep in.. anyway.. I was awaken by three cow elk eating under my stand. I couldnt move ... to even grab my bow.. cost me a shot at filling the freezer.. Haven't fell asleep since that experience and that was 14 years ago, I swear I am afraid of what I might miss.. even when I am dog tired I drink a little (too much not good) coffee or something ahead of time to keep alert...
I got off work at 11:30 PM and would get up at 4 AM to reach my farm and be in my stand before sunrise. I did this from the beginning of November for 2 weeks. I found that I would have to drink a red bull and load up on sugar on my drive up and I was fine. It was the seeking and chasing phase of the rut and I had about 6 hours to hunt before I would have to drive back home to get ready for work. I think the anticipation of the next moment is what helped along with a redbull to keep me awake and alert.
On occasion I've dozed off while on stand. The worst is usually around 10am when the sun starts warming everything up. Man, that's when it gets rough! If its prime time, I'll stand for a while then, just to keep from falling asleep. If its early season, sleep it is. I have two little ones at home and one doesn't like to sleep through the night yet. So.... I'm on daddy duty alot. Needless to say, I've trudged to the stand plenty this past year with only 3-4 hours of sleep.
I make sure my stands aren't comfortable enough to sleep in. I like small stands with small seats. If you wake up once just before your safety belt catches, as your falling forward, the adrenaline rush will keep you awake the rest of the morning!
I played sports throughout high school and in college. The one thing that always helped me was getting enough sleep at night. I was always at my best when I was well rested. The same goes for hunting now. At first I tried coffee and caffeine drinks and they worked, accept for the fact the I had to urinate every hour or so. I hated this fact. So I went back and treated my hunting like when I was an athlete competing. During hunting season I treat it like wrestling season. I work out, eat healthy, and most importantly get proper rest. It has made a difference in my hunting and I do not get tired while in the stand. I too do not like the fact that if I fall asleep I could miss an opportunity at a deer. Everybody is different and I realize this, but for me the biggest factor of being alert and ready on stand is the rest I get the night before. With work this can be difficult sometimes, but I strive to get at least 6 to 7 hours a night before a hunt. Hope this helps a little.
Same here and I agree, getting a good nights sleep before is the best medicine for being alert. Being is shape definately helps too.
Being well rested is key. However, at times I will relax in my stand and close my eyes. All the while, I am listening intently. Not really sleeping. Many times I have heard a twig snap then slowly opened my eyes to see a buck approaching. Since I'm usually pretty high up in a tree stand, I usually have enough time to stealthily move into position for a shot. It takes practice. I have not lost a shot opportunity from doing this so far.
i go to bed at 7:30 wake up at 4 and im ready to go usually i sometimes still fall asleep because its so calm and early that you just cant help it
I honestly have a hard time sleeping while hunting..im too zoned in on noises and movement to fall asleep. Plus my $20 wal-mart stands dont offer much fall protection LOL
no i never sleep im usually too pumped haha. i do close my eyes for a while at like noon when things slow down
A good nights sleep and being in shape mentally and physically helps a tremendous amount. Sometimes I fall asleep....what does that say about my mental and physical health? hahahaaha
I'd rather taking a nap, than get caught up in my phone. Even if I doze off, my ears stay aleart. Get me texting away and I'm oblivious to whats going on. If I feel the need to fight it, I just bite the crap out of my tounge, that lasts me a good 15-20 min
...hardly my friend. I hunted from dusk to dawn and was sick as a dog for two straight days during the rut this year. I don't remember falling asleep once. But then again, some days it is just lights out. I actually have my best sleep twenty feet high.
