What's yours, how much time is spent before your in the stand? Sent from my iPad using Bowhunting.com Forums
When I am doing a morning hunt, I shower the night before. Once I get up and go through some of Fix's same routine, I mindlessly drive out to my place while drinking coffee and eating some breakfast. I always try to be up in my stand 45 minutes before sunrise, if not earlier. This might change just a bit in late season when the temps are below freezing... Somewhere in here I always try to say a prayer for my hunt and to prepare myself for enjoying whatever happens, even if it means zero deer in sight. I have had some incredible times just being outdoors and watching other animals, which to me is actually more of what happens than actually killing something. If I can't find a way to enjoy these moments, I know that I won't enjoy the overall hunting experience, so I try to prepare myself to embrace whatever experience comes my way.
Personal hygiene aside, what are you looking for? I have about an hr drive from home to my hunting areas, so I try to keep my scent to a minimum but there are challenges. I hunt public land. In NC we can't leave stands on public land so I try to be there early and in minimum base layers. Everything gets a spray of scent killing spray (debates aside on effectiveness). I wear gloves on the way in, a throwback to my days trapping to try to avoid as much scent as possible on the way in...Pack up and hike slowly. Only exception for my scent may be when I intentionally want to leave a scent trail (drag or scent applied along the way in). Set stand. Sometimes a second spraydown. Change clothing or put my hunting clothing on in the stand once I cool down.
Having to go back home to get something... never fails lol Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Morning hunts: get up after 1 snooze button. Shower. Eat cereal while reading hunting magazine. Make coffee and gather food/water. Get everything onto front porch. Change into camo (outside if not too cold). Finish packing outside. Spray backpack, gear & boots/gloves. Walk to my stand. Bump deer. Pretend to be a deer until they move on. Climb stand. Cool down and enjoy night sounds, stars and moon. Nock arrow at hunting light.
Wake up. Think about going back to bed. Ask myself why I'm up this early. Hope it's raining so I can go back to sleep.
