still/stand/blind hunting
- Thread starter Qhergt
- Start date
achtanelion
Regular
- Location
- Edmonchuck
You've gotta relax.
Close your eyes for a bit and let the sounds of the forest tell you what's going on.
Learn what a squirrel sounds like rummaging around, and how it's different from a mouse or a deer.
When your brain throws up something that you "really gotta think about right now!" tell it to bugger off.
Living in the city, our brains get trained to see constant input in the form of flashing light and sounds as normal. When you're out in your stand or blind or whatever, that input isn't there, so your brain takes off like a small bored child. Looking for that input that the city forces on us. Mostly, it'll take patience and perserverance to get to the point you can truly relax in your blind, but once you can you'll be amazed at how truly relaxed you get.
J
Close your eyes for a bit and let the sounds of the forest tell you what's going on.
Learn what a squirrel sounds like rummaging around, and how it's different from a mouse or a deer.
When your brain throws up something that you "really gotta think about right now!" tell it to bugger off.
Living in the city, our brains get trained to see constant input in the form of flashing light and sounds as normal. When you're out in your stand or blind or whatever, that input isn't there, so your brain takes off like a small bored child. Looking for that input that the city forces on us. Mostly, it'll take patience and perserverance to get to the point you can truly relax in your blind, but once you can you'll be amazed at how truly relaxed you get.
J
Then get out and walk!
I get stir crazy in there to, sometimes I occupy myself with my BB, but for the most part I enjoy looking out the windows. I typically only use a blind when I have the wife or one of my kids with me.
I end up sneaking out the back more often than not for a good look around. Be prepared though, when you step out there will be a deer right there, he will snort and run! Seems to happen all to often.
Three hours is a long time to sit, limited view too. You have done better than I ever have!
I get stir crazy in there to, sometimes I occupy myself with my BB, but for the most part I enjoy looking out the windows. I typically only use a blind when I have the wife or one of my kids with me.
I end up sneaking out the back more often than not for a good look around. Be prepared though, when you step out there will be a deer right there, he will snort and run! Seems to happen all to often.
Three hours is a long time to sit, limited view too. You have done better than I ever have!
What he said... Plus I used to bring an Ipod and listen to music on super quiet with a book with sudokus... Now I just bring my cell and play games, also I get one bar every now and then so I can text people, it takes forever but it works lol
I look forward to being in a tree stand so I can relax and slow down. I like quietly sitting and enjoying the sounds around me. I read a book and relax. I forget about everything and just enjoy it. It is one of the reasons I like bow hunting. It forces you to slow down.
By the way....spot and stalk should not be confused with walk and scare. Alot of rifle hunters mix that up. They feel the need to move around...usually walking too fast and too noisy and miss things happening around them. Spot and stalk usually requires sitting and observing!
By the way....spot and stalk should not be confused with walk and scare. Alot of rifle hunters mix that up. They feel the need to move around...usually walking too fast and too noisy and miss things happening around them. Spot and stalk usually requires sitting and observing!
have done so, the blind is near a heavy used game trail... i know the deer will be coming though there.... its just having to sit still for that long on a bucket that was gettin to me.... im headed to the blind right now so we will see how well the stool and the smoke sent sticks i bought work out
Being comfortable is very important (get a good chair and appropriate clothing). That being said, I usually get bored after 3 hours if I'm not seeing anything. I wish I had access to enough property that I could spot & stalk or still hunt. Its hard to do on small wood lots.
juanvaldez
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sudbury, Ontario
I have stayed from dawn till dusk...the secret, was using a climber, too much of a pain going up and down. Only did it once, never even shot anything. Now I do 4 hours morning, break then 4 hours evening for the first 2 or 3 days. I have shot quite a few in the typically overlooked hours. Long sits can work against you. If you get fidgety , you can easily scare game and never know it, making you think you have an unproductive stand.
The other morning I was getting a little restless after a couple hours in my tree so I pulled out an old card from child hood. I pretended I was doing a hunting segment on camera and talked in a whisper, saying what I was doing there, where the game would come from and going over possible shots if the deer came from an unexpected location. After a few minutes of my "show commentary" I was content to sit still again, it gave me a silent, and meaningful distraction. Now if I would have got a deer for my "show" it would have been a good morning. I could never use a book or electronic equipment, I get worried I breathe to loud. I also watch the world come alive and enjoy watching the squirrels go about their day. Good luck up there!
Visualize a 160 buck, just past the edge of your vision. He's testing the wind, looking around and time has no meaning to him.You're racing darkness. Two mores steps and you'll see him. A couple live decoy does suddenly rivet their attention on some thing you can't see, with an intensity that you can feel from your stand. Is it him, or is another friggin' squirrel? Can't that sun go down slower?
When I go hunting, I hunt however I want at the time. I take into account everything I can and pick a method that I think will work, and which I will enjoy. Sometimes that means sitting; sometimes it means still hunting. Why is that so difficult?
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
Agree, don't make it work, don't make it painfully boring.....enjoy.
A successful hunt is a hunt that you believe in.
I hunt for a certain "feeling", if I'm not feeling it...I change things up.
A successful hunt is a hunt that you believe in.
I hunt for a certain "feeling", if I'm not feeling it...I change things up.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
You forgot the cherry whiskey didn't you????
Logan_Lamothe
Regular
- Location
- Big River, Sask
I take a book or some magazines when I head to the blind, and it helps to take naps just to rest your eyes though.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Get involved with your surroundings, watch the mice, the birds, the squirrels. Watch what they do, and learn their habits. If you sit still enough, birds will land on you, squirrels and mice run over you. Red squirrels will run by, turn and curse at you.
Get in touch with your surroundings, they will tell you if something is approaching, long before you sense it yourself, and make time fly.
I can't read in a stand, too much going on around me.
Get in touch with your surroundings, they will tell you if something is approaching, long before you sense it yourself, and make time fly.
I can't read in a stand, too much going on around me.
This analogy is a little out there, but I see it like water on a sponge: it takes awhile before the forest will absorb your presence, and it doesn't take much to get squeezed back out again. It can be a real challenge while still hunting - moving around while remaining "part of the forest". Some of Noel's recent pics leads me to believe that he is a master of this technique. It isn't boring.
