When I posted on deer drives I looked at both the possitive and the less than possitive issues. The same as stand hunting. I the public area of Manitoba where I hunt streatches for approx. forty sq. miles. Due to the seclusion of the area the majority of the hunters that I see (and they are few and far between...many years none), choose to slowly travel the old loggong roads (to their credit many of these guys are quite elderly and I don't believe could push much bush or even climb a deep stand). To get the big bucks you have to go into the woods. The forest is thick, rolling and can really turn yourself around if you do not know where you are going. There are also areas of iron ore deposits for your compass at times will be spinning like a top. Due to the rough hunting area I've seen guys walk a few yards into the bush a hang a stand over what they believe is a deer trail. For all they could have known it may have been a beaver, elk, moose, bear or deer trail.I't's like finding a tree that is the easiest to climb with out any regard to what you are there fore. Now that's a waiste of time. Now if that same guy would spend the countless hours in the bush scouting, themiles of ridgewalking, the hours of watching willow swamps, the carefully placing of many standswith each placement placed for either bow, ML, rifle, change of wind (the wind patterns in this area change from south to northfrom the beginning of bow to the end of rilfe), the time of day, cutting of shooting lanes, and then further scoutingby glassing the area from afar perhapsthe hunter would havemore success. Perhaps some would call all this a waiste of time but I just call it hunting. In factmy hunting starts months before when I'm making sure I have the perfect loads for my family's ML's and rifles, my sons plinking at the range, the bow practise,the tuning and re-tuning in of the scopes, (oh yea, that huningwith just irons was an issue also....). Some times in the stand you have that chicadee land on your shoulder, or see that martin or weasel catch a mouse. Just a waist of time? You can't eat antler (though there are many on my walls), but the freezer is full by early Dec. Is stand hunting the way to hunt? Depends on where, when and what you are hunting fore as well as if you can be silent, still and patience. This typw of hunting is not for everyone but for those that can master it, it is a very successful. Time in=meat in the freezer. If hunting was just a sport and I didn't have the time to put in, I would just write the cheque to one of my outfitter buddies and I would a B/C every season (like buying tickets for a great sporting playoff game)but since it's a lifestyle I'll be out later this afternoon and evening getting ready for next fall.