This is my routine before hunting during gun season
[ol][*]Alarm goes off 1 1/2 before shooting light[*]Grab a decent size breakfast, pack a small lunch in case the deer are moving all day.[*]Drive over to hunting area, have country music on the radio. Opening morning, I'm about as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Bring on the Deer![*]Get to my hunting area, do my scent free routine as best I can. Shut my door as soft as possible followed by at least one guy slamming his door (accident of course)[*]Slowly walk to stand, the slower and quieter the better.[*]Climb into stand. If its a box blind, take down the windows and get set up. Its a regular stand, get everything into its location in case I need it.[*]Since I am in my stand 45 mins. before light, I shut up and listen. I can't tell you how many deer ive heard before light chasing and know to watch that direction at first light. This is critical.[*]Im lucky tohave a large Bladder, unless I sit all day, I can hold it. If I do have to go, straight out the tree or out the backdoor. Never had a problem with that.[*]Unless there are deer everywhere, I usually go in around 11 or so for some coffee and lunch and hopefully to show off my buck (Usually not) Its a good time to plan the afternoon hunt.[*]After lunch and some coffee, back to the stand around 1:30.[*]If I kill something in the AM, I usually tag it and if its cold enough, let it lie. I'll gut it out when I have a little help, plus, I don't want to be up walking around that early and ruin everyone hunt.[*]If its an afternoon kill, I'll usually drag it out if I know it's down then wait until everyones done hunting to gut it out.[*]Celebrate (Deer or not) I just got doing the thing I love with friends and family. It's time to crack open a few cold ones and tell the stories of the days hunt. If all has gone well on the first few days of the season, someone has a deer down and it's time to hear the story.[/ol]