the first five minutes usually involves intense focus. after that my mind wanders off into different thoughts about what is going on in my life. things im planning for the future. other deer i have killed in that spot. being up there in the stand is also like a sort of confession for me. I think about the ways i have handled different things and how i could be a little more christian about them in the future. I try to quiz myself on the different trees and to enjoy the sounds of nature despite the fact that those sounds are generally everything but a deer. I think about supper. I think about how much dang noise I will be making getting down with my noisy loggy bayou climber that makes my back spasm every half hour or so. then I think about how I dont have money for a new one. then I think about whether the deer have been hitting on my scents I have out or if they have been eating on my corn pile(if applicable). thats the tip of the iceberg. I will say that even without killing a deer, I come out of the woods with a clear head that most city folks pay thousands of dollars to a therapist for and will never have. Yes you are a normal hunter and probably more sane than most of the general population.