Sun at your back?
 

I have figured out when/where does are crossing power lines into a strip of woods behind my subdivision. I am planning to be in my tree stand just inside this strip of woods where they will be entering. No leaves on the trees.. so I will not have much cover around me and will be pretty exposed. Once they pass me if they look back up at me the sun will be behind me. I am hoping this will give me an advantage.
Does this sound like a good plan, or would it be better to get in a tree where I am in the shade if possible?

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Thats a great question and one I have been considering. I don't have an answer for you. I always wonder if it is better to have the sun at your back, or in your face?

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Unless you want to see stars all day, have the sun at your back. I don't know if they deer get blinded like us when they look into the sun but it could possibly give you the advantage you need.

RE: Sun at your back?
 

I've wondered this, too....but I take whichever the wind advantage gives me.

Interested to know th ereal answer, though....

Jeff

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Reminds me of some old rules;
- never break a light ray (from the sun).
- Don't look into the sun, unless it is up wind.

Both hold some merit, I've found that when the sun is in my face I move alot more to make attempts at seeing better. Probably not a good thing.

I'd say, get in the shade, and if you have my luck, you will, and then it will be really cold and you'll wish you were in the sun!

Have fun...

RE: Sun at your back?
 

My honey hole.....I could sit with the sun at my back.....but the deer would be approaching me from behind. They don't seem to care which way the sun's hitting me....lol.

I just refer to get situated where I can see what's coming.

Jeff

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Actually having them approach from behind you isnt all that bad...Then you have a tree to hide behind between you and them. You can get away with alot more movement. You will have to shoot around it though and that can be annoying sometimes.:D

RE: Sun at your back?
 

I have a catch 22 stand like that.. awesome deer travel through this inside corner, but the wind and sun at my back for the evening hunts don't agree. I picked the wind and have to look at the sun a bit....

As for sun backing you, it never hurts..but most of the deer I hunt out side of the rut don't move till its down or after its upanyway.. best of luck..

Troy

RE: Sun at your back?
 

I try to sit with the sun at my back as much as I can. When you have the sun at your back it hits trees making shadows, which help you blend in.

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Same. I try to have it against my back

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Well I find it that most of the time the winds tend to be out of the west/southwest in my area. Because of this most of my stands are facing the west downwind of my shooting lanes and into the setting sun. It really does't bother me though as I hunt mostly forest and the sun dosen't come into play too much.

As far as deer looking into the sun, I don't think it bothers them at all, I have yet to see a deer squint when looking into the sun.;)

RE: Sun at your back?
 

In an open area it is always preferrable to have the sun at your back for the two reasons already stated: 1) you can see better 2) the deer can't see as well looking into the sun. Most of my stands can have deer come from any direction so never really comes into play, but when stalkingother big gameI always try to position myself so the sun is at my back.

RE: Sun at your back?
 

I was hoping to get a tan while hunting though! :D

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Well, at this time of year it's about a 50/50 chance the sun won't even be out.;) That said, I don't worry about the sun being in my face or at my back as much as I worry about where my shadow is, especially with no leaves around. If your shadow is laying on the ground around a deer and you move, you're dead. If the sun has to be in my face, I sit facing the tree and let the tree shade me. I can do that with my climber. As the sun moves I can also shimmy around the tree to stay in the shade. Maybe you're too tied down to the edge. Get a little deeper or find a double tree or something like that. The deer probably aren't going to get passed me before I shoot if I'm going to. If you sit/stand facing the tree you have to be real slow and deliberate about moving too much to play peek a boo around the tree. Also, before I sit naked I'll snip off a couple pine bows or something like that and weave into my stand for break up and cover. My API has some well placed braces etc that lend well to doing that. A couple whispy hemlocks, cedars or just pine limbs really hide you.

RE: Sun at your back?
 

Pull your hat down over your eyebrows and play the wind.

RE: Sun at your back?
 

I like it in my face, I tan more evenly..