Keeping Alert on Stand
 

Its that time of year when we are hitting the woods hard, getting up early, and spending countless hours in the tree. I was wondering what are some of the tactics everyone uses for staying alert on an all day sit. I have thought about chewing on sunflower seeds. The salt and the constant chewing would work for me I believe. I do not feel this would be negative to my hunting. If deer would happen to smell the seeds I doubt they would associate them with danger. Thanks for all the tips.

chew gun or something. if that doesnt work, and if you have cell phone reception texting someone every once in awhile helps me stay awake and alert, helps cure the boredom at times. its easier and harder when your stand doesn't have a seat, like mine. you dont have to worry about falling asleep but standing gets very tiring.

I read. It keeps me from going to bat crap bored that I get down.
Though I do tend to sit more in the afternoon, and walk in the morning (when its colder).

Ah, the boredom of it all
 

Sitting in a stand, doing nothing at all, except looking and looking at your surroundings for several hours.
They sure don't sell that on an exciting half hour hunting show on cable television.
Some never adjust to the change.

I just stare and stare, and wait, and look.. no boredom here.

Seeds are not a good idea unless your in a blind.

hand to bag to mouth to bag to mouth to bag to mouth..........

a slammer will pick off that movement.

try thinking of things you don't have time to generally.

Old friends, places, the name of someone long ago, ideas of inventions,

thinking passes time....deep thinking.

then ...BBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM

all's forgotten and time to gut a deer.

plenty of soda and cigarettes and a lunch meat sandwhich or some deer summer sausage does the trick for me on an all day sit but I rarely do that all day stuff.

An all dayer is tough no matter what you do,it reminds me of pulling guard duty in the millitary. The obvious are these,get plenty of rest the night before,don't get out any earlier than you have to. Stay away from to much sugar,eat light in the morning but eat well. I like wheat toast with peanut butter and honey, I substitute cliff bars for my snickers or paydays for all day hunts and gatoraide for my water and I get some green apple gum to chew on.I try to rest my eyes while I feel fresh which seems to help me later when I'm tired. A relaxed focus is less tiring than a intense stare as well. Lastly If I dress to warmly it makes taking a nap easier so I try to find a ballance between being to warm and getting chilled. If I get chilled I stand and stretch as quitely and slowly as I can.

Sitting on stand for hours doesn't mean you have to do nothing. Occupy yourself with concentrating on your 'scan pattern'. Back and forth, looking for something out of the ordinary at the extreme limit of what you can make out in the brush (assuming you're hunting in woods). That takes mental effort, which helps pass time. Also, if you're doing it well, you can often avoid that 'deer out of nowhere' phenomenon that they're so good at doing (if you're not paying attention). I find it really rewarding to spot a deer long before they're near my stand location.

As you're scanning, take the time to look for non-deer related stuff that would ordinarily get overlooked. Maybe a songbird doing his thing in the next tree, a squirrel farting around below, a porkie ambling along. That weird tree that grew on top of a rock. Whatever you can find. There's a lot to keep your mind busy if you let it.

Also, I find that switching stand locations every couple of hunts helps because it changes the scenery.

There's usually something to concentrate on.When the chickadees come through I like watching them.Fox and turkey are common where I hunt.Being in the woods seems to clear my mind,It's good for the soul.If I've been on stand all day as it starts to get dark it's amazing how many things start looking like deer,lol.

when i start getting tired, i start trying to name sports teams... i start of with trying to name all MLB teams, followed by all NFL, then NBA and if I run through those pretty quick and im still trying to doze off i go for the gold and see how many D1 college football teams i can name... just something to keep my mind of how tired i am. ha