Passing time on stand...
 

I was wondering what everyone does to pass time on stand, when things get a little slow. I know some people who read, I even know of a guy who brings a gameboy with him!

For me, I just day dream (ie. What I would do if I won the lottery, that sort of thing :D).

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Normally I just go to sleep.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

I just look around and take in all of the sights around me. Often I go off on tangents and begin to daydream. I may start by seeing a squirrel run by and the next thing I know I start imagining what he may have seen pass through these woods in his lifetime and just go from there. Before I know it I have all kinds of things running through my head and the time flies.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

I read or sleep or just enjoy the scenery. It is a good time to meditate. I do anything but think about work. A lot of times I will bring my small scriptures and read. Seems like a good time to do that.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

The majority of my hunts are 4 hours or less so it's not so often I find myself bored. I truly enjoy sitting and just watching nature. The smell of the forest, the buzz of a bumble bee, chatter of squirrles are all part of the enjoyment for me. Some of my favorite times are when acorns are dropping and the constant clatter of them hitting the ground, I also love foggy overcast mornings that dawn gray. The woods take on a whole new character, a diffrent personality almost.

So I guess to answer your question, When I'm hunting I pass the time by hunting.:)

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

I stay attentative and on my toes.

9 times out of 10, that big buck will slip buy while your reading a book!

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I pay attention to all the things around me. Nature has it's signals telling you when a large animal is around and react in different ways to say a yote or a deer. It's fun!

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I never get bored in the woods, I sit in awe of God's creations. I always seem to find something visual to keep the brain ticking, it may be nothing more that watching a leaf that is almost ready to fall off a tree being moved by the breeze to watching birds or squirrels. I even study the growth of trees. I can tell you with time if you pay enough attention you will learn how to tell if another animal is coming by watching and listening to birds and squirrels.

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For me, the time seems to FLY by.so I don't ever have a problem trying to pass the time.....the time passes right by me before I know it. When you only get 3-4 days at a time to hunt you savor every moment.

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If sitting in a tree with bow in hand is boring, then you need to pickup a rifle and go kill something. I will stick with my bow and the anticipation of what is about to happen.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

My ability to sit and enjoy changes at times. For weekend/day hunts around work, I have a hard time unwinding enough to just sit and watch nature. However, when I go away for a week, the further into the week the easier it is to just sit and watch nature, I have unwound from the stress of work.

In the meantime, I read, try to never sleep in a treestand [8D] When I read, I just look around everywhere, at least every page. When its a quiet/snow/wet day, i don't read, but on the corn flake like oak leaves, a chipmunk sounds like an elephant

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I just sit and watch all the critters in the woods. I find that very relaxing after working all week. I have been known to get so relaxed that I would take a nap. Can't do that now that I have started to hunt from trees. Do any of you fall asleep in the trees? I have not figured out a way to nap in the tree because I am afraid I would fall out.

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I spend immense amounts of time all year long scouting and researching and tuning my equipment....I go hunting for a purpose. The ultimate goal of my outing is to kill a whitetail deer. Reading a book or playing a video game or doing crossword puzzles is not hunting and has no place in the deer woods. I'm there to hunt, not read or write or play games. I pay attention to the woods and all the critters in them....I learn about my quarry.....I become a better hunter. I can work on my reading comprehension or vocabulary somewhere else at a time that's more appropriate. We live in such a fast paced world and half you guys want to multitask when you're trying to relax....rediculous if you ask me![:@]

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Most of the time I get down from 11 to 1 to meet up with my Dad and brothers to eat and compare notes. When the bucks really start getting into rut I stay all day, dark to dark. During that time, if I get a little restless I'll just close my eyes and use my ears only. See how long you can do this. When you finally do open your eyes it's like you just got some good sleep and everything is new. Make sure your safety belt is good and tight though. One thing I never do on stand........DRINK ANYTHING!!!

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Ah, you're being too critical. Hey, hunting is all about the enjoyment of being out in the woods. If someone wants to read a book, the more power to them.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

I'll second that. I have lofty aspirations but little discipline I guess, because when I'm on stand, whatever I feel like doing at the moment I do. I don't make my hunting day like a work day. I have enough work days. I let the day take me where it will. Like an animal, maybe?

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Maybe I am being too critical, but it's my opinion.:D Reading a book or playing games is not hunting....that is a fact.:) I just don't understand why someone would put the time into "the enjoyment of being out in the woods" only to clutter it up with something you can do after dark, at home on the couch, in bed, on the toilet;), etc. I like a good book now and again, but I take my hunting too seriously to bring a possible distraction into it on purpose. I'm not insunuating that 'readers' don't take their hunting seriously, but why take the chance if you don't have to? If someone is bored on stand then mybe stand hunting is not for them....try still hunting!:D

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this is eth best thread ever. :D i love to just get out into the woods and listen to things. i like to close my eyes and imagine whats going on around me y just the sounds i hear. i also try to se how many times i can count the same squirel walking right past me not even a clue that im there. thats the fun part. that and watching squirel yearlings bounce around and play, tackle each other. i think its probably the best relaxation i get, next to a body mesage

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Hey,Hey, you might have to leave that stuff at home......:D:D:D

Is eating aloud?

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It depends on my mood. Sometimes I read, sleep, I sometimes bring electronic card games and such. One note of caution tho....if yer gonna sleep, get outta the tree and on da ground......ouch! [X(]

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I nap sometimes because I have to get up extra early to get to my spot. I have an hour drive. But most of the time I just enjoy all the animals and appreciate life.

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I generally eat when i get bored.

I always carry some sort of quiet munchie like trail mix or jerky or sunflower seed to help me pass the time.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Smart @$$:D

Actually, I do take a bit to nibble on and a bottle of water with me....even for short trips. I don't eat to pass the time though, but when my stomach starts to rumble just about at the 'magic hour' I like to have something to curb the hunger....I usually have a snack about 2 hours before dark.

Then when I get home I eat a good meal and then sit down with a good book and my gameboy whilst I....

....nevermind, not appropriate!;):D

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Other then the day dreaming I mentioned before, I can't do anything else but enjoy God's creation and the peace and quiet of the woods.

On stand, there are NO phones ringing, NO pagers going off, NO e-mails to reply to and NO people to deal with - it is great!!!

As the old saying goes..."A bad day hunting is better then a good day at work"

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I take in everything around me. How the air smells , the sounds, and the sights. Sometimes I doze off though[8D], but never to deep, always hear what ever is scurring around.

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Most of the time even on long hunts i would just day dream last year until i started bringing a book i had already read a zillion times with. That way i dont get too occupied in it. I'm in the woods alot during bow season, but even still, i use it as a time to relieve stress and relax. No sleeping whatsoever though. i can't really fall asleep though ina tree or on the ground.

slayer

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In the early season I am generally timing how long I can stand to let the local mosquitos bite me before I have to move to swat them.

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Pocket PC's work great...you can play a few games & the time really goes a little faster. I read when I am in a ground blind.

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He who daydreams will never fill their tag!

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I spend my time watching deer. If I don't see a deer with in the first 1/2 hour I wonder about the place I'm hunting. I'm spoiled and admit it. I scout preseason for traffic. If the Does are there the big boys will show up when they get horny.:D
I guess I should add the home owners and/or gardner will also let me know when and where they see the one I'm after.

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Alot of the time I take in the nature and enjoy being there but I always end up daydreaming the what ifs?????
What if an animal comes in from over there or over there at this angle and so one trying to visualize a shot and such.
Then I start imagining if an Elk and a deer came in at the same time, which one would I try for. Like if a Cow elk and a big buck comes in, which one. And so on, Oh yeah bear always gets thrown into the senerios also, although I havent had a shot at one yet.

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I don't read cuz it takes you away from watching the woods where the deer are. I try not to look at my watch at all. I play mind games and visualize deer walking in from different spots or different senarios and go thru my shot routine in my mind with the hopes that when the real time comes I'm prepared for anything.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

I think I have a terminal case of ADD so I have to entertain myself on the stand when times are slow. :D I normally take a little nap. Sometimes take my camera along to take pics of nature and wildlife. When it gets late season when Im not seeing much I have been know to take my walkman to listen to a radio show that plays on Saturday mornings. I spend a whole lot of time in the woods and sometimes it gets boring. I have noticed that the older I get the more I appreciate just being out there, but Im still pretty young so my attention drifts.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

Great topic for discussion!

First, I go over all possible situations on when and where deer might appear and make sure I have that nailed down 100%. Second, I will think about the beauty of the outdoors and how lucky I am to be part of it that day. Third, I think about my Dad and how many good fishing and hunting trips we enjoyed before he passed away and how I will teach my 5 year old how to hunt someday. Fourth, I will think about the holidays and what gifts to buy my wife and kids, etc. Fifth, I will think about projects or chores that need tending to around the home...and lastly, I admit I will spend some time thinking about work and the office and what needs to get done the next day or week ,etc.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

hmmmm..

usually relive the good times when i was single and replay all of the girls i knew in my head.....

or crap i need to do when i get home.... or

think of outrageous stuff, like what would i do if bigfoot stepped out in fron of me.

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if you start getting bord you must have a watch with you. I never carrier a watch because you can turn into a clock watcher.
just wait for the sun to comeup and go down then it's time to go home.

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But if you don't have a watch, how do you know when shooting hours end?

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

This is one of the best topics I have seen.

I guess in the early season I hunt pretty hard. No book etc. I try to get settled into the stand and lean back against the tree and just tune in to the surroundings. I always think it is pretty cool when you hear the normal wood noises start around you. It lets me know I have "fit in". I will take a book or a crossword into the woods when rifle season starts, just to pass the time occasionaly. I guess I take bow hunting much more serious.

Adams talked about foggy mornings. I am always fascinated by the way the fog can lift and you see deer just materialize like ghosts around you.

How many people have you had to try to explain to what it is like to just be in the woods?

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Sit relax and take in all of the sights around me. Try to be aware of any changes in the goings on around me. Just listen to nature, it is nice to get away from the city and just live. Hopefully that big buck comes and I have the opportunity to harvest him.

RE: Passing time on stand...
 

I like to take the opportunity to talk to my Lord, Jesus Christ. It's easy to take Him for granted, but when I get out there in His creation to witness the many marvels of nature, it helps me to realize how truly great He is. You get to see the natural balance of the evolving seasons and changes in weather and how it all comes full circle year by year. Seeing nature in its complexity only confirms my belief in a great and wonderous God. I think prayer is an effective and uplifting way to spend my silent hours. It's what I like to do, and I'm proud to serve Him. :)