kevin1

Use a mutipoint style like Seat O The Pants, not a chest strap type. With a restraint you can always cut your way out of it, there is no way to cut yourself out of a wheelchair or a coffin. I had a climber slip on me and leave me hanging by my harness, all I had to do was wrap my legs around the tree and slip up the trunk a bit to unfasten it, if I had fallen from that height(15') I probably would be crippled or dead now.

For an all day sit I bring a comfy chair, my pop-up(I can't sit still for long), and either a good book, a video game, or both.

Steve863

I think books or video games would be a huge distraction for me. There was even a thread on the deer hunting forum recently where people are bringing i-pods with them to their stands. I don't know about others but I need to use my eyes and ears to look and listen for deer. If I am looking at a book or have my ears plugged up with music blaring I think would be bound to miss out on more than a few shots at deer. Heck, if I was to think back at the deer I have spotted over the years I could honestly say that I heard a good many of them before I ever actually saw them. And the ones I did see before I heard were more often than not were sneaking through some thick stuff where I would have never seen them if I were looking at a book or fiddling with a video game. In a perfect world the hunter wishes the deer would simply materialize out in the wide open for an easy, clear shot. In my hunting experience that is not the way it usually happens. Just as the deer use their senses to avoid us, we must use ours to try to find them!

Zoomer

Used to sit all day in a tree. God it was awful, mind numbing and arduous. I have shot deer at noon tho. I cant do it any more. I hunt entirely from the ground now. 2 falls will do that to a person. 1st time I crashed and burned all the way to the ground hugging the tree (aka linemans fall). Dislocated my shoulder and broke my arm. The second time I wasn't so lucky. Full fledged fall getting into a permanent (hah!) stand. 24' onto a root ball that shattered 4 ribs and ripped the cartiladge from my sternum - I couldnt breathe for 3 weeks. Never again. Jeez - I trip enough walking along the ground. Moral of the story WEAR FALL PROTECTION...especially when climbibg in or out. Be safe!

steve from nh

How do you guys do it? Do ya take a valium or something , after 30 minutes Im bored and cant wait to move around a little bit.Have actualy thought of bringing a magazine with me.

johnny2

I have often thought of bringing a book as well..I did this while bear hunting in maine a few years ago.Looked up and there the bear was,looking at me..I never heard a sound..
But with my hearing starting to fade with age now,I have to use my eyes more and look for movement..

When I set all day I always bring a blanket to cover myself when I notice the chill starting to creep in my skin..I hang my orange ponchel on a limb but leave the orange hat on..I seldom wear gloves..I find the hand warmers to be better..Now my main problem is my feet get cold..So I got a pair of micky mouse boots to wear..Makes a big difference..

But if you feel youself starting to shiver and shake real bad,your in trouble.Get up and get moving around..If you scare off the deer,so be it..Hypo. is getting you...I had this happen,befor I started bringing the blanket..You can carry your food and drink in the blanket as well..Roll it up like the cowboys do and but a strap on it to go over your shoulder...I sometimes bring along an extra pair of socks as well...I guess enough said..Be safe and have fun.Thats what it's all about.....

Steve863

How old are you? I know when I was a lot younger each hour seemed like an eternity. The older we get, the quicker the time seems to move so sitting for a few hours at a time is no longer a big deal. I think anything that keeps you away from looking around for deer movement on your stand will hurt your chances of success. The most successful hunters are those who focus on what they are doing and don't get distracted by other things like i-pods, books or games.

steve from nh

Im 45 , but I even have a hard time sitting on my couch doing nothing for 10-15 minutes.

steve from nh

Try leaving your boots real loose, even in cold weather your feet will sweat , that is when they get cold. When someone first told me I thought they were nuts, but tryed it and wow, what a differance.

Steve863

I guess stand hunting will continue to be a problem for you. I think for most people your age time starts moving quite a bit faster. Maybe the problem is that you are considering sitting on a stand as doing nothing? You ARE hunting afterall, aren't you? At age 44 my time seems to pass pretty quick these days just looking around and listening to everything that is happening around me while I am in the woods. I don't necessary just wait for a deer to materialize, I try to look for IT in every little corner!

riopearl

Just want to pass along some of things i have tryed to keep warm One is steno cans they burn clean and oderless not bad to warm you hands on those days when it sub zero out,Iam going to Tioga PA second week Temps are dropping fast my wife just pick up a couple of cans of a self heating coffee and hot chocolate tryed one not to bad and there light,we hike about hour into thes area in PA don't want to come out unless we have something to drag so we pack light but effective.