What is your routine?
 

I'm wondering about your rituals and routines for a day of hunt starting from AM to PM. For example:
[ol][*]Wake up 1 hour before sunrise.[*]Eat.[*]Do scent removal ritual (shower, drive to hunting location, put on scent free clothing, wipe down equipment with scent removal wipes, etc).[*]Walk in to hunting locating.[*]Set up stand routing (ie set stand, blind, tree saddle etc.) details.[*]What do you do while waiting?[*]What do you do when you gotta use the bathroom? Where do you go?[*]What do you eat for lunch, where?[*]If you get to make a shot and kill, what's your post-kill routine?[/ol]I'm sure every person does things a little differently based on circumstances, experience and location. Good feedback on this one should reveal some interesting and neat tips and tricks.

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. Wake up 2 1/2 hours early.
2. Mt. Dew and a smoke
3. Shower
4. Spray down and walk in
5. Stands set
6. Just wait
7. Go from the stand
8. Nothing. Just drink Mt.Dew
9. Drag em to the truck and go from there.

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. wakeup 1 hr before sunrirse
2. get hunting clothes on and gun ready
3. walk to my stand and hunt
it is a bad idea to eata full mealbefore you hunt it increases your chances of a heart atack while hunting

RE: What is your routine?
 

Interesting. I've never heard this theory before. I think I would risk heart attack if I went out for the day without eating. I wake up hungry and have to have a big breakfast to start the day. Do you have more information on this?

RE: What is your routine?
 

sry but i cant remember where i heard this maybe in one of my old outdoor lifes but they said its a bad idea to eat a meal before you go hunting because you get stressed of maybe better for it would be excited about posibility ofshooting a deer so your risk is higher
if have mnore info i will share

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. Wake up about 4:30am
2. Take a whiz and agood crap (actually I seen no one has done this yet VERY IMPORTANT!!)
3. Get dressed
4. Eat a light breakfast, piece of toast with peanut butter and a glass of milk.
5. Visit with the guys for a while
6. Pack a couple of granola bars a sandwich, and a couple of bottles of water(just incase I'm out longer than I think).
7. Hit the woods by 5:15
8. Harvest my deer around 7am
9. Come back to the house, eat my granola bar and sandwich.
10. Take a nap and wait around incase I have a buddy needing help dragging his deer.
11. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
12. Everything from #8 on is subject to change........

RE: What is your routine?
 

Just wondering how many deer you've seen Mottz, after taking a leak off your stand? I mean with all the effort that we put into concealing our scent, I would think that to be a big NO NO. Still when you gotta go... It's one of my dilemmas, right up there along with eating on the stand.

RE: What is your routine?
 

Actually, deer aren't usually alarmed by human urine. I guess piss is piss.

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. Wake up and take a shower with scent free soap.
2. Hope and pray I can take a crap. You know if you don't,
it's going to hit you as soon as you hit the woods.
3. Rub pine needles and weeds on my clothes and boots.
Spray down with scent killer. My clothes are already
scent free. A little more caution can't hurt.
4. Get in my stand 30 to 45 minutes before light. If I'm gun
hunting on the powerline, then it's about 15 or 20
minutes before light.
5. Usually stay on stand until around 11:00 unless I kill one
earlier.
6. If I didn't kill one early, get off stand, go eat lunch, and
take a good nap.
7. Get back on stand in the afternoon around 3:30 or 4:00.
8. After dragging and cleaning my buck, have a few
celebratory cold ones.
9. Do the same thing the next morning, except this time
score on the morning hunt.

I very rarely eatanything in the morning before a hunt. I normally don't eat breakfast anyway.

RE: What is your routine?
 

REALLY?!!! I'm shocked. Can anyone else vouch for this statement? (Not that I don't trust you superstrutter;). Just wanna be sure.)

RE: What is your routine?
 

I have a friend that blows all the superstitions we follow out of the water. I believe he is the luckiest man alive because everything he does seems wron to me, but in the last 4 years he has killed 4 bucks over 110" in NC. Which is not a bad record. Here is what I have known him to do:

1. Wake up 30 minutes before sunrise
2. Takes a shower with whatever is in the shower
3. Get dressed with clothes that haven't been washed in 6 months.
4. Eat whatever leftovers are in the fridge
5. Puts a big piece of chew in.
6. Head out at sunrise
7. get in the stand
8. He pisses and craps under his stand
9. Usually is the first one tagged out on opening day of rifle season
10. Waiting at the truck laughing when we get back with or without our deer.

Everything he does is totally opposite of the norm, but he always kills deer.

RE: What is your routine?
 

I have known people to actually urinate in scrapes. I've seen pictures to prove the bucks were not alarmed in the least bit. When I have to relieve myself, I just pee off the stand. I really don't believe deer associate our urine as being human urine.I have had deer walk right by without being affected whatsoever after peeing. I even had one buck smell where I peed right under my stand and then relieved himself right where I did. Next time you need to relieve yourself while hunting, just do it, I don't think you have a whole lot to worry about.

RE: What is your routine?
 

I actually hunt withsome guys like you described here, and they always seem to be the luckiest. Most stay up half the night around a campfire, get upafter sunrise,sometimes without a showerand wearing their smokeyhats andjacketsfrom the night before, and kill alot of bucks. I have beenknownto be one of them too;)

RE: What is your routine?
 

In SC you can't shoot earlier than 1 hour before official sunrise. I plan backwards.
1 hour before sunrise - in the stand ready to hunt.
30minutes beforethat -walkto thestand. (45 if I'm carrying inmy climber).
1 hour before that - leave the house and drive to the club.
30 minutes before that -eat a bowl of cereal, drink some coffee and do final equipment check.
30 minutes before that - wake up, shower with scent-free soap and dress in prepared clothing.
night before - prepare day pack, cooler with lunch and beverages.

RE: What is your routine?
 

Urine has no distinct scent. Think of all the othe animals out there, have them piss in a jar for ya, without labeling them and figure out which is which. To me they all pretty much smell the same. But unless done in a certain area for long periods of time there shouldn't be a long lasting smell. Try spraying some deer pee on a leaf and see how long you can smell it. I know deer noses are better but distinguishing scents from human to coon to coyote to mountain lion. Sounds like deer would avoid all areas.. I'm not worried about it, so if you wanna hold it then thats your deal.

RE: What is your routine?
 

wow..

well i sweat like a pig for a 130 lb guy and 5'8"
.. espically in full camo and i saw my first deer the other night with one little spray of sent away..

our shooting time is an hour before sunrise and hour after sunset so my routine is

two 1/2 hours before sunset..shower to rinse off and wake up
take a dump =D
quick spray on my chlothes
dress
pack my bag and head out spraying once again before i get to the stand
sit and think [ i have a scanning system that i use to watch for deer that uses minimal head movement so i do that and i automaticly recognize any movement that wasnt there before.]
then i shoot my first deer
scream like a little girl [probally lol ]
drag it out..
take it to the processer
get the nuts put around my neck and dressed in blood...
then get to clean it myself at the processer
wait 2-4 weeks and get my venison =D

RE: What is your routine?
 

I can...5 years ago when we had 4 inches of snow I came walking out after hours. Stopped half way to my truck andtook a leak. Next morning going in there were deer tracks all over where I had walked out and piss spots everywhere. I piss from the stand now that I know it doesn't bother them.

RE: What is your routine?
 

sjsfire,

I'd highly recommend a 2.5 for routine sequence. "Wash your hands" :D

RE: What is your routine?
 

Man, I feel like I won the lottery with this post. All this timeof holding it out in the woods. I'm thru with that. Matt/NC, some guys that I fish with are like that too. No matter what they throw in, at whatever time of day, regardless of solunar phase, they alway pull something out. I guessthey arelike people that can smell gold; no way to learn it, either you've got it or you don't.

RE: What is your routine?
 

Last year I pissed out of a 20' ladder and had a spike buck walk by 30 minutes later. There was almost no wind.He was 20 feet from the ladder and didn't seem to notice or care.

RE: What is your routine?
 

This is my routine before hunting during gun season
[ol][*]Alarm goes off 1 1/2 before shooting light[*]Grab a decent size breakfast, pack a small lunch in case the deer are moving all day.[*]Drive over to hunting area, have country music on the radio. Opening morning, I'm about as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Bring on the Deer![*]Get to my hunting area, do my scent free routine as best I can. Shut my door as soft as possible followed by at least one guy slamming his door (accident of course);)[*]Slowly walk to stand, the slower and quieter the better.[*]Climb into stand. If its a box blind, take down the windows and get set up. Its a regular stand, get everything into its location in case I need it.[*]Since I am in my stand 45 mins. before light, I shut up and listen. I can't tell you how many deer ive heard before light chasing and know to watch that direction at first light. This is critical.[*]Im lucky tohave a large Bladder, unless I sit all day, I can hold it. If I do have to go, straight out the tree or out the backdoor. Never had a problem with that.[*]Unless there are deer everywhere, I usually go in around 11 or so for some coffee and lunch and hopefully to show off my buck (Usually not) Its a good time to plan the afternoon hunt.[*]After lunch and some coffee, back to the stand around 1:30.[*]If I kill something in the AM, I usually tag it and if its cold enough, let it lie. I'll gut it out when I have a little help, plus, I don't want to be up walking around that early and ruin everyone hunt.[*]If its an afternoon kill, I'll usually drag it out if I know it's down then wait until everyones done hunting to gut it out.[*]Celebrate (Deer or not) I just got doing the thing I love with friends and family. It's time to crack open a few cold ones and tell the stories of the days hunt. If all has gone well on the first few days of the season, someone has a deer down and it's time to hear the story.[/ol]

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. wake up good hour before sun up
2. shower in scent free soap
3. eat a big breakfast
4. go to bathroom
5. drive to woods.
6. spray down with scent free spray
7. double check for all equip.
8. walk to stand
9. situate my calls, binos. in my stand
10. HUNT

RE: What is your routine?
 

-wake up 2.5 hours before sun up
-cup of coffee, this 'gets the system going', if you know what I mean
-very light breakfast
-check email for any high-priority work items
-check online weather and hunting forums
-system dump
-shower with scentless soap
-pack hunting gear
-drive 40 minutes to hunting area
-dress in hunting garb that's been stored in plastic after being washed in baking soda and dried outside
-in stand at least one hour before sun up, that's 30 min before shooting light

RE: What is your routine?
 

Opening day, gun season-
The weather forecast is checked the night before, appropriate clothing laid out as well as the gear.

I too work backwards from legal shooting 30 min before sunrise, one hour to walk in and let things settle, one hour for the wood stove, making coffee, eating, dressing and driving. So-
1) Get up 2 1/2 hours before sunrise.
2) Add wood to stove or yell at someone less than 50 to do it.
3) Start the coffee and also start the bull ****t'n.
4) Get mostly dressed.
5) Eat something easy like instant oatmeal and an orange and drink coffee.
6) Take care of bodily functions and finish dressing.
7) Drive to open area very close to property.
8) Check wind direction and maps and make sure everyone knows everyone else's plan.
9) Drive or walk to each of our locations.
10) Meet back at vehicles mid day and go to town for lunch. (I know this can be productive hunting time but lunch is social and helps the restaurant maintain profitability and to stay open, a big deal in some small farm towns.)
11) Repeat morning hunt in afternoon.
12) Buy more antlerless tags if needed for next day.
13) Big meal and much more bull ****t'n at the cabin after dark.

If someone needs help dragging a deer that is usually done before lunch or at the end of the day.

The deer we get are field dressed when shot and hung on the cabin porch or from the deer tree. My boys and I butcher our own later (4 or 5 days if the weather is right). Others in our group get their deer to a processor.

Bob

RE: What is your routine?
 

Well I usually start drinking the night before around 6 or so, that way I can get at least 12 or 13 beers in me before I hit the trail sometime around 2 am. Then while I'm walking to my deer stand I'll smoke a joint or two so I'm good and ripped before I start climbing a tree with my spotlight. Once I'm up in the tree I pull my cooler up the side with some rope so I can have a couple more beers while I'm waiting for something to move. If something moves I put the spotlight on it and blast away! I don't care if it's light or not, I'm shootin!!!! This is how I've been doing it for years! There's nothing better than being in a tree drunk on schlitz waitin' for something to walk by so I can shoot it! Isn't that what huntings all about??

By the way, I'm totally messing around so don't flip out guys. :D

RE: What is your routine?
 

1) Wake up, get dessed, be on stand an hour before legal shooting.
2) Shoot deer at first light.
3) Breakfast - Wheaties and Budweiser.

Really now...

1) Upat 3:30AM
2) Have coffee, put on jeans, sweatshirt, jacket and sneakers. Make sure I pack my lunch (6 tootsie pops)
3) Drive to hunting area, put on hunting clothes and grab my trusty hunting rifle, M/Lor bow.
4) Be setup an hour before legal shooting.
5) Stay dark 'til dark and hope I shoot that big old buck anytime during the hunt.
6) Meet the guys back at the truckat the end of the day, have them admire my buck ;), put my jeans etc back on, have a quick beer with the guys while sharing stories of the day's hunt and head back to camp for dinner.

RE: What is your routine?
 

Do they still make Schlitz? That brings back memories, along with Blatz. Those were the good ole days.

RE: What is your routine?
 

I don't know? Do they even still make schlitz? lol

It just came to me. :D

RE: What is your routine?
 

Haha... you know it!!!! Thats the truth! Focus on the poo and you'll never get it out. Usually coffee runs right through me... its one of my daily work rituals... drink coffee... take poo 15 mins later... however, the coffee has no effect when heading to the woods. I usually try to force it out right before bed the night beforethen i am not as worried when i get butt pucker at thetruckstop at 3AM.

RE: What is your routine?
 

the whole piss is piss thing i dont buy it sorry

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. Wake up 1 1/2 hour b4 sunrise.
2. shower
3. Hardees(if I dont feel like cereal)
4. 25min. drive to hunting area trying to be as quiet as I can with a diesel.
5. Check for all gear
6. walk into woods
7. I check the wind constantly , ifits is not right I just move into position off of my stand till its were I want it for the trail I am hunting.
8. gut deer(hopefully)





If I have to take a leak I'v always just did right were I was hunting, honestly never noticed to bother the deer. Now if I have to take careof some other buiness I dig a small hole with my boot then bury it, as much for my sence of smell as the deers, lol.

RE: What is your routine?
 

You don't huh? Well, If you don't want to piss in the woods you don't have. I will piss wherever I want,and I bet you I will see plenty of deerjust likeI have been doing for years. Trust me, deer aren't alarmed by your urine. Maybe curious, but not alarmed.

RE: What is your routine?
 

ss- Well said. I agree 100%.

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. Wake up 2 hours before shooting light
2. East a bowl of Applejacks or Fruit Loops
3. Go start the truck to get it warmed up
4. Kiss the wife and kid bye while they sleep
5. Go get the clothes thatI left hangingoutside over night to air out
6. Drive to hunting location and wind up turning the AC on so I dont sweat in the truck on the way over there
7.Arrive atthe hunting location, approximately 1 hour before sunrise.
8. Put a round in the chamber, walk slowly to hunting spot, and find a tree to sit against.

Someone else mentioned it, but the greatest part about all of this is when I'm sitting against the tree and its pitch black outside, but you can hear the deer walking around you. When Ihear the deer walkingin the woods, 9 times out of 10 i will know which direction I will be looking/shooting at 30 minutes before sunrise simply because i can hear the deer moving in a certain area and in a certain direction. I think the most important thing a hunter can do, other than being downwind, is getting to alocation an hourearly and just listening to the woods.

RE: What is your routine?
 

I believe that they aren't bothered by urine in the woods at all. My dad smokes in the woods and sees / kills plenty of deer. He even claims to have pissed on three does as they walked under him. My brother in law chews and spits dip while in the stand. I've went several times with what seems like no effect.
If you think about it, something like 80 of your scent comes from your mouth, so if you aren't doing anything to make your breath scent free all the other stuff you are doing is somewhat useless. Other than maybe rubber boots so you don't leave a terrible scent trail right to your stand.
The best day I had in a tree, morning took a 131" buck (my first one ever) That evening I walked in in the same clothing from the mornings hunt. Torsal gland scent all over me from cleaning the buck that morning. I had 3 does walk right to me smelling almost everything I touched as I walked in. Came with in 8 yards then looked right up at me. That's about the time the .357 went off.

RE: What is your routine?
 

1. wake up 1 hour before daylight
2. ride to store get a drink and a hunnybun
3. hunt
4 go home sleep
5 back to store at lunch time to talk..see kills and eat hotdogs
6 back in woods
7 same as number 5

RE: What is your routine?
 

Very interesting posts guys. Hope those of you who mentioned beer as part of the routine aren't leaving the cans out in the field. Nothing I hate more than seeing a good hunting ground trashed with beer cans!

Thanks for all the good feedback though!

RE: What is your routine?
 

Most people in WI who die from hunting related things either die from gunshot wounds, treestand falls, or heart attacks when dragging out their deer. I'm sure eating prior to the hunt has very little to do with any of those 3. I wouldn't throw down a huge breakfast for the obvious ramifications to come later (BM), but not eating is a bit ludicrous.