CLOUD 9, MN

Stand........all the time!


Seriously!

Strut&Rut

First...there's no sense in going to stand if you're going to sleep. Second, find a method to help boredom, which oftentimes leads to sleepiness.

Early in the morning, I drink a travel mug of coffee mixed with 4 scoops of hot chocolate mix. This accomplishes two things: 1) the caffeine and sugar kick in for a quick and sustained wake up, and 2) the sugar helps slow down the uptake of the caffeine, so I can stay on stand without urinating for almost 4-5 hours.

If you don't own binoculars, get some. Not only will they help for game, they will keep your mind sharp and alert.

Bring a hat with a bill, or place your stand away from the sun. Many times, personally, if I face the sun (especially in the afternoon) I will naturally squint, which will lead directly into increased blinking, which leads directly into shutting your eyes and falling to sleep!

Bring a book, an electronic game (that mutes), or a portable radio with earphones to keep your attention during "boring" times. I myself do not read on stand (I get to transfixed on the book and lose the focus of the woods), but last year experimented with the portable radio, and found it both relaxing and unencumbersome. Basically out of the way, with the ear-plug style phones, it helped ease the time...although I did find myself humming a few times, which wasn't too good [:-]

Alternate between standing and sitting. Be certain to wear the safety belt. I personally find it doesn't matter if I stand or sit, if I'm tired I'll lean against the tree and fall asleep, so standing doesn't work for everyone.

Every 1 hour or so munch on a high energy snack. Snack-sized candy bars, nuts, fruit, trail mix, etcetera----and stay away from sandwiches, oily foods and in general "sleepy" foods.

Finally, do not be afraid to sleep in a few days and hunt the "odd" hours. During the rut it doesn't matter when you're out there, just that you're out there the most. If sleeping in a few hours puts you on stand a little later, but completely refreshed and able to finish the day, then by all means do not feel guilty about those extra hours of sleep

odie-wan

Unfortunately I share your problem. I can't stay awake in a tree stand. Maybe that's why I haven't EVER seen a deer from a tree stand. All of mine have come from still hunting or ground blinds.

Sean

Moose_Maximus

I have a sleep disorder, so I have to ask--aside from when you're in a stand, do you sleep normally?

I've fallen asleep while dove hunting (frankly, I look forward to a little afternoon snooze while dove hunting), but if you're unable to stay awake when you want to, it might be an indication of an actual medical condition.

Lefty26

I take a nap from time to time in my stand, I try to do it as little as possible but sometimes I just dont get enough sleep the night before. Last Saturday I was in my stand with about 3 hours of sleep the night before. I ended sleeping away most of morning in the stand, but what better place to catch some zzz's than 30 ft up in a tree on a crisp Oct morning.. You are probaly gonna miss some deer if your snoozing and to avoid getting tired I would use the tips that have already been mentioned a combination of a few of them should work just fine.

TURKEY FAN

Well ill be the first to admit, that i dont ever get enough sleep the night before a hunt do to kids and the girlfriend. I do sleep in the stand if nothing is going on or i am just too tired. I love waking up from a cat nap and seeing the woods, its just great, i have dozed off before and been awakend by a deer coming through, i am not in that deep of sleep! My mind knows why i am here. Never had a deer sneak by me..........no sir!~

BarnesX.308

The way we look at it in our camp is this - While we're up at camp, we're on vacation. We're up there to get away from it all as well as relax. If we work our butts off at home, don't get enough sleep, don't sleep well due to stress, etc., catching up on a little sleep in the woods is a bonus. It feels great just getting a few minutes of shut eye in the crisp, clean woods. Don't look at it as a curse. Look at it as part of the relaxing, outdoor experience. If you're in a stand, make sure you wear your safety harness and carry a two way radio. You might wake up haging upside down

James B

I hunt from the ground most of the time. On my land there is a little hill that overlooks one of the river break draws that come up through the field. There is a little cedar tree that I like to lay down under. I sit there in the later afternoons and several times I have wakened to find thats it dark and I don't know how many deer might have walked by me. I like cardeers idea though, might have to try that.

Jack Ryan

You can't kill one home in bed, but you can kill one if you hear him and he wakes you up.

I work from 11PM to 7AM, 7 days a week. Work all night, hunt all day, for weeks at a time.

I carry two thermos of hot tea most trips. One for before my "nap" and another for after. Just the act of drinking some thing will keep you pretty much awake. If you get tired, take a nap.

If I'm gonna make it into a job, I already got one of those. When I hunt I do what ever I want to.

BOWFANATIC

Nothing wrong with that! With 3 kids at home the woods is the only place I can get some good sleep!