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All day sits

isu22andy

Active Member
How the hell do some of you do it ? I can barely sit from 2 pm till 6:30 unless I’m seeing deer . What do you do to pass the time your not seeing anything ?
 
The good thing about reading books and playing games on your phone, is for the deer because they get by you and you never knew they were there.
 
I’m doing an all day sit right now. Probably wouldn’t have today but it was a long walk to the stand and I don’t really have another good one for SE wind anyhow. Been slow, hopefully it picks up soon.
 
It's a mental game. You just have to take it hour by hour. Just when you are getting bored because you aren't seeing anything, remember it can all change in seconds.

1. I ration halloween candy throughout the day. Give myself a "treat" if you will every hour or so. Helps having something extra to look forward to.
2. A smartphone helps pass some time, but I try to limit use so as not to miss deer or take away from the experience.
3. I don't do all day sits on food sources, or field edges. Stick closer to thicker cover or ridgelines/travel routes between thick cover are even better. Action is more spread out through the day that way.
4. I always try to stand as much as I can. At least for the first hour and last hour, but mix it up as much as I can throughout the day.
5. As you are stupid if you don't wear a harness anyway, wearing a harness gives a little added comfort level in the tree and sometimes I lean forward using the tether to support my weight. Give my back a little rest sometimes.
6. Copenhagen.
7. Binoculars. Not many people use them enough in my opinion. It's amazing how much farther you can see through the timber with a good pair of binoculars and narrow focus. I try to scan everything every 10-15 minutes or so. My deer sightings increased dramatically when I started using a good pair of binoculars more often, and have thus been able to rattle in more bucks.
 
I've only done a few all day sits. I was always amazed at how fast the time went. Even when not seeing deer, the days seemed to just fly by! Snacks are good, take something to have every hour or 2 and it's kind of something to look forward to which helps.
 
The good thing about reading books and playing games on your phone, is for the deer because they get by you and you never knew they were there.

I can’t sit there without a book, smart phone with gloves is annoying so I go with paperbacks. Funny thing is I do wonder how much I miss. If my hearing goes I guess the reading is out.
 
Attention Deficit Disorder sure helps;)

I take a 1/2 -1 hour break somewhere around mid day might be at 11:00 or might be 1:00. Everyone has different tolerance levels for everything some can watch football all day but if I watch one snap I’m going crazy :confused:
 
Days are getting shorter, like Lyon said they go by pretty quick. I focus on getting through the morning, then the day, then the evening. Instead of saying "8 more hours till dark."
 
First thing for me is remember why I'm there. To enjoy the outdoors and get back my peace and quiet. Enjoy the moment I tell myself.
The others would be standing a good amount. Sitting just makes me antsy. Copenhagen helps too.
One thing I still haven't found is staying hydrated without having to fill a jug. I know we've had the discussion, but just can't bring myself to go on the ground with the lengths I take for scent control. For now I guess I'll just keep bringing the jug.
 
It can be tough, in fact in a way I am not looking forward to vacation a little next week due to all day sits lol. Fortunately I have a couple spots that I can expect to see deer throughout the day, never really going more than a couple hours without seeing something so that helps a lot.

One of the places I hunt is about an hour drive from home, so to me to drive out there to hunt I am going to make it an all day event. And I don't want to get down to go get something to eat in town because that means just twice as much pressure going in and out in one day. I like going in in in the dark and coming out in the dark to keep my own movement and limit bumping deer and limit leaving scent etc. That's a big reason why I will just sit all day in itself. Plus its just a pain to hike back to the truck, change out of my hunting gear etc, then come back and have to change again etc etc, you get the point.

1. Snacks for sure. Like others said, try to ration yourself and don't just eat it all at once. Its exciting knowing you have a little snack coming up in X amount of minutes.
2. Amp yourself up. Sounds weird, but I will sometimes just try to focus real hard and be on high alert and just scanning the woods etc. expecting to spot a deer and see Mr. Big coming in at any moment.
3. Day dream.
4. Go on and off with sitting and standing.
5. Day Dream.
6. Don't think of it as one big long sit. You know the first probably 3 hours of the day you have really good odds of encounters etc. Aft that its just a couple hours until lunch, then just a couple more hours until it gets closer to evening.
7. Smartphone. This will be my first year having a smartphone so that will help breakup the boredom.
8. Watching the birds/squirrels. I know a lot of people hate squirrels, I like them, they are fun to watch.
9. Nap. I usually do set aside a little bit of time where I will try and close my eyes for 30 minutes or so. I usually am able to just put my head back and doze off or lean forward and rest my heads on my hands and have my harness hold me tight.

It is amazing though how fast sometimes the day will go by. Its also sort of weird after doing a few days in a row how its like all these things are happening in the world and you are just in the timber and don't see any of the real world stuff.
 
7. Binoculars. Not many people use them enough in my opinion. It's amazing how much farther you can see through the timber with a good pair of binoculars and narrow focus. I try to scan everything every 10-15 minutes or so. My deer sightings increased dramatically when I started using a good pair of binoculars more often, and have thus been able to rattle in more bucks.

I’ve been using my binos a lot more this year. I see a flicker of something off in the distance i try to figure out what it was. Or I just sit and scan from Time to Time. I have them might as well use them...
 
First couple of year are killer then I get use to it.

2 years ago I got "stuck" on all day sits 3 times completely unprepared. Giant deer on lockdown with a doe in sight all 3 times. Going all day without anything to eat or drink ain't real fun. You'd think I'd learn and pack "just in case" rations.

Hate to say it but smartphone sure helps. Got the portable battery charger so don't go dead.

I think the BIGGEST advantage of it by far is not having to access a spot in the afternoon. I think it tricks a lot of deer. I've never actually killed a deer in the middle of the day, but I think a couple of evening kills wouldn't have happened if I wasn't already in stand.

If get tired ill occasionally sit on platform and catch 15 min nap. Cables on stand provide support for this.

I try to avoid the sugary snacks. Seem to crash later when it matters most.

If I'm sitting all day it's in or very near (downwind) doe bedding cover.

Prolly other things but those are my thoughts.
 
I never bring food, I like to pack light. Water bottle, sometimes. I can go the day without eating...usually because I stuff myself in the evening so well :( I'm more worried about #2's than eating.

Couldn't agree more on not having to come in for the evening. It's like a free hunt...no risk of bumping on entry
 
All day sits get easier as the years go by. Whenever I'm tempted to go to the house for a cup of coffee or whatever, I just remind myself of the lost opportunities such a move has cost me in the past. There are plenty to remember!
 
I knew this guy in Minnesota that was so serious he sat all day, then slept in his box stand 7x10 overnight.

He had nice property but was concerned he'd spook deer in and out from his stand.

He did end up shooting a 186 inch one year. I thought it was a bit extreme.
 
I knew this guy in Minnesota that was so serious he sat all day, then slept in his box stand 7x10 overnight.

He had nice property but was concerned he'd spook deer in and out from his stand.

He did end up shooting a 186 inch one year. I thought it was a bit extreme.
I think about sleeping in the stand almost every time out!
 
I am off starting Friday the 3rd thru the 16th, I plan on sitting all day as many times as I can. I find the older I get the easier it is for me to sit all day. I really enjoy the outdoors and work so much that I don't get to enjoy it as much. I take food, phone and bottled water to make it thru the day.
 
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