staywarmguy
New Member
It’s surprising how committed deer hunters are when you consider the percentage of time we actually see deer. When you take the average number of hours available to hunt in a day and compare that to the times we see deer, there’s a very big difference.
Here are some of the numbers and assumptions:
Total number of times you see a deer in the woods: two times per hunting day, 5 minutes each (1.8 hours)
Total number of days a “typical” hunter will spend in the woods during a season: 11 days (124 hours)
Resulting percentage of time seeing deer vs total time in the woods: 1.5%
Obviously these numbers vary widely depending on the location, the hunter, the weather and many other factors. But, let’s say the number is higher than 1.5%. Would it be 3%, or 8%, or ??? The point is that we see deer very little compared to the time we spend in the woods. So, what are the other factors that compel us to spend our money, take time from our busy schedules and go out into nature in the name of deer hunting?
Maybe it’s the feeling we get when we first walk into the woods. Some call it the “rhythm of the outdoors”. We see the leaves moving to the breeze and how they seem to be in slow motion (unless it happens to be a Quaking Aspen). All the while we’re beginning to adjust from the 60 MPH pace to the 2 – 3 MPH tempo of walking to the stand. Once in the stand our minds still race until we begin to linger on a particular branch or object that resembles a deer’s leg. Before long the slow, swaying of the branches matches our breathing and we begin to realize the calm that results.
After awhile, the woods begin to “come back alive” and that’s when the fun starts. Most of the activity is pretty standard for stand hunting. Squirrels rustle the leaves and get our heart racing until we begin to know the difference between them and a deer approaching. We start to analyze objects that might be deer but turn into mirages after watching them stay motionless for more than five minutes. Then there are the less common occurrences like a red fox pouncing on a field mouse, or the hawk that soars down, seizes a rabbit and flies off to its tree. These are the unusual but exciting moments that keep us looking for the next event.
Finally, there is the moment of seeing the animal we’ve come to hunt – the deer. Somehow it appears out of nowhere and then it becomes a battle of the mind and body as we force ourself into “predator” mode. The first thing we do is slowly move our eyes to see if there any other eyes staring at us since deer are usually in a group. Then we decide a hundred things in the next few minutes, all while staying rock still: Is it the one to shoot? Is it quartering away from me for a clean kill? If not, will it be in a good position at some point? Is there an open shooting lane? What is the distance? Will it walk behind a tree so I can draw my bow? Can I still buy another deer tag if I use this one?
So, whether the average deer sighting ratio is 1.5% or 20%, there are many other reasons why we choose to enter the woods year in and year out. Mother Nature has a way of relaxing us and entertaining us when spend extended time with her. And, when we do see deer, that moment in time is jam-packed full of emotion, decisions, mind/body control and hopefully, a future meal on the dinner table.
Here are some of the numbers and assumptions:
Total number of times you see a deer in the woods: two times per hunting day, 5 minutes each (1.8 hours)
Total number of days a “typical” hunter will spend in the woods during a season: 11 days (124 hours)
Resulting percentage of time seeing deer vs total time in the woods: 1.5%
Obviously these numbers vary widely depending on the location, the hunter, the weather and many other factors. But, let’s say the number is higher than 1.5%. Would it be 3%, or 8%, or ??? The point is that we see deer very little compared to the time we spend in the woods. So, what are the other factors that compel us to spend our money, take time from our busy schedules and go out into nature in the name of deer hunting?
Maybe it’s the feeling we get when we first walk into the woods. Some call it the “rhythm of the outdoors”. We see the leaves moving to the breeze and how they seem to be in slow motion (unless it happens to be a Quaking Aspen). All the while we’re beginning to adjust from the 60 MPH pace to the 2 – 3 MPH tempo of walking to the stand. Once in the stand our minds still race until we begin to linger on a particular branch or object that resembles a deer’s leg. Before long the slow, swaying of the branches matches our breathing and we begin to realize the calm that results.
After awhile, the woods begin to “come back alive” and that’s when the fun starts. Most of the activity is pretty standard for stand hunting. Squirrels rustle the leaves and get our heart racing until we begin to know the difference between them and a deer approaching. We start to analyze objects that might be deer but turn into mirages after watching them stay motionless for more than five minutes. Then there are the less common occurrences like a red fox pouncing on a field mouse, or the hawk that soars down, seizes a rabbit and flies off to its tree. These are the unusual but exciting moments that keep us looking for the next event.
Finally, there is the moment of seeing the animal we’ve come to hunt – the deer. Somehow it appears out of nowhere and then it becomes a battle of the mind and body as we force ourself into “predator” mode. The first thing we do is slowly move our eyes to see if there any other eyes staring at us since deer are usually in a group. Then we decide a hundred things in the next few minutes, all while staying rock still: Is it the one to shoot? Is it quartering away from me for a clean kill? If not, will it be in a good position at some point? Is there an open shooting lane? What is the distance? Will it walk behind a tree so I can draw my bow? Can I still buy another deer tag if I use this one?
So, whether the average deer sighting ratio is 1.5% or 20%, there are many other reasons why we choose to enter the woods year in and year out. Mother Nature has a way of relaxing us and entertaining us when spend extended time with her. And, when we do see deer, that moment in time is jam-packed full of emotion, decisions, mind/body control and hopefully, a future meal on the dinner table.
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