To sit or not to sit??

[finspat]

Just wondering if others, during firearms deer season.

Have a tradition of eother sitting all day, yes I mean sun up til sun down, that is if you dont shoot a deer.

Or do you sit for a couple of hours and hit the fields or woods for drives?

It is all good and fun!

this year should be a good one!!

like to hear from ya !!!

Fins

[harvey lee]

Our group usually sits the first 3-4 hours and then the last 3 hours.I have sat all day if it is during the rut and the deer are moving.Its a very long day for sure and you need a comfy stand to enjoy.

I personally dont do deer drives as it scares the stuff right out of me.

[matthothand]

I sit all day if I have the opportunity. I've killed so many deer during midday. If you can stay comfortable and focused I'd recommend anyone to sit all day. Every other hunter usually gets down and heads in after 3-4 hours and comes back for the evening. Those hunters get deer moving if they aren't already. After the weekend is a good time to make a drive or two though.

[JDM]

Both can be effective on a given day. I have been with my group for seven years. For the first five, we would sit in the morning for an hour, drive all day, and sit for the last hour and a half. We would get deer, but usually 35% as a group. For the last two years, we have been sitting as long and as much as possible, with controlled one man pushes for the only movement. Guess what? We have been 100% on the first day two years in a row, with at least two trophy bucks each year. Of course, the warmer weather really helps. I have shot plenty of deer both ways and also still hunting, so do what you enjoy. The season goes to fast.

[Powerstroke]

I have killed more deer between 10a-2p. SO now I sit form sun-up till about 8-830. I get a bite and relaw then I make sure I'm back in stand by 930. Come out after 2. Get in stand by 3-315 and sit till dark.

It works out well to cover all the best times. Frankly I feel I would do better to just sleep in but I can't refuse watching the sun rise through the trees.

[brittman]

I have sat half-hour before dawn to dusk, but most often take a 3 hour break each day 11 - 2. Hope for cool weather and no fog!

[Code-Man]

our group does a combination. We sit from dawn till 10-11 go eat. Talk about what we saw and make a game plan for the afternoon. IF the deer were moving sit on the stand from 12-1 till dark. Otherwise we drive part of the woods and sit in the other part or go do a drive then come back and post for the evening. But it all depends on what we saw during the morning.

[love to hunt]

I sit all day with very slow little warm up walks maybe twice.

I am not a fan of driving seer as I will not shoot a running target. Too easy to miss or wound and animal.

[mntraveler]

We usually sit sun up until sun down for the first day or two. Then it's up to the individual but many usually have their buck by then and those folks usually drive for those that still need to fill a tag for the rest of the week.

[jbell1981]

We sit until about 9:00am. Then do drives until 3-4:00pm and sit until dark.

[summit090706]

I hunt with a large group. Most of us sit from dusk to dawn, but there are a few that like to walk around about 11:00am to 2:30pm and then get back on stand. I am hoping for a good year with good temps....

[cupper]

I hunt in a group of 4 and we are sitters. Most of the other guys take a short brake in the late morning (10-12 or so), but I sit all day. I started doing it about 4 years ago and I really think it makes a difference. I have read alot of articles about big bucks moving during midday. I will say that all of my deer have been taken befor 10 am or after 3 pm, but I have seen plenty of deer midday. I either didn't have a shot or was busted (last year as I was scanning the woods at 1:00 pm I ended up making eye contact with a nice 8 pointer. he was about 50 yds away and he saw me first... game over... I still get sick about that one). Anyway, I really enjoy sitting all day. It does get tiring and you need to keep focus, but I pack a couple sandwiches and banans to help pass the time when I am board or hungry.

Good luck this season!

[BobT]

I hunt in the northern Minnesota forests near Mt. Iron where I grew up. My brother is one that can and does sit in his stand from sun up to sun down. I don't know how he does it but I know for sure I can't. I'm one that must get up a move aroung once in a while. I can sit for maybe an hour or two but then I have to move around.

One thing has proven certain over the years. He has been a far more successful deer hunter than I. He has taken larger bucks, more bucks, and more does than I have have. Sure, I have taken my share while moving but nothing compared to him.

If you have the stamina to wait them out, my bet is you will get your chance.

Bob

[almostthere!]

I like to sit all day from prior to legal shooting hour to past legal shooting hour, just so I do not spook deer on the way out. I usually take several naps in the tree stand, though. Therefore, I do not know if that will be considered sitting in the tree stand all day. I also like to come down to gut the shot deer and walk around the stand to get the blood flowing again then climb back up and sit or fall asleep.

I have a buddy who is really good at sitting in his stands. He is so good that sometimes several deers will walk by his notice. He never appeared to be asleep during those times so one day I pulled out the binocs and spyed on him. It turns out that he was thumbing through prono mags.

[lawdog]

We sit until 9-9:30 and then start doing drives. EVERY year I try to talk them into sitting longer but they never do. I'm always the last one to come out too they are all waiting for me. I keep telling them we are jumping the gun but whatever. In this area though its pretty tough to rely on anyone moving deer for you, this is wide open farm country and you don't hunt real close to other groups and who knows where the darn deer will ever go either...

[slim1]

I have sat the past 2 yrs. all day on sat. and from 9am-dark on sundays, I have seen more bucks in the afternoon hour then in the morning in those years and miss a nice 8 last year.Just make sure you bring some water to drink and some food the day gets long by about 1-2o'clock nap time does set in if it is warm out. Good Luck to all this year.

[bigbucks]

We usually sit until about 10 on opening morning & then get down & start driving. Sometimes there's one or two guys that will sit all day. I'd like to sit until noon & then do our drives. I'm hoping with the 9 day season I can talk the guys into doing that. The second day we usually sit until maybe 9 & then make drives. Some guys will start pulling out anywhere from 11am on to head home, not me, but I hunt 4 miles from home. If I go home then, it's because we're driving my place. We're very careful about who drives & who posts & very specific about exactly where each poster is & where you can shoot & where you can't. If you don't do those things driving can be very dangerous. Young hunters do not post drives in our party, at least by themselves.

[Swamp Scooter]

Ever since my very first outing 28 years ago our party has always sat from start to finish. All opening weekend. Now though due to food prep we sit Monday until about noon and then come back and get the ribs going on the smoker, have a little bite to eat and then set up for a single small drive. At the end of it we all sit until dark and then back to eat the dinner waiting! In all that time I think there has only been 1 or 2 deer shot on drives. We are in the woods, not farm fields, so sitting works out best for us to get them if you pick the right stand.

[Bassboy1645]

our gorup of 4-6 hunts state parks and we sit as early as possible like 330 to 4 am all the way until dark. one of our guys is a still hunter but all he does is stands on the ground and walks so slow its liek hes really stand hunting. We all shoot deer every year and everyone of us takes a nap or 2 and we all pack luches in our vests/bags. around nine to 11 i take a nap focus during the day when hunters are moving and take another nap then hunt till dark. by getting to our stands early too we usually take a npa until half hr before light and often times its light when a majority of the hunters are comign in so usually we are the first to shoot. every year so far in the four ive been wiht them one of us gets a big buck that makes the top 3 of biggest bucks taken in these parks. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!!!

[Cooter]

I've got my Dad and uncle to vow that no drives will be held until after Thanksgiving this year I'm not an all day sitter but I'm in the camp that says you go back to the house/truck for a little lunch and R&R rather than doing drives. Will see how things go this year. I'm a sit til noon guy, take a little catnap, and back at about 2:30 til dark. We have limited acreage and I hate doing a drive then sitting in the same area

A lot of this depends on the habitat you hunt and how much room you have to roam.