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All day sits

5K views 77 replies 52 participants last post by  deepwoods 
#1 ·
Almost 64 years old and have never done an all day sit. I have been contemplating it this year to see what I have been allegedly missing. Any suggestions to help me on the stand for 12 hours?
 
#35 ·
They can really pay off, I see a lot of mid day movement with deer taken. Nov 15 is a given. After 2pm or so it seems like an afternoon sit. Did 3 in a row during bow a couple years ago. 4th day couldn't take it anymore, walked in at 1pm. On the way I glanced across the field and a true monster is looking at me from 100 yds. After a short stare down, I took another step and he turned and fled. It's worth it in Nov.
Anytime if you're in bedding (MB).
 
#36 ·
Comfort, warmth, and confidence are key. I've had a lot of all dayers throughout the years. 99% have not rewarded me. The majority were no action between 11-5 which can be brutal. The absolute best time during the rut have been 10-11. One year I shot a good buck on opening day of gun at 2. I will keep on doing it because of the stories I keep hearing from other people, I just haven't seen good action myself.

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#38 ·
If you’re in an area where there are quite a few other hunters that are going in and out for the mid day, it can be helpful.

Way more than once, I have seen a nice buck or a group of does on my way back out in the afternoon during rifle season. Biggest buck I have ever seen was sunning himself in some oak’s when I parked the truck. I was on the phone at the time and wasn’t paying attention. Pulled off the trail to park and hopped out of the truck and he stood up. I said “Holy F! I gotta go” and ran to the back of the truck trying to get my rifle out of the case and loaded while shaking like a leaf. By the time I was able to get back around the truck he was just getting over the ridge. Just walked off, didn’t give a schitt about me. Lol
 
#39 ·
I'll sit all day during rifle season unless I've got something to do midday. Opening day you'd be hard pressed to get me out of my blind...unless of course I shoot something. Food and drink are a must for me, along with a comfortable blind to be in. I'm too old to be in a tree all day...need to move just a bit after a couple of hours of sitting still. I don't take a book or mess with my phone too much. I spend my time watching and I video what I can. Every deer I try to get on camera...along with hawks hunting, an eagle now and then, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons or porcupines going about their day and so on. It really pretty much keeps me entertained. The button bucks seem to need a lot of food mid-November. Those little hogs are out and about quite a bit. I'm sure it's confidence in knowing I will see deer and wildlife that keeps me out there. That and I'm never disappointed by a hunt...my time to hunt is limited, so I enjoy every moment I can get whether I'm successful or not.
 
#40 ·
I have sat all day on Opening Day since I could start hunting. I first started hunting at my grandparent's property in Lake County for gun season, and my uncles hammered home the fact that we had to sit out there all day.

I am sure glad that they did. The amount of deer seen from 10-2 always impressed me. I am sure a lot of it up there had to do with the large amount of people hunting around us, and whenever they left or entered the woods they would bump deer to us. Paid off for my cousin a couple different times, he shot a nice buck around 2 PM back to back years.

I don't hunt up there much anymore, but I still sit all day on the 15th at least. Especially now, as where I will be on the opener is tight to a bedding area. Only way I am leaving is if I shoot one. Bring lots of snacks, coffee and water and it's not all that bad. Just seeing one deer in the middle of the day timeframe really helps keep spirits up
 
#44 ·
During rifle season I sit all day every time I’m out. More mature bucks have been killed off our property between 11-3 than morning or evenings combined. That being said, I am hunting in a elevated box blind that is heated and a nice comfortable office chair.

From Halloween to Nov 14 I will hunt some all day sits if I’m close to bedding or in a travel corridor where I know bucks cruise between bedding areas. Comfortable stands, food, and drinks are required. If you are cold, hungry, or uncomfortable you won’t make it all day! Even with all those things, all day sits in a treestand are tough especially if you aren’t seeing much. But it can be rewarding!

For the #2 question, always take TP with you and go for a short walk to take care of business and then get back in the blind. Always take your weapon with you too! Never know what will walk by while taking a deuce!


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#50 ·
I haven't done a genuine all day sit since I was a teenager, but 10:00 A. M. till dark has paid off and been workable for me. I need to stand up for about 5 minutes of every hour to do this.
 
#52 ·
One trick I've used is to have 2 stand locations. I hunt the first until maybe 1:00 and then still hunt to the 2nd stand. That gives you a little break and change of scenery. All day sits are very much a mental game. The first time I did it was back in the early 80's during gun season. By 10:00am I was antsy and started second guessing myself. I literally had to force myself to stay put. I wasn't seeing anything and it was agony. Until I looked up about 12:45pm to see a buck walking right at me. That gave me the confidence I needed going forward.
 
#53 ·
I have done a few, but not many all dayers in my younger days.
After hunting from a tree stand all day alternating between sitting and standing, I was totally sore and stiff when finally climbing down. Sightings were never worth the effort, and I never killed a deer with a planned all day sit.
Since I am 62 this year, I doubt that there are many more all day sits in my future.
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#54 ·
I do all day sits basically from now until gun opener with the bow in a tree when I can get out. I take PB&J, snacks, plenty of water, phone, charger and battery for phone.

I once climbed down to take a # 2 about 40 yards behind my stand. Climbed back up and 40 minutes later shot a 12 point. I don't think poo smell makes much difference unless you can smell it.
 
#58 ·
speaking for myself, all day sits were much tougher when I was younger. Trail camera's were a game changer for me, knowing there were some big ones around made it a lot easier to sit longer. Other than when corn was being cut I never used to sit all day. Around 5 years ago was when I first did it during bow season and 2 of my biggest bucks were taken in those 5 years with a bow, both around noon.
I got an IWOM 2 years ago and that thing is amazing. If it is going to be in the 30's or lower I am going to be wearing that. I have never hunted out of a permanent blind and try to hunt out of a pop up as little as possible (probably only a couple sits a year) all the rest are in tree stands.
I take immodium when I get up in the morning of an all day sit.
Take 2 protein shakes, 1 sandwich, 2 bottles of water and if it is cold out a thermos of Hot Chocolate. That can get me through the day.
 
#60 ·
Seems to me like an all day sit in the same location would limit a hunter's success.

The reason I say that is I believe it's rare for the best option for a morning sit to also be the best option for an afternoon sit.
Don't overthink it. Funnels/pinchpoints or close to bedding are productive all day long.
 
#66 ·
Never did an "all-dayer" which brings me to this stupid question. Suppose you do need to take a #2 and its November in the UP for the opener. If in a popup ground blind. Where do you go?, What do you do with it?
I dig a hole with my foot and bury-it. I usually will walk out away from my stand a 100 yards or so, find a leaner-tree, dig and go. Disposable wet wipes are also very helpful.
 
#68 ·
Not overthinking it in the slightest. I've got 40+ stand sites on a bunch of different properties and there's not a single site that is equally good morning and afternoon.

Using funnels as an example. in early November a funnel is much more productive for buck movement during the first 2/3rd of the day than the final 1/3rd. During the final 1/3rd of the day buck movement is much more localized to food sources where does are concentrated.
How in the H-E double hockey sticks do you keep up with all that, good lord I'd drive myself nuts deciding which stand to use....that one!!!....not that one, well maybe..no yes ..crickies.:bonk:

I have four good locations I haunt on state land and have hunter for years, those are enough to drive me battey... :lol::lol:
 
#69 ·
Not overthinking it in the slightest. I've got 40+ stand sites on a bunch of different properties and there's not a single site that is equally good morning and afternoon.

Using funnels as an example. in early November a funnel is much more productive for buck movement during the first 2/3rd of the day than the final 1/3rd. During the final 1/3rd of the day buck movement is much more localized to food sources where does are concentrated.
We're going to have to agree to disagree on some of this. I'm not sure where you're getting 2/3 this and 1/3 that. You certainly sound authoritative. (I'm not buying)

The biggest difference between my morning and evening stands are which direction I look. Same stand, morning they're heading to cover, evening coming back out.

Funnels are prime places to be on stand all day.

The season becomes a marathon. My mantra is 'keep going out'. If you're there when he goes by, that's all you remember.
 
#70 ·
We're going to have to agree to disagree on some of this. I'm not sure where you're getting 2/3 this and 1/3 that. You certainly sound authoritative. (I'm not buying)

The biggest difference between my morning and evening stands are which direction I look. Same stand, morning they're heading to cover, evening coming back out.

Funnels are prime places to be on stand all day.

The season becomes a marathon. My mantra is 'keep going out'. If you're there when he goes by, that's all you remember.
A stand set up where deer move to cover in the morning and back to food in the evening is not a funnel. That's simply hunting lines of movement.

A funnel stand is where movement is restricted between bedding areas by some terrain feature(s) and that capitalizes on the mid morning to mid afternoon buck cruising that occurs after most antlerless deer are bedded for the day. The amount of distance a buck covers during that cruising time is much greater during the early and mid portions of the day than at the end of the day, as at the end of the day there's a much greater orientation to food sources.
 
#74 ·
I would rather sit in my shack and relax all day then tend to 40 different spots! Cripes I hardly have enough time to hunt 1 spot. Not everyone has the same aspirations while hunting.

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Did you notice how many kids that dude's got?
 
#77 ·
Another reason that I don't do all-day sits is that when I go hunting its usually a marathon. For instance, this year I was at the cabin hunting 10 straight days from 10/1 - 10/10. I will be back in the NeLP again hunting 14 of the first 17 days in November. I religiously hunt 8 hours per day when I'm up - rain, snow, freezing temps, or the occasional shine!
By the end of the marathon, I am generally pretty exhausted as it is!
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