All day hunts... who does it?

[Kwood]

Never sat an entire day, done lots of 5-6 hour sits. Who hunts all day dark-dark? What's your strategy? It would be work, but feel like it would increase my odds. Advice?


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[Podad]

Been deer hunting since 1967. Spent many days in the woods but have never sat in a stand all day.
That just wouldn't be fun to me.

 

[OkieKubota]

I have done it on a few occasions. I have to be in the deep woods to feel like it is productive and I only do it the first couple weeks in November and during a cold front. Killed a bruiser at 1:00 once and have shot a few at 11 or so...

I have to have something to read, a snack, and something to drink and my tree needs just the right lean back to do it. Sometimes you sit all day and kill your deer at last light...lol

 

[Paradise725]

I've hunted all day quite a few times. If it's the first two weeks of November, I often hunt stands that are perfect for all day sits. Deep woods transition areas and downwind sides of bedding areas. Haven't killed any mid day bucks yet, but I generally see deer pretty steady all day, with flourishes of activity early and late in the day. I just pack a sandwich and drinks. No books or anything like that. I'll allow myself two or three breaks to play on my phone for 10 minutes, but otherwise I just enjoy looking around and seeing what's moving.


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[CTM1]

No matter where I hunt I always do all day sits for the first 4-5 days of the season. I generally do all day sits anytime I am over at the farm property just because it is a thirty mile round trip from the house. If I am hunting near the house and we are past those opening 4-5 days I may cheat and head back to the house around 11 or 12 and head back out around 2:30.

Something I have been doing for a number of years is transitioning right from deer hunting into predator hunting. I have often got into the stand at 5am and not come down until 7pm or later when I do this. I once went up into a stand at 4pm and did not come down until the next morning. It was not by choice, but because of stupidity. I forgot to tie the foot climbing portion of the stand to the seat portion of the stand. When I transitioned from climbing to sitting I heard a strange noise. and turned quickly to see the foot climber headed to the base of the tree. I was about 40' up in my Tree Lounge stand. It was an interesting night to say the least, and I never once fell asleep.

Back in the old days of hunting State Land, every hunt was an all day hunt because it took forever to climb to the top of the mountain
so there was no way I was coming down the mountain only to have to climb back up for the afternoon.

I think anyone will tell you the more time on stand only increases your opportunity to connect. Of course playing the wind and picking the right spot cannot be forgotten.

 

[dogdoc]

I usually do 2 to 3 a year. Not in a tree though. I'm in a comfy tower blind with a little heater and a good book.

 

[Seabee]

I do it a few times each year. Although I do see some deer movement throughout the day, I have yet to see a shooter mid day. Probably won't be doing it much anymore. It takes a lot out of me.

 

[j-bird]

I have done it before, but I tend to not to. I only hunt the property I live on so home is only 1/2 mile away tops. I tend to go home for lunch/potty break and then head back out. Sometimes I go back to the same stand sometimes its a different one - depending on various things. My biggest issue with sitting all day is the mental side of it. I just lose focus and that quick trip tot he house helps a lot. I have been known to catch a catnap at the house for an hour or so as well. It's also that the wife and kids remember what I look like in the daylight as well!

 

[Native Hunter]

I've seen 2 PM in the afternoon be a magic time more than once in November, but I always come out for a break, and sometimes a fairly long on. But I will be back before 2 PM if possible.

 

[Booner21]

I usually set all day 4 or 5 times a year. I killed one of my bigger bucks after sitting all day, killed it about 10 minutes before dark. Missed a big deer at 1130 two years ago when it was 76 degrees out.

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[dogghr]

Yep nearly always thru the first two weeks of Nov when I'm out. For one, most my good rut stands are high on back ridge and long walk up so no way coming back out. Second, most my best bucks taken between 9:30-12. Third, I work in an office, so to sit outside all day is a pleasure. Don't have cell phone service and I'm with the one I love the most, myself. Now sometimes I will move to different stand early afternoon.
On public land, best spots are usually far from road and again, once in, I'm there for the day during rut hunts.
Now if I'm still hunting, then most times long long way from road and again, not going to make it out before dark. Not sure why one would not want to stay out? Season ends soon enough.

 

[Chestnut Valley Farms]

Only in Nov
I usually do opening day of rifle every yr. second day I take a lunch break. Then I'm back to my typical morning an ev hunts. Its tough.
I get antsy. 3 years ago I had a nice 3.5 yr old buck croose through at 12:05. My dad always BS's about his 10-2 hunts being the best time to kill a buck. He killed his biggest buck at 12:15

 

[Turkey Creek]

I have heard of enough bucks being killed during the middle part of the day that I will hunt it during the rut. My back would kill me for weeks if I tried to stay in a tree stand from before sunup to dark. I can handle about 5 hrs straight. Sometimes I will wait till about noon and hunt till dark or make and extra long set in the morning. If I had a tower blind in a good location I could see making a all day sit.

 

[willy]

Everyday of Nebraska's rifle season I sit all day. I have only tagged a deer during rifle season 3 times in the past 9 years but have seen deer during all times of the day. Only during high winds have I not sat all day.

I generally get in 3 all day sits in the first couple weeks of Nov. prior to rifle.

 

[buckdeer1]

I do a few each year during prime time.I don't like it to get too warm during the middle of day,40-low 50s seems to still be ok.Sometimes I will get down around noon or if wind is changing and just move to another tree for rest of day

 

[W33kender]

An all day slip hunt in the backwoods is very exciting, but the thought of all day in a stand is one I don't relish. After three hours, I'm just not mentally sharp anymore. That's fine if you're in a condo stand, but if you're bowhunting in a tree stand, all the fidgeting I'm liable to start is counter-productive.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

I hunt about 5 all-day'ers each year.......sure, it can be long and you don't always get action....BUT...I have seen some monsters around 2 pm and bumped them walking in/out too many times to not give it a go!

 

[Jack Terpack]

I have taken my three largest bucks between 1PM and 2 PM. I only sit all day about four days during the peak of the rut activity. The rest of the time I hunt from noon till quitting time. I have had very little success on larger deer in the morning hunts. It really is tiring to hunt four days in a row from dawn till dusk though.

 

[Elkaddict]

I do it regularly when in a blind or shooting house--conditions have to be perfect to do it in a tree. Getting old and soft....

 

[farmhunter]

rarely!! not often I need or want to. I usually plan opening day rifle as an all day hunt - but most other days I take at least a couple hour break. Our cabin is literally where we hunt.....its always calling my name!