I think im doing it all wrong

[NEW2HUNT]

Ok guys need your help on this one as i am a first time hunter. when i go to my stand at 5am, once the sun comes up how long do i sit there without seeing anything before i give up and go do something else? I have scouted the area and know there are deer and hog that come through there. im about as unscented as one can possibley be, and around 12-15 up so i know im not scaring anything off.

[Murdock]

Where are you hunting? Do you have a feeder and camera up?

[Mike Murphey]

First off look at your set up, are you walking to your stand a walking through the deer? What is the wind doing, walking to the stand with the wind in your face? When in the stand what is the wind doing? Is it blowing to the deer? Are you putting out a cover sent? Deer can get used to that once they know every time they smell it they see you......Deer are smart critters, they can pattern you faster than we can pattern them......

[Dusty Britches]

Oh, boy this is a tough one. It could be location - you could be just a little bit off on it. Many times, I've set up thinking it was perfect, only to realize a few days of hunting later that I needed to move 50 yards. The move always produced.

But, your question was how long to stay in the stand. It depends. If it was a bright full moon like last weekend, the deer bed down around 5 am and get up around 11 am. So, if this is the situation, stay until at least 12:30 - 1:00. From what I've read, the vast majority of big bucks are taken between 10 am and 2 pm.

If there was no moon or cloud cover all night, stay as long as you can stand it. The deer typically will get up as the sun cracks the darkness.

If it turns windy, leave the stand an take to spot and stalk in thick cover. The wind spooks deer because they can't hear predators, so go to where you would go to get out of the wind.

If it starts to pour rain, cats, and dogs, I normally leave. It is difficult to stay in a stand like that and not slip. Plus, I hate hunting in the rain.

I'm sure lots of other guys on here have lots of other tips.

[quarterback]

I agree with everything Dusty said above. Usually I will determine how long to sit based on the time of year, weather, deer movement or the lack thereof and that kind of thing. If it's getting rut time I'll stay longer and try to hunt mid-day. Pre-rut I'll try to rattle in mid to late morning (9-11 a.m.). Overcast and still, and I'll stay longer. Bright sunny and getting warm and usually I'll get down at 9:30 unless I'm seeing activity. Sometimes they show up when you least expect it. Hope this helps!

[Extremebowman]

I put trail cams up on all of my setups so I could see what was coming through. Best side effect, I also see when they were coming through. I have one stand that they come through from 9:30 to 11:00 am. Rarely earlier or later. I call it the banker stand (banker hours), no offense to bankers Kinda nice knowing if I oversleep, I know which stand to go to and still see some action.

[NEW2HUNT]

i should have added that i am hunting wma's as i cannot afford a lease. i do have nice feeders and such but am leary of putting them out for theft.

[OPC Patrick]

Where I hunt I often drive around the ranch in the pickup after the hunt to kind of look things over. The deer are used to the farmer checking his cattle so they kind of just walk off. After doing this several times I have concluded that I do not stay in the stand long enough. I often get down by 10:00. I can tell you that I have seen more and bigger bucks driving the ranch than I have from my stand at first and last light. Camera's will tell you what time the deer are moving if you can't drive around.

Last weekend I was on my way to the stand at 6:00 about an hour before light. As I clipped my bow to the pull rope, I noticed a doe 20 yrds behind my stand. She stood up and try to figure out what I was. the wind was in my face and she never figured me out. She moved off and i ended up shooting her just after first light. This one stand is in a field so the wind has to be just right to get in without spooking bedded deer.

my stand is to the left in that line of trees.

[OPC Patrick]

Sorry just saw your post about WMAs... In this case so many things can effect the deer movement. I have found that at most WMA's most hunters are leaving by 10:00. Deer know this, hang out at least another hour and people leaving may push deer toward you. Also I have used those doe can's and have had doe's show up. Our biologist has said they often get separated from fawns and others and look to hook back up with them. Sometimes you can trick them. What WMA are you hunting?

[In-Yo-Grill]

Don't be afraid to sit as long as you can. I got restless last week and decided to stretch only to be busted by a doe on the other side of some brush. She was 10yrds away. They are sneaky creatures.

[NEW2HUNT]

just starting going to tawakoni, only cause its closest to me, i think. i live in arlington?

[OPC Patrick]

I hunted there once... I remember we parked near a creek and had about a mile walk in before we hit any water. We saw a little hog sign and no deer, but they are there... I would say for all public hunting, it pays to walk in further than the others... most will not go in further than a mile, I believe most will quit walking the first rub, scrape, wallow or trail they pass. If you are willing to walk in further in can pay off. Also the deer see pressure all the time. It has been my experience you have to hunt hard and in the thick stuff. Call the biologist and ask for assistance. Most will help in some form or fashion, at least tell you where they have been seeing them.

Phone: (903) 881-8233
Address:
21187 CR 4106
Lindale, TX 75771

Contact: Shaun Crook

[HotRod Hunter]

I have a question I'm curios how late are you hunting now before you give up?

[Mark44]

I'll chime in with another question: how do you "hunt the wind" from a tree stand overlooking a feeder? I got deer coming in to that thing from every point of the compass. how do I hunt the wind then? and I only have one other option so I pretty much gotta sit in that stand or ... or what?

[Matman]

Stay as long as you feel like. If you get tired of being there leave. No sense in sitting in a stand longer than you want, you will get tiresome and start moving around.