How long will you sit for

[MEAT-WAGON]

Ive been hunting for a few years, but just got serious the last few. Ive heard of people sitting all day in their stand and others comeing out for the mid-day i dont know of many deer being killed between 11 and 3 but then again this will be my first bow hunt and first shot at the rut let me know how yall do it i hunt south jersey

[onthehunt]

During the rut sit as long as you can sit still. No sense being up there if your uncomfortable and moving around. You should see deer all times of the day during the rut. Take a stand whenever you can. Right after a hard rain or storm is always good. No matter what time it is. As far as length of time in a stand, it's whatever I feel like. Somedays you have the "it's gonna happen any second now" feeling, and somedays your just watching the clock. Just remember you can't killem' on the couch:)

[jross]

Ive been hunting for a few years, but just got serious the last few. Ive heard of people sitting all day in their stand and others comeing out for the mid-day i dont know of many deer being killed between 11 and 3 but then again this will be my first bow hunt and first shot at the rut let me know how yall do it i hunt south jersey

I've killed more deer during midday than in the AM or PM, but is rare that I would even shoot a deer in our swamp in the PM unless it is really cold. Deer from the outlying areas are gradually pushed in to us which is why daytime hunting is good. Except for the first day of gun season, I sneak in after daylight, hunt to 2 PM, then come out for lunch then hunt our field until dark. I call it old age huntin.

[BarnesX.308]

If I could stay all day I would. I usually get cold or bored before that. :(

I'm always in my stand at mid-day, though. Sometimes, I'll come in at 10:00 grab a quick meal and stay out the rest of the day.

When I get cold or bored, I don't quit hunting. I just get out of the stand. Then I'll still hunt.

[ub1243]

in pa i sit dark to dark, i'm not walking 3 miles for a sandwich. i have killed deer at every hour.
in nj i hunt 4-5 days a week mostly afternoons, and on saturday, morning and afternoon. during the rut till january i try and sit dark to dark on saturday, depends on the wind. again i have killed deer at every hour.
properties that get hunted hard, the mid day is good. i don't see the pressure on my places, but still see deer every hour. they aren't trying to avoid people, there are none in the woods, if they feel like a bite, they get up and feed.

[stephenf]

close to 80 % of boon and crockett bucks are killed between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm , that in it self should say something. depending on the area and the situation i try to hunt all day but with 3 kids at home it is tough. I have been getting camera pics all hours of the day since mid july , new moon especially

[Archer101]

close to 80 % of boon and crockett bucks are killed between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm , that in it self should say something. depending on the area and the situation i try to hunt all day but with 3 kids at home it is tough. I have been getting camera pics all hours of the day since mid july , new moon especially

That is absolutely correct! Of all the Buck I have shot over the years, the biggest came between the hours of 11 & 1. So, if you can stay out as long as you can. Bring some food with you if it's still warm out.

[chum stains]

It all depends on the conditions, I will usally stay out from dark to dark, but if its pourin rain and iam getin soaked or if its foggy or if its a blizzerd i will come back and get dried up and warm. last year opening day was the first year since i was 12 that i dident stay from dark to dark. it was pouring rain/sleet and with the fog you could only see about 30yrds.:( On the first saturday of rifile last year, i was up in bradford county and we had a fresh coating of snow and the temp in the morning was 8 and the high was only 15.:eek: I braved the cold all day and sat till dark. only seeing 3 doe. My uncle on the other hand made out a little better for his efferts bagging a nice eight point with a 22'' spread.:bow: You know what they say, if you wanna get-em you got to do the work.:fight:

[Snipermike]

I am always in my stand before day break and sit until I cant take it. It always depends on the day. I have heard of bigger buck being killed from the hours 11-2 and after reading the post here it seems realistic. Its just hard sitting still from daybreak until dark because I love evening hunts. I usually sit from sunup to around 10 and then from 2 until dark. After reading these posts I might be trying something different. Thanks guys
-Mike

[ub1243]

late season i try and sleep in, then hunt the warmest part of the day. i get out around 10am and sit till dark. when the cold sets in my deer are on their feet from 10am till 4pm, then they head back into the cedar swamps. this isn't from pressure, the swamps are usually a couple degrees warmer and no wind gets down in there. they can browse on cedar at night, but hit the oaks and fields mid day. year in and year out.

[The Wadd]

I never came in from the cold` ido come back 2 the cabin and let the dogs out! our friends and the wishfull companions! That would love 2 be out e
with the guys that whant them to be with us~:fight:

[cowboymike008]

i sit all day everyday thati can...i wait all year for this time gonna take advantage of it

[jross]

I found that if I cannot get in at least an hour before daylight, then it is best to wait until after the sun comes up and still hunt to my stand. Year before last, I had a stand up in a little cedar grove (coldest place on earth) and got I to it without using my head lamp. My pull up line was tangled so I turned on the lamp to get it loose when all hell broke loose over my head. Gobbles, clucks, yelps, wings flapping, branches breaking, you name it. After my heart started up again I finally got up into the stand. But there was plenty of time for things to calm down before it got light. Nothing turns me on more than hearing a heavy deer walking past in the pitch dark and we all know it had to have at least 12 points :)

[LUCKY7]

Dark to Dark. During Pa gun season I go in by flashlite and come out by it, unless of course things work out. I can't sit in one spot all day, I do like to walk the woods and cover some ground. My magic hour is 12-1pm as pretty much every deer I have ever shot has been around that time.

[Treude1]

In past hunting WMA found miday to be great because other hunters were leaving for lunch or coming in for evening and that pushed the deer. This here will be hunting new area with not as much pressure. Will hunt all day, I usually bring some peanut butter sandwiches and powerbars.

[MattG]

All day any day that I can, period. There's a reason why lots of big bucks are shot between 10 & 2....hunters who either can't sit any longer, go back for lunch, etc. without even knowing it most the time, often move deer on their way out and back in or during their "still" hunt stint" and those that remained sitting, capitalize on it! Also, even it they don't move deer, most mature bucks have learned at their age, that most hunters are in the woods between dawn and 9 and 3 to dusk, therefore they've learned to adjust their movement patterns for those hours in between...10-2. If you want to beat the big boys at their own game, be there instead of not at those hours and you will increase your chances, no doubt.

[tryn2wn]

Ive been hunting for a few years, but just got serious the last few. Ive heard of people sitting all day in their stand and others comeing out for the mid-day i dont know of many deer being killed between 11 and 3 but then again this will be my first bow hunt and first shot at the rut let me know how yall do it i hunt south jersey

Definitly not!!!!! I have killed and seen more deer in the mid-day hours then any other. Hunters moveing to and from their stands get the deer moving. I killed my biggest buck to date at 12:30. About 15 minutes later the guy that hunts a few hundred yards down the cart road from he came walking through to head home for something to eat. If he ha stayed that buck may have laid in the laurel all day long.....

[bobmetzg]

i pack some power bars and water and sit all day especially during the rut and gunning when those guys are out moving the deer around. i have seen plenty of nice bucks during the midday. sometimes they move on their own and sometimes they are pushed but you have to be there to have a chance.

[onthehunt]

We also have to realize that there is a difference between hunting travel corridors and hunting bedding and feeding areas. I would not sit all day in a feeding/staging area. Hunt the travel areas all day, save your specific areas for the right times:cool: