All day sits, around Rut time?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


bowkill00
Posts: 301
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2015 9:25 am
Location: Northeast Alabama
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby bowkill00 » Wed May 11, 2016 12:51 pm

I've done it a few times in Bama and it's not easy. Done it a few times in Illinois and let me tell you it's a whole lot easier up there bc the chance for killn a big deer is better.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


Rich M
500 Club
Posts: 3980
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:29 pm
Location: Sunny Florida
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby Rich M » Wed May 11, 2016 1:21 pm

I hunted with a guy who shot a LOT of older bucks pre-dawn, on the full moon at night, and 2 hrs before dark/2 hours after light time frame.

I hunted the back half of the property and saw the mature bucks from 9:30 to 10:30. I'd sit until 9:30 and then move around cause the deer had patterned the stand (thanks to a young guy sneaking into it). The bucks would be crossing roads/paths. If they didn't see or scent me I'd have a chance. Had 3 shot opps, took 1 (dead buck w no teeth), passed one on nice basket 8 due to short range rifle and 200 yard shot, and passed 150 yard shot on brute cause of buddy's orange visible 1/4 mile behind deer.

The next year I only saw 2 older bucks out of the stand and missed 2x before checking my zero - shot doe & button once I got the zero back (ammo caused shift in zero). After changing ammo, sat in tree all day (just missed 2nd nice buck) and saw five 1.5-2.5 yr olds and a coyote. Shot yote & button the next day.

The next year (2015) saw 0 older bucks and hunted stand 3 days. Figured that I wasn't the only one hunting the stand when deer were watching it from 150 and 200 yards away. Then they screwed my son on his annual doe hunt. Got off that lease.

I will sit all day without any problems. It is my time - with God and nature. Hunt all day during the rut - especially when I only hunt 6-9 days a year.
User avatar
Mibowfreak
500 Club
Posts: 924
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:21 pm
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby Mibowfreak » Wed May 11, 2016 2:01 pm

I usually do a handful every year. There is nothing easy about it though. But in November, you have to really log the hours if you can. Its really all mental for me. The days I decide to get down, I am always second guessing my decision. The days I do all day sits, the best time, other than first and last light, is usually around that 11:00am time slot.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
mainebowhunter
500 Club
Posts: 3448
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 10:45 am
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Wed May 11, 2016 2:07 pm

I have found its much much tougher to do when you are hunting your home turf. Mainly because there is always something else that needs to be done. And its tough when your watching the same piece of woods, same areas that you have seen for 8 mos. When I am away, not nearly as tough.

And the biggest reason, I know when I am away hunting midwest, any given day, a 150+" deer could walk out. They are around. Not so much at home. The odds are pretty low. So the investment of time is worth it.
User avatar
Tufrthnails
500 Club
Posts: 3128
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:40 pm
Location: Knee deep in FL Muck!
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Wed May 11, 2016 2:25 pm

I've done a few this past season 10AM to dark because I was just straight up beat and needed more then a few hours of sleep and had some good luck seeing bucks in ky just nothing this year that I wanted to pull the trigger on. When I hunt the Isl it is all day hunts.
Tuf- The below average hunting beast
User avatar
whitetailassasin
Posts: 3404
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:34 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Thu May 12, 2016 2:38 am

I have done two all day sits. Both after a target buck I knew was using the doe bedding areas I was hunting. One came in at last light, the other cruised by at 1-1:30pm. During the rut it can happen anytime, anywhere, in a blink of an eye. Time in the woods during this time definitely ups your chances. But for me, an area heating up, and a potential target in the area is the only way I'll hunt all day.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Kraftd
500 Club
Posts: 2819
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:44 pm
Location: NE IL
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby Kraftd » Thu May 12, 2016 3:57 am

I've done quite a few in the past and always plan some every year. I've had a fair bit of luck lately tagging a buck early in planned all day sits, so never completing them based on doing my best to predict best times to be at spots when I can. I also have a tendency to move mid-day or mid afternoon depending on what I'm seeing.

I'm also a big fan of the head in at 9-10 and sit the rest of the day plan. Grew up a morning/evening guy even during the rut. Once I finally broke that mold, it's just shocking how many big deer you see from 9-3. TO me it also seems to help keep the wife from burnout during hunting season to be around as much as I can, so if sacrificing a couple hours in the morning here and there keeps the home life more balanced and gets me a couple of more hunts later in the season, seems worth it.

Generally, I just try to get out as much as I can whether it's an hour in the morning or evening, a couple hours mid-day or all day. From the last week of October through the first couple of weeks in November, no bad time to be in the woods, well there's never really a bad time to be in the woods.
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu May 12, 2016 5:58 am

Depends on a lot of factors. I have sat all day in early Oct - Dec [glow=red]but there was always a good reason why[/glow]. Most of the time I hunt all day & make a move mid-day or early afternoon. But if the sign is hot, or I have camera data telling me to sit tight - I have no problem sitting all day.... and in Tex early season (Oct) you are looking at 12+ hours for an all day sit.
mainebowhunter
500 Club
Posts: 3448
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 10:45 am
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu May 12, 2016 7:50 am

DaveT1963 wrote:Depends on a lot of factors. I have sat all day in early Oct - Dec [glow=red]but there was always a good reason why[/glow]. Most of the time I hunt all day & make a move mid-day or early afternoon. But if the sign is hot, or I have camera data telling me to sit tight - I have no problem sitting all day.... and in Tex early season (Oct) you are looking at 12+ hours for an all day sit.


Shes gotta pretty warm in Texas come early Oct!!
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu May 12, 2016 8:30 am

Yep, and I have sat an isolated waterhole all day on several occassions as the buck I was after was hitting it but at random times. It's not easy sitting in 90 degree heat from 0600-7:30/8:00 but it can be effective.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby headgear » Thu May 12, 2016 9:44 am

In the bigwoods during the rut its almost a criminal act not to be in the woods mid day. I don't often sit in one spot all day, I will work the bedding areas in the early morning and evening and hunt a funnel or cruising area mid day. That is one good tip I picked up from Dan. Moving around like that can sure help the day go by too, I've done plenty of all day sits from one tree but they are not easy.
mainebowhunter
500 Club
Posts: 3448
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 10:45 am
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu May 12, 2016 12:14 pm

headgear wrote:In the bigwoods during the rut its almost a criminal act not to be in the woods mid day. I don't often sit in one spot all day, I will work the bedding areas in the early morning and evening and hunt a funnel or cruising area mid day. That is one good tip I picked up from Dan. Moving around like that can sure help the day go by too, I've done plenty of all day sits from one tree but they are not easy.


Same tactic I take. Another thing I really have been pondering is hunting other ground midday. Tried this last year, grunted / rattled in a giant while still hunting a bedding area. Awesome encounter. Lot of fun. I have a lot of ground that I can "burn" that does not affect any of the area that I am currently hunting.

Its just the toss toss up. When I KNOW there are bucks over 150"+ on my ground that I sit all day.
User avatar
vtbuck
500 Club
Posts: 2560
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 4:43 pm
Location: ne wi
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby vtbuck » Thu May 12, 2016 12:19 pm

I try to do all day sits during rut. I go through a lot of sandwiches. Bring on the rut. Big bucks and early mornings. Can't come soon enough

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
Perfection is a dream, practice is hard work, and achieving a goal is making that goal a reality.
cedarsavage
500 Club
Posts: 1137
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 4:42 am
Facebook: No facebook
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby cedarsavage » Thu May 12, 2016 2:17 pm

I plan on doing more midday sits at least during the rut. I've had most of my big woods success midday. I probably won't do too many all day sits though

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: All day sits, around Rut time?

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Fri May 13, 2016 1:21 am

I am going to add one last thought. For my best stands, not observation and funnel only types, I ALWAYS go into the woods in early morning prepared to spend the entire day. If you are set up in his core area you are close to where he will be bedded. I cannot count how many times a quick 2-3 hour morning hunt became a morning to late afternoon or evening hunt because the buck I was after was bedded to close for me to exit without educating him. When I move in on a buck, I am in the frame of mind that this first sit will be my very best opportunity to kill him. But my set ups are usually deep in very think and nasty cover in or on the fringe of his core area and the possibility always exists he will bed down to close for me to leave. And if you are set up right, just because you do not see him bedded, doesn't mean you should exit - I have had far too many bucks get up right around 9:00-2:00PM and meander over to my stand location. Each location is different and sometimes you have a creek close, or some other structure (or even high winds to conceal noise and movement) to where you can drop into it and get out without educating him - but not always.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 58 guests