Hours in the stand

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Boogieman1
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Hours in the stand

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 5:25 am

On average how many hours do you spend on stand each season? I know I have heard guys say due to family life they only get 45 minutes to scout and 15 minutes to hunt each season so they make the most of it. And somehow manage to bag a giant in places they are not known to exist. In my area this simply would not cut the mustard and in your area I suspect it wouldn’t either.

Just curious the amount of time beast hunters spend each season in the stand to give themselves a chance.


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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Grizzlyadam » Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:17 am

I keep a detailed journal every season to keep track of my efforts as well as a bunch of other info. In 2019 I spent 119 hours sitting on stand. I have had some seasons in the past where I was right around 200 hours.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Hawthorne » Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:36 am

I might hunt 30days a season at most. Some all day some just evening. Probably close to 200hrs. I’ve never kept track. Never could hunt everyday. Maybe when I retire in 12 years. Lol
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby UntouchableNess » Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:40 am

I've been asked by the DNR to participate in the annual Iowa Bowhunters survey. They ask you to log number of day/hours in the stand and keep a tally of animals seen while hunting. So from the report I got earlier this year, the year/number of hours I reported: 2015/50, 2016/20, 2017/15, 2018/8 and 2019/11. The average number of hours hunted across all those participating is around 42 hours per year. The survey only covers the first half of Iowa's split bow season, which is Oct. 1 until dusk of the first Friday in December.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby elk yinzer » Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:52 am

Bow season, approx 5 Saturdays + 5-10 days PTO. 6 or 8 evenings after work. Quick mental calculation, I guess around 100-150 hours? Almost all of my scouting is January - March.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Bperdue21 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:06 am

I would guess I am around 150 hours. I hunt every Saturday, Sunday's after church, generally take 2 weeks off work each year. Lately, I don't come off stand for lunch, SO I would venture my sit would be roughly 630-530, 11 hours a day. If I end up hunting late muzzleloading season that number probably pushes 200 hrs, but I haven't hunted it hard in several years. I don't bow hunt so this is over a month period.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby HuntingParadise » Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:12 am

Id say around 130-170for deer. I hunt around 30 sits a year for about an average of 5 hours.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:32 am

Now that’s a lot more like it! My numbers are very deceiving in prior years. I worked nights for 15 years and live in my hunting area. I racked up the hours for well over a decade. I always hunted just last 3 hours of daylight from Oct 1 opener till the start of the rut. But from there I would burn it down ever free hour I had.

I switched to day shift this past year and have a 6 year old I get much responsibility for under the new hours. Suspect 200-300 hrs will be my maximum this year. Just now having to formulate a plan to making them count. Don’t really feel bad about it, raising a good child and being around to support the wife is far more important. On the other hand all those years of hunting so much have made me realize when your odds are the highest for capitalizing. Don’t feel I’m handicapped one bit cutting my hours down by a 3rd while maximizing my efforts.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Grizzlyadam » Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:19 am

I'll add that I did 56 sits last season and my average sit time ended up being only about two hours. If I didn't keep track I would probably guess that I spent much more time than I actually did.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:33 am

Been keeping logs for many years and my average is right around 200 hours per season including all weapons. If I didn’t work second shift obviously my average would be much higher. Most I ever did was 275 hours in a season. I had a lot of extra time off work that year due to the Great Recession in 2009. My average sit is 4-5 hours. I like to spend time in the tree and rarely rush out for a few hour hunt. When I’m not working the day is dedicated to hunting. I go out very early for evening hunts so I can take my time and enjoy the the hunt instead of rushing around.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby mag1 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:38 am

I typically get about 50hrs in. That as about all the family will stand for. I see great deer every year, but I don’t always get to capitalize on what I see. I’m hopping I can do a little more this year as my youngest will be with me part of the time. We’ll see, or I might just have to lower my standards a little. I have the spots, just need to use my brain a little better. :mrgreen:
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby oldrank » Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:46 am

I'd guess 150 to 200 hours a season depending on when I fill my tags.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Chad Gus 715 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 10:06 am

Around 20/25 hours a year for bowhunting whitetails these days. There was a time when i was 3-500 hours a year in stand. I like to hunt to many other critters, to devote to much time to whitetails.
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 10:15 am

mag1 wrote:I typically get about 50hrs in. That as about all the family will stand for. I see great deer every year, but I don’t always get to capitalize on what I see. I’m hopping I can do a little more this year as my youngest will be with me part of the time. We’ll see, or I might just have to lower my standards a little. I have the spots, just need to use my brain a little better. :mrgreen:

Nothing wrong with 50 hrs! That’s a lot of time which I would guess is way more than so self proclaimed(hardcore) guys put in. Think if you are very familiar with the area and know when the fruit is ripe that’s more than enough time to get something special.

While I’m not positive I would guess I prob avg one good buck every 25 hours on stand when I Stay out and only strike when the griddle is hot. Mighty slip between a cup an lip. I get picked off, winded, whiff, or he’s completely busted up just like everyone else. Just been fortunate I could always throw another 50 hrs and wait and see what happens. Good luck
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
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Boogieman1
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Re: Hours in the stand

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Tue Aug 11, 2020 10:16 am

oldrank wrote:I'd guess 150 to 200 hours a season depending on when I fill my tags.

How far would you stretch the hours if you hadn’t punched a tag?
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-


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