The importance of first time sits

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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby Lockdown » Tue Jan 26, 2016 3:52 pm

This fall my buddy's co-worker was telling him (laughing) about some deer off in the distance that would intentionally go around box blinds. He said it was obvious they knew to stay away.

Regarding scent in a box blind, that depends on the construction of it. If it is enclosed and sealed up well, how is your scent going to get out unless you open a window? :think: Someone would have to show me concrete proof of this for me to believe it. Sure if you have a 2x6 floor with plywood screwed down, if your blind twists you could get a gap and scent could leak out. I'm not going to argue that.

The reason I have a hard time believing it is because I have had deer go downwind of my pop up ground blind at 20 yards or less and not spook. I don't do anything scent wise with it either. To be honest I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. I have a double bull matrix 360 and with the back side sealed up and 1/3 of the window open in front, very little scent gets through if the wind is strait in your face. With a cross wind it doesn't work. I have dropped milkweed inside it and it swirls in a circle until it gets caught on the ground or the blind. I have way more issues with deer accepting it on a same day sit than smelling me inside it. Normally when I use it there's snow on the ground and I'm trying to get past dozens of noses.

I don't know if they aren't threatened by the scent of the blind because it isn't human or what, but I've had this happen more than once. One of my friends has the same blind and he has had similar experiences. He had a doe sniff the back side of his blind once and not spook. I understand if you guys are skeptical....


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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby dan » Tue Jan 26, 2016 10:44 pm

I don't use ground blinds much, so I don't have the experience, but if you can breath, I would say air and scent can get thru the material... Unless you have a breathing tube that goes high in the air... Seems like it would be no different than wearing clothes... Does scent get thru clothes?
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby johndeere506 » Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:06 am

dan wrote:I don't use ground blinds much, so I don't have the experience, but if you can breath, I would say air and scent can get thru the material... Unless you have a breathing tube that goes high in the air... Seems like it would be no different than wearing clothes... Does scent get thru clothes?


I agree. If you dont die in the blind after a few hours, it means air can get in and out...and that escaping scent will go downwind.

I did some testing with this stuff a few years back, mostly to test an idea I had. It doesnt belong in this "1st time sits" thread so I wont get into it. I would say a blind of some type "might" get you a couple extra sits, if its positioned out of the normal travel path, or is farther away while gun hunting. This includes your entry/exit path.

Lockdown- I dont doubt you for a second, things happen sometimes. However, I would not expect that result to be the norm over time.
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby Lockdown » Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:16 am

johndeere506 wrote:
dan wrote:I don't use ground blinds much, so I don't have the experience, but if you can breath, I would say air and scent can get thru the material... Unless you have a breathing tube that goes high in the air... Seems like it would be no different than wearing clothes... Does scent get thru clothes?


I agree. If you dont die in the blind after a few hours, it means air can get in and out...and that escaping scent will go downwind.

I did some testing with this stuff a few years back, mostly to test an idea I had. It doesnt belong in this "1st time sits" thread so I wont get into it. I would say a blind of some type "might" get you a couple extra sits, if its positioned out of the normal travel path, or is farther away while gun hunting. This includes your entry/exit path.

Lockdown- I dont doubt you for a second, things happen sometimes. However, I would not expect that result to be the norm over time.


JD I don't want to hijack either... I'm interested in your findings... If you don't want to start another thread on this topic I can later in the day. I'm very interest in this subject.

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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby wanderer » Sat Apr 02, 2016 2:55 pm

Wlog wrote:
dan wrote:
Buckshot20 wrote:I like to hunt stands back to back evening/morning when I'm on trips, then adjust mid day. This morning there were fresh poopies under my stand. Proof they find you at night. They know I was here now.

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Sounds like he was sending you a message with his little gift.

All kidding aside though, I often find buck tracks in snow following mine during the night seeing where I went. most of the time right to the tree I hunted out of.


I've seen this multiple times. Two times I remember distinctly. On one occasion I was walking along a field edge checking for tracks. I got to the other end of the field and turned around to head back. It was probably twenty minutes that I slowly walked down the edge of this field. When I got about three quarters of the way back, [glow=red]a buck was walking right down my trail.[/glow] He had been bedded on a point near the end of the wood lot.

The other time that sticks out to me, I was out post season scouting. It was a short evening scouting trip that was cut short when I took a dunk through the ice. On my way back to the truck there were [glow=red]fresh tracks following my boot tracks I left a couple hours earlier[/glow].

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this sounds like a great setup to j-hook and ambush a buck as he passes by, just like they do to us. or the two of you might end up circling each other forever, like a dog chasing its tail :lol:
The one who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the one who is doing it
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby tgreeno » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:58 am

Bump

This is a really great thread!
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby docwaters » Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:04 am

Thanks for bumping, just read it completely.

Hopefully, this just reiterates and pounds in my thick head = being mobile increases success and don't over hunt a spot.
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby Bonehead » Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:33 am

DaveT1963 wrote:There is a big difference between a farmers dog walking through woods and a coon hound running game though. Most coon hunters hit woods repeatedly. I've seen bucks blown out of areas not to return because of hounds running then at night. Each buck is different as far as what they tolerate.

Dogs running hogs will ruin a area instantly as well. One of the best mornings I ever hunted in big hill country was ruined by some Black and Tans running hogs. I was hunting on a U curve funnel along a river in early November. That morning, I had already seen 3 different mature bucks (one was a absolute giant), but they were just out of bow range. I was contemplating tweaking my stand location (50 yards) when I heard the dogs coming from a ways down river, then all of a sudden several hogs come running by (it’s amazing how fast they can move while fleeing) 5 minutes later here come the dogs. I was ticked, but went ahead and moved my stand. I set for 3 days without ever seeing another deer. I did not want to move out of the area because I had such a good spot. Lol
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby NEbowman » Sat Oct 21, 2017 4:48 am

How far do you have to move for you guys to consider it a first time sit? I've got swamp edge with multiple points and 3 islands further out into the swamp. Yesterday I hunted near the area very conservatively about 100 yards from the swamp edge on a hemlock/hard wood transition with a ridge funneling movement towards the swamp. A deer scooted behind me the one direction I thought they wouldn't come from and busted me, blew a few times and that was it for the evening. I know there are mature bucks in this area. I guess I'm wondering how badly I might have damaged this spot or will it just push them further onto the points, which I'm planning to hunt as soon as the weather cooperates. Would you still consider hunts towards the swamp edge to be effective first time sits?
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby Bonehead » Sat Dec 09, 2017 1:54 am

I haven’t even hunted beast style yet. But I’ve been hunting for over 30 years and one thing I do know is several of my best bow bucks were killed in first time sits.
A mature buck that doesn’t know its being hunted is easier to kill than one that does.
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby treeroot » Sat Dec 09, 2017 7:31 am

I'm new to the beast style, but I agree with first time sits being the best.

I agree and disagree with the box blind. I built one that is basically in the middle of a large doe bedding area. Years ago before I knew better I used to take young kids that needed an adult in their life hunting. We would almost always see deer and they could learn how they move around in the thick brush. As the season progressed sightings would drop out of bow range. Way over hunted.

Fast forward eight years and I only pop in it once or twice a season during the rut. I've had 2.5-3.5 year old bucks within range and even taken a few. I think if it's very rarely hunted, in the right place, and only used when conditions are right they can work. Not enough for me to build another one. But I think over time it can become like an old piece of farm equipment that they get used to and don't see it as a threat.
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby stafford8788 » Sat Jul 28, 2018 2:00 pm

I have a question regarding the concept of 1st sits. Little build up... So I got permission on some new property which is an old farm that no longer has agriculture on it. It's pretty much fields of mowed wild weeds and grass, a good big patch of big woods below with a creek, and several fingers of trees in between the few fields. Wonderfully, right below the one field in a hollow is a creek that hits a wide flat area on the topo, unusual between two steep hills. I assume it's a swamp and was very excited to check it out. Per what i've learned here, rather than scout it during the day and disturbing things, I set up an observation post tonight about 300 yards from the bottom corner of the field closest to what I think is the swamp bottom. 30 min before dark, sure enough, a 150+ 10 point strolled up out. I managed to belly crawl out of the field avoiding alerting any of the deer in it. Wind was perfect.

Here's the question, I get that I shouldn't go setup a stand until the day I want to hunt it. So that means that I shouldn't got scouting any of that section of the property and leave it sight unseen until hunting time, correct? Should I even risk doing a few more observation evenings closer to season?

Also, with this line of thinking, i.e. 1st sits and no disturbance, is day scouting for beds when bucks are likely to be in them only smart during the late winter and spring? If you've made it to late summer without scouting you've hosed yourself?

Sorry for the long post. Just excited and don't want to decrease my chances.
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Jul 28, 2018 2:24 pm

stafford8788 wrote:I have a question regarding the concept of 1st sits. Little build up... So I got permission on some new property which is an old farm that no longer has agriculture on it. It's pretty much fields of mowed wild weeds and grass, a good big patch of big woods below with a creek, and several fingers of trees in between the few fields. Wonderfully, right below the one field in a hollow is a creek that hits a wide flat area on the topo, unusual between two steep hills. I assume it's a swamp and was very excited to check it out. Per what i've learned here, rather than scout it during the day and disturbing things, I set up an observation post tonight about 300 yards from the bottom corner of the field closest to what I think is the swamp bottom. 30 min before dark, sure enough, a 150+ 10 point strolled up out. I managed to belly crawl out of the field avoiding alerting any of the deer in it. Wind was perfect.

Here's the question, I get that I shouldn't go setup a stand until the day I want to hunt it. So that means that I shouldn't got scouting any of that section of the property and leave it sight unseen until hunting time, correct? Should I even risk doing a few more observation evenings closer to season?

Also, with this line of thinking, i.e. 1st sits and no disturbance, is day scouting for beds when bucks are likely to be in them only smart during the late winter and spring? If you've made it to late summer without scouting you've hosed yourself?

Sorry for the long post. Just excited and don't want to decrease my chances.

I personally feel private land lets u play by a diff set of rules. Can buy a cheap $20 hang on and have everything set up ready to go. Clear path to stand, lanes trimmed etc. you also don't have to worry about anyone else jacking up the spot so u don't have to do as much in season scouting because other hunters are not constantly changing the deers patterns. I feel a first time in is a good thing but wouldn't say it can't happen on the 5th or 10th sit. The important thing is did the deer you are after know you were there? If not no harm no foul. For example I have a fav stand I hunt every time it rains I ethier see the buck I want or my sins are washed away and I try again the next rain. As long as I don't get spotted it's like a first time sit every time.

If I were you I would go now and spend the entire day learning the property then stay out. One 8 HR trip is better than 8 1 HR trips IMO. Then when season rolls around u can watch from a distance or walk the perimeter looking for hot sign. Just my .02
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby dan » Sun Jul 29, 2018 12:18 am

stafford8788 wrote:I have a question regarding the concept of 1st sits. Little build up... So I got permission on some new property which is an old farm that no longer has agriculture on it. It's pretty much fields of mowed wild weeds and grass, a good big patch of big woods below with a creek, and several fingers of trees in between the few fields. Wonderfully, right below the one field in a hollow is a creek that hits a wide flat area on the topo, unusual between two steep hills. I assume it's a swamp and was very excited to check it out. Per what i've learned here, rather than scout it during the day and disturbing things, I set up an observation post tonight about 300 yards from the bottom corner of the field closest to what I think is the swamp bottom. 30 min before dark, sure enough, a 150+ 10 point strolled up out. I managed to belly crawl out of the field avoiding alerting any of the deer in it. Wind was perfect.

Here's the question, I get that I shouldn't go setup a stand until the day I want to hunt it. So that means that I shouldn't got scouting any of that section of the property and leave it sight unseen until hunting time, correct? Should I even risk doing a few more observation evenings closer to season?

Also, with this line of thinking, i.e. 1st sits and no disturbance, is day scouting for beds when bucks are likely to be in them only smart during the late winter and spring? If you've made it to late summer without scouting you've hosed yourself?

Sorry for the long post. Just excited and don't want to decrease my chances.

At this point in the game, your best shot is to wait and set up the day you hunt. If your sure you can observe without getting busted, I would do more observations. Things can change before the opener. One thing I noticed on private land, especially sitting on Andreas managed farm watching the bucks from the house. We go set up tons of cameras and watch, the 1st night the bucks come past the cameras and you get pic's but they get a little edgy, and from then on they go way out of there way to avoid the cameras and circle down wind of them. You wouldn't know this without seeing it from a distance, but it just shows how the bigger bucks notice everything you do. Putting up a stand now, in my opinion will alert older bucks and change there pattern. Those perm stands should be set in spring / winter and left, or the day you hunt it the 1st time. The small deer will make mistakes and give a lot of people a false sense that there setting up right.
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Re: The importance of first time sits

Unread postby stafford8788 » Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:57 am

Well, I'm remorseful but well see what happens. I had off today and thought if I was going to hang a stand the sooner the better. I just hung one right on the corner of the field 75 100 yards above the swamp. Did not venture into the woods at all. Hopefully minimal disturbance since the farmer is in the field often and 1.5 months till season. I'll observe again a few more times and see if I see the big boys again in that corner. I hope so; too late to go back now.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm sure I'll need more guidance. Saving up for a mobile setup.


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