Sitting still in the woods

As near as I can tell after a whole bunch of years of critter-watching, Different = Bad Thing.

Critters are horizontal. People are vertical--and that's different. So, when seated by a bush or tree, you aren't different.
 
If I'm on the ground, I like to be at the base of a tree. Not just to fool the animals, but to protect my back from careless hunters. I am mindful of where I may be shooting, but I'm afraid not everyone is.
 
I've heard it said the best camouflage is learning to sit still. It's worked well for me over the years!
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I agree with this one. I dont wear cammo but as I get older I get much better at sitting still. I feel I am much more successful now than I was as a kid or young man.
 
Best of both worlds, wear camo and sit still. Maybe I get a bit carried away but I always wear a face net, I firmly believe that the skins shines like a mirror in the sun so I cover it and it even helps keep the skeeters off when its warm and when its cold I wear a fleece face cover...
 
I know of the importance of sitting still. I was wondering what techniques some of you use to accomplish it.

Tomorrow is the final day of the PA antlered deer season. My son and I are going to sit in a ground blind tomorrow. The ground blind will be a 1st for both of us.
 
The ground blind is a great idea. It will mask alot of your movements and odors. If it is not already up just make sure when you put it up it is as inconspicuous as possible, DO NOT put it up on the edge of a field place it among the trees, deer do notice things that are out of place. JMHO
 
The blind has been up since before the start of archery in September. I have permission from the hunter that owns it to use it tomorrow. It sits near a very small stream in a stand of trees sandwiched between 2 cut cornfields.
 
Probably the most important part of sitting still is to be comfortable. A sitting-pad. Some sort of back support at a comfortable angle.

Then, just think. Past girlfriends. People you know. Ideas, whether home maintenance or politics. The hard part of being still is boredom, and thinking alleviates this.

There is also something called "hunter's doze". You're not asleep but you're not fully alert. More than once I've come out of this and seen a buck not far away. No idea how, but it's been halfway regular.
 
A good example of sitting still and no camouflage worked for me this year in Montana. My Daughter and Son In Law invited my wife and I to go on vacation with them to Montana. One of the things we were planning on doing was a little Prairie Dog shooting. Jake tells me if I want to go coyote hunting to feel free to use his UTV so I take him up on the offer. I get up early I was up before first light every morning, so one morning I grab my AR jump in the buggie and head out. I go to a large rock cropping I spotted on previous days excursions with Jake. I stash the UTV in a cluster of pine trees, grab my rifle and start walking East along the base of the rocks. I find the spot I want to make my hide, gently re-arrange some pine needles for a good comfortable seat, sit down and lean back against the big rocks. I was so comfortable it was like sitting in my recliner at home. I take the two mouth calls out of my AR grip where I had them stored and prepared to start calling after sitting there for about 20 minutes. After blowing my first dying rabbit sequence less the 10 minutes there's a coyote coming in at a trot Northeast of me, he stops 125 yards out and starts scanning the aera where I'm sitting looking for his free breakfast. I didn't move my rifle into position for the shot until he looked to the East, even then I did so slowly. I get my sight picture thru the scope squeeze the trigger and the first coyote is down. I know from previous experience to not jump up right away so I sit still, blow another short sequence and here comes another coyote to my East. He stops 40 yards from me trying to spot his free meal, there's no way I can move he's looking right at my direction. He stands there for the longest time trying to figure where the dying rabbit is then decides to do some hunting on the rock cropping I'm sitting against. When he gets out of sight I slowly stand to try and see him, there he is about 100 yards out looking South. From my position I can't get a good safe shot at him so I let him walk away. I hadn't planned on doing any coyote calling so I had no camouflage clothing with me, I was dressed in a black hoodie, blue jeans and a tan cap neither coyote ever saw me and I was sitting in plain view. I just smiled, thought to myself yep the best camouflage is sitting still.
 
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There is also something called "hunter's doze". You're not asleep but you're not fully alert.
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In driving, it is highway hypnosis.
In school, it is called daydreaming.
As a teenager, we called is spacing out or zoning out.
In psychology, it is called disassociation.
 
It was a brisk morning with temps in the high teens. Being in the blind helped marginally with staying warm. We each had a chair to sit in so we were relatively comfortable. I have to say, I didn't like the limited views offered by the blind and the screens were velcroed in so there was no quiet way to open the windows for a shot.
That being said, we saw a huge buck. My son couldn't see him at 1st. I had him in my sights. He was close, probably 40 yards away, but in some high thick grass/brush. I could only see 1/2 a rack. It was thick at the base. Not sure if he only had a 1/2 rack or if I just couldn't make out the other half. Problem was I could only see him from the neck up and when I spotted him, and he wasn't moving. I didn't shoot. Didn't have a clear shot and didn't want to take my son's 1st buck out from under him. We stared each other down for what seemed like about 30 seconds then he ran. Once he ran, my son saw him, but because of the trees and the moving target, he didn't take a shot. We spotted a couple doe later while walking, but no more buck.

We didn't get a deer, but that's ok. The buck got us both excited. I'm really glad he at least saw a buck and it was big. Last week he said if he didn't see any deer this season he was going to retire.:rolleyes: after seeing the buck, we started talking about what we're going to do differently next year and where we're going to do it.:) I'm thinking about a 2 seat ladder stand for next year. I much prefer the advantage being elevated. Better views and safer shots. The boy made me proud today in some of the little things he did and that he didn't give up after failing to bag a deer.
 
GarandTd I have been wondering all day about you and your son's success for the day..You had a big buck close so you had done a few things right. It is a learning curve and you are going in the right direction. Preseason scouting, new stand. You will do much better next season..Congrats on seeing a biggie!!!!!
 
You and your son went hunting together! You both saw a nice buck! You got the juices flowing.
Success does not require pulling the trigger.

Sometimes its a greater success to not shoot.For whatever your private reason is.

I respect that you decided seeing one antler was not an acceptable shot.

Consider the guy who ties what he can for a load on his packframe to carry it out. True,its rather dumb to tie antlers on the top of your pack frame during deer season,but you get my point.

You did good. Congratulations to you and your son.
Kids need Dads who do things like that
 
Actually, one antler is legal here with enough points, but I couldn't see his body or what way it was oriented. It just wasn't a clear shot for me. Also, I wanted him to have the shot. He's excited about next year and that is success.

Thank you to all for your tips, advice, and kind words. I do my best to parent my kids. It is as much a learning experience for me as it os for them. I just wish there was more of me to go around.
 
It can be fun and rewarding

I recall one evening deer hunt where I was sitting at the base of a small tree overlooking a wooded draw. I was in camo and wearing blaze orange. It started to snow and as time passed, the snow got heavier. I noticed movement at the top of the draw and soon, the top was lined with Turkeys. I then thought that this was going to be fun. I stared straight ahead and one by one, they started flying down to my location and landed. They started walking around me and I was a captive audience. Never did see a deer but when I walked out, I thanked God for the experience. ...... :)

I once heard that deer thinks that every man is just another tree and a Turkey thinks that every tree, is a man. I've been busted by more turkeys than deer but this time, I busted them. ...... :eek:

Enjoy and;
Be Safe !!!
 
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I'll never forget the buck I shot in my youth, but one hunt
always comes to mind and it was a meteor shower I witnessed @ age 12 or 13. I was in the hills near Kane in McKean County. 18 shooting stars I counted before sun-up. The reward is not always the quarry and neither is the memory.
 
I've had squirrels come down trees I was leaning against to paw and chatter at me. I've had mice run across my boots. I've had chickadees land on my nearby dead deer to peck off the fresh suet. I've had a chickadee land on the barrel of my rifle. I've had a bluejay land in the window of my popup blind. Turkeys, bobwhites and grouse trooping by. A huge golden moon setting through the bare trees. Meteor showers. Sitting still has never been a problem for me. There is just so much to be entertained and awed by!
 
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