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How much movement in a stand is acceptable?

1.2K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  Houdini  
#1 ·
I'm sitting about 15-16 ft. up in a climber with a little cover around me, not much but some. I try to be as still as possible, but occasionally I have to move a leg to keep it from falling asleep or something. Sometimes I'll grab a drink out of my bottle or scratch under my cap. Is this acceptable?

I know you should limit movement at all cost, but a man can't be a statue for hours at a time. Where do you draw the line?
 
#2 ·
I try to keep movement to a minimum, but if i have to get a drink, etc, my main goal is slow and quiet. Hasn't seemed to hamper my hunting at all, and I tend to always take drinks, and even a sandwich with me for long hunts.
 
#3 ·
I slap mosquitos, scratch, lean over to spit, grab my water bottle, etc. I don't know how many deer bust me that I don't see, but I kill a few. I like calm mornings with dry leaves so i can hear them coming and therefore get still, because as a rule I cannot be a statue. i hunt 20-25 feet high.
 
#6 ·
I usually dont think about being like a statue. I take a leak when I need to and get a drink If i need to.
If its wet and the deer wont make a sound then I try to limit my movement more. If its dry I realize I may get away with a little more movement because I have the luxury of being able to hear a deer before it gets to me.

The number one rule to remember when Bowhunting is this.....YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE YOUR TARGET BEFORE IT SEES YOU. If for some reasob your target sees you first...I think your chances of harvesting that animal cleanly have been drastically reduced.
 
#10 ·
If you hunt out of a high walled box stand with a little camo burlap covering most of the windows you can move all you want...!!
On a more serious note if I'm not in a box stand I try to look around pretty good before I move. Then it's slow and easy....I think the sudden quick movements is what gets them lookin
 
#11 ·
You can move all you want when a deer isn't looking at you or where they can see you, Sometimes you just don't see them coming and they bust you. I think it helps to try and make all of your movements slow. If you don't make jerky motions you blend in better.
 
#12 ·
I agree with several of the answers given here. However, some deer I have been able to get away with anything and be okay. Then there's the others, the older, wiser, lets say skittish deer, there's a reason they got that old to begin with. They spend their entire lives trying to survive the next 5 seconds, in my opinion, they are harder to harvest and harder to move on.
 
#15 ·
That's a question you can only find the answer to with experience. It depends on how much cover you have, the age of the deer, hunting pressure, and the time of year. Early in the year deer aren't as skittish as they are late in the year after they've been shot at for months so they don't tend to spook quite as easily. You can get away with more on young deer too. I've had fawns walk up to 30 or 40 yards and watch me hang my stand. Early in the year you have more cover to hide your movements and sounds. Late in the year when all the leaves are gone and the weather is colder your movements will not only be seen easier, but any sounds you make will be heard easier since sound travels better in cold air and there aren't any leaves to absorb the sound. Good luck!
 
#18 ·
Yes slowly for example if you hear the leaves crunching behind you instead of whipping your head and body around to look you turn your head really slow hoping whatever it is doesn't see you. If you move fast they almost always see you. I try to always do any movements as slow as I can on a stand for those times when a deer is close enough to see me and I can't see them.
 
#19 ·
Yes slowly for example if you hear the leaves crunching behind you instead of whipping your head and body around to look you turn your head really slow hoping whatever it is doesn't see you. If you move fast they almost always see you. I try to always do any movements as slow as I can on a stand for those times when a deer is close enough to see me and I can't see them.
Let's assume you hear something that's outside of your peripheral vision... I like Buck-Ridge's advice but would add one thing. With patience you'll learn to time your movements with the sounds. Deer love to take a step or two and then glance, repeat. There senses are best when they're standing still. If you're hearing intermittent noise... time your move with the noise, much less likely for them to see or hear you. Now can I practice what I preach???:shrug: