GMMAT

I got in my stand yesterday at 3:00. It was 94 degrees. I ATV'd to a reasonable distance to keep from sweating too much arriving.....but once on stand....I was leaking like a sprinkler.

I have to think I might be doing more harm than good about right now. Trying to hunt smart.....I DID go to a spot on the outside fringes of my good areas.....but I'm thinking I need to give it a rest on the hot days. It's just not fun....and I think I'm likely doing more harm than good.

What say ye?

RisnerPSE

I dont think so, when its that hot out the air is going to rise. My philosophy is you have to be there to have a chance. You never know when the big boy decides he wants to go for a lil strool.

GR8atta2d

How was deer movement yesterday in the heat? If they're not moving I wouldn't be in there.

GMMAT

Admittedly, GR8.....I was on the fringes of where I normally see a lot of deer movement. But.....I saw 9 deer Saturday morning (again....in a prime spot).....and 8 Saturday evening in a spot about 200 yds from my honey hole (in <2 hours).

Yesterday......5 hours on stand.....I saw 1 mama and 2 babies.

If I go in with this heat, again.....it'll be in a fringe spot. That, in and of itself, will keep the sightings down. I'm just not willing to risk stinking up my spots any more than I have to. I already did that Satuday trapesing through the woods for 9 hours.

I have some fringe spots to hunt......and as long as the temps are anywhere CLOSE to what they have been.....that's what I'll be utilizing.

bawanajim

You just be doing yourself more good by stying back and glassing on the hot days.Take notes 0n wind and travel patterns for later ,cooler evenings.

njbuck22

Jeff, i came to the same conclusion after i hunted this past sat afternoon when it was 92 in the afternoon. I did end up seeing a doe and a 4 point velvet buck right under my stand, but it was just too darn hot. I dont think ill be going out again till its in the low 70's. Just sitting there sweating isnt fun plus i must have been leaving scent all over the place.

GMMAT

Very good point, Bawana. I have a spot that I've rarely utilized.....that I can get some distance from and check movement. I may try to do this this afternoon. I can stink that spot (observation spot) up and not do any harm. Maybe I'll see Mr. Big (relative) utilizing a travel route I've not thought of. Who knows until I give it a try???

Thing is, though.....it would be nice to have a bow in hand even on an outskirt spot. The spot I'm speaking of......I can't hunt. I can observe from there, though.

manuman

Remaining undetected, now and later in the season is the real challenge to hunting. If you have to , as you are, stay at a distance and observe, then so be it. Hunting involves every aspect , from scouting preseason, postseason,in season,and doing some sitting during season that is primarily for observing an area, so you know where to set up later for the actuall kill. Many peopel equate 'hunting' as when we are solely intent on making a kill that particular time,but that is askewed perspective. It is one reason why so maay will pay an outfitter to increase their chances of taking a trophy. The outfitter has done 95% of teh hunting, and they get to pull the trigger, yet call themselves the 'hunter'. Many times because they don't really know how to actually 'hunt', all that goes into it as I mentioned, or don't have the time to or aren't willing to do teh real leg work involved. Sometimes we need to relax our desire to always have to see something or take something every time we are in the field, and enjoy the whole process--the whole challenge of what really 'hunting' is all about. You mentioned , in another thread, about the field journal, and the care and the analytical approach that you are taking with your hunts---that is exactly what and how we should all be doing. When we get to where teh kill is all important, or bragging rights, or it becomes an ego driven p;issing contest to beat our chest over, then we have lost something. We have lost the whole plot. Sorry for the long post--but I feel better now!

peakrut

Is your stand in a shady area? Or is it you just cannot stand the heat? For the heat supposably Under Armour works great. But if in a shady area I am hunting and the wind is right. My honey hole stand it can be upper 90's but that stand stays in the shade pretty much all day. The deer will be there I have my cam pics that also back this up.

GMMAT

I can put my stand anywhere I want to . And, yes....I choose shade!

Probably...lol.

Fraley....I know the deer are probably ther ein my honey hole. I'd just hate for the day I choose to go in there to be the day they skirt that area......and for me to leave a ton of scent in there, sweating.

In 94 degree heat (record high here, again, yesterday).....I sweat.