How Not to Entertain Yourself While in a Treestand
These days, it seems like most people pass the time while sitting in their treestand by cruising facebook or playing games of their smart phones. Though I have to admit that I too have fallen victim to the temptation of pulling out my phone to check the new posts or see if anyone has added any recent bow hunting kills to the archery talk facebook group. Clearly, I too am guilty of taking “selfies” while sitting in the stand as evidenced by the photo to the left. The key is to not to too wrapped up in technology because we tend to block out the rest of the world which pretty much defeats the purpose of being out in the woods to begin with. Do you know how to entertain yourself while in a treestand without your phone? I am lucky enough to have started hunting before the age of the smartphone and because of that, I have a few tricks that I use to stay alert while also keeping myself entertained in my stand.
Why It’s Important
The best camouflage is to simply be still. The problem is that it’s really hard to remain entertained and alert when you can’t move without the risk of spooking a deer. That being said, if anyone says they’ve never had a day where they were completely skunked, they are lying. Even still, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Spooking the only deer of the day is never fun. With so many ways to ruin your hunt, it’s important to find ways to entertain yourself that don’t involve movement or tuning out the real world. Both of those scenarios will lead to nothing but heartbreak as you watch your hit list buck scamper off because he pegged you in the stand.
How to Entertain Yourself While in a Treestand
Over the years, I’ve spent enough time in a treestand to be forced to come up with ways to entertain myself during the slow times. One thing that comes highly recommended all the time is reading. Now, while I never want to discourage someone from reading, I do have a word of caution if you decide to go this route. If you are reading anything that’s worth reading, your full attention span will be focused on what you’re reading and can lead to deer being right on top of you before you know they are there. On the flip side to that, because of how focused you are, you are also being extremely quiet and still, which is beneficial. It’s up to you to decide if the benefits outweigh the potential risks. Instead, I’ve chosen to search for deer within the landscape as a means of entertainment. There are a couple stands that I actually look forward to getting to in the fall to see if the landscape deer are still there. I’m sure we’ve all either done it or had it happen to us on accident. Finding deer within the landscape has become a great pass time for me even when I’m not in the stand.
Conclusion
Every method of treestand entertainment is going to come with it’s own set of draw backs as well as positive attributes. It’s important to keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for another. For some, reading a book is the best compromise. For others, playing games on their phone is the best way to pass the time. For me, it’s finding hidden deer within the scenery that keeps me stimulated and ready for when the next deer decides to grace me with it’s presence. That activity allows me to slowly move my head while leaving all other parts of my body completely still. Also, I am still focused on what’s going on around me so that a deer is less likely to sneak up without me noticing. For me, it’s the perfect blend of entertainment and focus. Happy Hunting!