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Author
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Topic: time on stand
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 02, 2003 04:18 PM
Are you flexible, or are you rigid?
Do you make twenty minute stands, no matter what?
Do you go by gut instinct, break it off early if it ain't working for you?
Do you keep a schedule, like three stands per hour?
Do you hunt all day?
Do you automatically extend a stand for ten additional minutes, right after you have one down? And for each additional animal?
Do you stay on stand longer, in the middle of the day?
Do you change your routine, if it looks like it holds a few cats?
Do you ever wait in total silence, after calling for ten or fifteen minutes?
Do you like to return to the same stand where you have had recent success? For as long as they keep coming?
~In short,
pick out anything that perks your interest. Share a few insights into how you think; how you manage your day, your hunt, your stand.
The good thing is; there's no wrong answers. Don't be afraid to speak up.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31473 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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yotecaller
Knows what it's all about
Member # 179
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posted July 02, 2003 04:44 PM
I tend to stay on a stand for 20 minutes to a half hour.If I am calling them in I stay until they stop comeing in.If I am targetting cats I like to stay for an hour or more.If I am working a ranch that is haveing trouble I have had days that I would be on a stand for more than 2 hours.If I am baiting I have had times that I was on one stand all day.But it all boils down to how you feel in each spot that you are calling and the time of year.
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May God be with You.
Posts: 28 | From: NH | Registered: Apr 2003
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Lonny
PANTS ON THE GROUND
Member # 19
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posted July 02, 2003 04:52 PM
Leonard,
I like to think I'm flexible but in reality I'm pretty rigid. I like to stay at the minimum 20-22 minutes. Later in the winter I'll go 25 minutes or more. When the snow gets deeper I'll sit a few extra minutes also. Most of the time if there is going to be action for me it takes place in the first 15 minutes. I am rewarded by the late comers often enough to stay the few extra minutes though. Every once in awhile I just get that "feeling" I need to stay a little longer. The terrain will dictate how long I spend on stand also. Some places the sound just won't carry as far and the extra time is usually wasted.
Due my schedule I'm mainly a morning caller. Some mornings just 3-5 stands before I need to get back. I'll call whenever time permits though. I always have a plan on what stands I'm going to hit and in what order. Sometimes I almost stick to my daily plan too well and I should be more flexible.
Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted July 02, 2003 05:30 PM
Leonard, another good one. I guess it all depends what part of the country you're hunting and what you are hunting for. If I'm hunting coyotes in some of the southwestern hot spots and nothing shows up in 10 or 12 min, time to find a new spot. If animals are coming in, why move? Thats how guys get doubles , triples and more. Taking cats does not always mean spending 1/2 hr or even an hr on a stand. If you can hunt them at night, thats the way to go. I don't spend that long on cats at night maybe 15 min because you normally pick up there eyes as they are on the sneak and sometimes they come in like a hungry coyote. If the animals are not on the move, nothing you can do is going to get them to answer your call. I think a guy is wasting his time making long stands, if they are hungry they well come. The average coyote answers a call withen 10 min, so way waste your time on one that ain't hungry. You may be able to get him to answer in 45 min, but I could have made 4 stands by that time. Thats the way I do it where I hunt and it's worked good when they are moving. There are so many things that could be said about this, but it all comes down to what works best for you....... Good Hunting.
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Rich
2,000th post PAKMAN
Member # 112
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posted July 02, 2003 05:58 PM
My main target critter is usually the coyote. I am mostly one of those guys who stays on one stand for about 15-20 minutes on average. I say "about", because I never look at my dang watch. If I call in a coyote right away and kill it, I will stay at least five or ten more minutes. I have killed as many as three coyotes on one stand that came in one at a time and I have done this several different times. When calling here close to home (Iowa), I like to hit my first stand a first light in the morning, and am usually headed for lunch or something by 9:30 A.M. I lke the last hour or two before dark also, but that time is my second choice.
If I travel down to texas which is over 700 miles one way, I pretty much call all day long. I do take time for an afternoon nap though. Us old guys need that nap. I never stick around on stand very long after I stop calling, but let me say this---- I have thought for years now that a man could pick up several more coyotes by hanging around silently for 15 minutes or more like Leonard asks about. I believe that a lot of coyotes come in after I leave, just to check out my scent and take a dump right where I had been sitting. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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If you call the coyotes in close, you won't NEED a high dollar range finder.
Posts: 2854 | From: Iowa | Registered: Feb 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 02, 2003 06:34 PM
Just a "for instance"; night stands in Nevada where I can usually see at least a half a mile, I make seven minute stands.
Arizona, morning stands/twelve minutes, seldom more.
When it warms up a bit, 10 A.M. or so, I usually stretch my stands to about twenty minutes.
I like to add ten minutes to a stand, from the point of the kill. If I kill another one three minutes later, I add ten minutes from that point. (peaking of daylight stands) At night, I "might" extend my stand five minutes, after dumping one.
I try to keep a tight schedule, don't waste any time.
I stop when it looks gamey, or every half mile, regardless. If they are really running good in an area, I might just go a quarter mile between stands, but I generally do not make longer stands, just because I killed one on the previous two stands.
I space out my day stands (distance) a lot more than night stands. When they are running strong.
If I haven't picked up an animal in a couple hours, I might drive twenty miles. I'm a firm believer in hot areas, and dead areas; but six hours later, the reverse might be true. You never know.
This is just a little peak at some of the things I do and the reason I do it, (for example) even if it's just my intuition working?
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31473 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted July 02, 2003 07:53 PM
I'll begin by agreeing with Danny that location and region play a big part in how long a guy probably sits. One of the big differences between where I call compared to you desert rats is the continuity of habitat. Where you guys may have mile after square mile of good habitat for calling, my area is generally cropfields bordered by weedy fencerows, hedgerows, juxtaposed pastures, creeks, mile roads, and an occasional river. Whereas the desert area is 100% habitat, my total area may only actually have 10-20 percent (liberally estimated)of the real estate suitable for hiding a bedded coyote. So, when I set up, I can pretty much pinpoint where the coyote is likely to be simply because the cover there will hide him and I don't expect him to pop up in a field of 1-inch tall winter wheat. Therefore, a lot of the time, when I set up to call, I'm calling to a specific 1-2 acre (max)spot, versus calling across miles of good county. So, having said that, here's what I tend to do, depending upon my mood that day. (I hunt primarily in the a.m. because of life and family) Early season, I'll set up and call for 10-15 minutes at the most. With young of the year coyote around, I usually see 80% of my responses within the first 5 minutes, and of those, 80% show up in the first 2. As the season progresses and the survivors get smarter and fewer, I'll extend my stands. Call for about ten minutes. Wait about fifteen in silence. I may just call for a minute or two then wait. Just like to mix it up. I've seen a lot of gun shy coyotes show up several minutes after I shut up, sneaking in hoping to get scraps without having to fight for them, I guess. One strategy I want to try out in areas with a lot of calling pressure is to set-up and call from one spot, then relocate to a vantage point from which I can see where I was sitting before. I've seen lots of cases where I've gone back to a setup and found tracks on my footprints from a coyote sneaking in after the fact and checking me out. I think it would be interesting to set that coyote up by calling from point A, then relocating to point B on the hill and just wait for him to sneak in.
One thing I adopted this past season from another caller was to secure an old wrist watch around the stock of my rifle so the face is on the right side of the butt stock (I shoot left handed) where I can see it easily while sitting on my stand. That side of the stock is facing me the whole time and I can mark my start time and make sure I stay on stand a decent amount of time. You know how time just flies when they aren't biting?!?!?
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5438 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Wiley E
Knows what it's all about
Member # 108
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posted July 02, 2003 08:58 PM
Excellent post Lance!
Especially the part about the value of silence in certain situations. I do the same thing. In some situations silence is the best call for the reasons you mentioned, competition!
How long to stay on a stand?
Depends on:
1. topography as Lance pointed out.
2. How far sound is carrying.
3. How many places I want to call that day.
4. How sure I am that there is coyotes in the area
5. How much I feel they are moving depending on weather, food, deer hunting pressure, etc.
6. Whether I located any coyotes or not.
7. How strong the wind is blowing.
8. How lazy I am.
I will say without a doubt that most times I get impatient and I think I miss some coyotes as a result.
Copy/Paste time just for Vic!
1. Are you flexible, or are you rigid?
Flexible
2. Do you make twenty minute stands, no matter what?
Nope
3. Do you go by gut instinct, break it off early if it ain't working for you?
See above variables
4. Do you keep a schedule, like three stands per hour?
No but in most situations I stay 15 minutes
5. Do you hunt all day?
Only during competition hunts
6. Do you automatically extend a stand for ten additional minutes, right after you have one down? And for each additional animal?
Nah, usually I am just dealing with 3 or 4 coyotes in the area.
7. Do you stay on stand longer, in the middle of the day?
No, "USUALLY" less time because coyotes do not like to move much during the middle of the day if the weather is warm. If a system is moving in or out, that changes the rules.
8. Do you change your routine, if it looks like it holds a few cats?
Absolutely I'll stay 20 - 30 minutes.
9. Do you ever wait in total silence, after calling for ten or fifteen minutes?
Many times, as Lance pointed out there is a number of times when silence is the best call due to cautious coyotes that have either been educated or recently had the sh*t kicked out of them.
10. Do you like to return to the same stand where you have had recent success? For as long as they keep coming?
That would depend on the time of year. If immigration is heavy and this is a major travel route then yes. If immigration has slowed and I have removed the locals than probably not.
Good questions Leonard!
~SH~
Posts: 853 | From: Kadoka, S.D | Registered: Feb 2003
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted July 02, 2003 10:23 PM
Just excellent! Another thread to print and save in the Camp Ludricous files. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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John/Alaska
Knows what it's all about
Member # 25
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posted July 03, 2003 08:47 AM
Interesting thread!
From my perpective in Interior Alaska - Coyotes are usually incidental here as there are not many if any around in the areas where I hunt. Mostly red fox, lynx & wolf but there is those occassional coyotes so I'll just use Leonard's "format" to respond:
1. Flexible or Rigid? Flexible. Depends on terrain & snow conditions, weather and how far I think my "authentic" sounding mouth call is carrying.
2. 20 Minutes stands no matter what? No, mood & temperature dictates. It can be 30 below. Rarely is it above zero when I'm calling. I do watch the time though. When my toes freeze the stand is toast no matter how short the time.
3. Gut Instinct? Yes see above. Some times it is just dead. I mean absolutely no wildlife moving not even the birds! If I see bou then usully things are good. If nothing then usually short stands and a short day. Still haven't figured out the why of that.
4. Keep a schedule? No, but usually two stands and then I get warmed up. Depends if I have my truck or sno go.
5. Hunt all day? All day can be less then 4 hours here. So yes at times depending on weather, time of year and time available.
6. Stay extra time when an animal is down? Depends on mood or feel and animal down.
7. Longer stands in middle of the day? Usually no.
8. Change routine for cats? Yes, If I "feel" a lynx is out there I'll stay longer. But not too much extra time. Fox are shorter stands, wolf longer and cats in between.
9. Total silence? Yes! Most definetly if I "feel" that some thing is out there. Especially with wolf. Also noticed that it works well for the few coyotes that may be around.
10. Return to the same stand? Yes.
Also a factor in the amount of time spent is getting into a stand area undetected. Waiting for things to settle down. Can be difficult when there is lots of snow. A sno go just ain't quiet.
Posts: 62 | From: Tok Alaska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Krustyklimber
prefers the bunny hugger pronunciation: ky o tee
Member # 72
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posted July 03, 2003 06:11 PM
Don't be afraid to speak up.
Nope,
I am still afraid.
Jeff 
[ July 03, 2003, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: Krustyklimber ]
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Think about how stupid the average person is, then realize that half of them are stupider than that!
Posts: 1912 | From: Deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia | Registered: Jan 2003
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted July 03, 2003 06:35 PM
Most of my stands go 15-20 minutes probably. Some don't last but 5.
If I think there are cats in the area, I may hold still for 30 minutes.
The only time I call all day is when I am with someone who has traveled a long way to hunt, then I call as long as they want to hunt, or it gets dark, which ever comes first.
Normally, by 10 am I am done and headed for the house. If I drop an animal, I call for another 5 minutes at least.
One of my most memorable stands, I had coyotes come in every five minutes. I missed one and only had five bullets for the rifle. I had to shoot the last one with my pistol.
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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howler
Knows what it's all about
Member # 197
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posted July 03, 2003 09:44 PM
I sit a stand for 30 to 35 minutes, I look at my watch every stand and when I see a coyote I check how long it took him to respond, last year the 17 minute mark was the golden time, had most show at 17 minutes, give or take 30 seconds. I don't know why it just seemed to work out that way, I have been doing this for a few years and the year B4 it seemed that if they didn't show up with in 5 minutes then I had to wait till 20 to 25 minutes, If I shoot a coyote I like to wait another 10 minutes unless I have to take more than 2 shots then I leave when the smoke clears (a few minutes), I like to hunt all day but sometimes the weather says I can't, Hunting all day really isn't all that long, January the sun is up by 8am and is setting by 4pm A hunt all day long in August is a long long hunt
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Powder River let'r Buck
Posts: 53 | From: Glasgow, Montana | Registered: May 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted July 04, 2003 12:41 PM
This topic is interesting to me. I mainly hunt in the southwest and I have never spent a 1/2 hour on a stand (with the exception of when multibles are responding). I didn't see the need for it because coyotes usually respond very quickly, within minutes. As I read these posts, I'm begining to wonder if animals respond differently in different parts of the country. I have hunted in places where the predators are so thick they compete for food with vigor. They are at your door almost as soon as you make a noise. Maybe it's animal density. I'm sure if I spent 30 minutes on a stand, I'd call in a few more animals. However, I'd kill more if I made more stands, I know that for a fact. I might add that most of the bobcats and gray fox I've taken responded almost as fast as the coyotes, some faster. Of course I do some of my hunting at night, that may have something to do with it, Good Hunting.
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted July 04, 2003 01:22 PM
I'm kinda flexibly rigid in as much as I do a lot of the same things on most stands but I will modify or change technique due to changes in weather or the way the coyotes are or are not running that day. I use a watch on my stands simply to assure that I don't get impatient and cut a stand short that showed signs of good potential. Since body count means nothing to me I will work a stand for 45 minutes and longer if I am sure a coyote is hearing me. Learning what it takes to override their reluctance to approach the stand and then doing it trips my trigger like the pop and flop used to. When LKVL visited last month we set up one ridge over from a den site. Still it took 23 minutes for that coyote to appear on the crest of the ridge and took 5 minutes for it to cover the last 100 yards down the hill. We usually hunt dark to dark except summer when 115 degrees will cook the fun out of a stand. We usually knock off at around noon then. In Mo I would drive 80 miles to call on a 40 acre farm. Three 45 minute stands 100 or so yards apart were the norm. Ater the last stand I would always continue to sit quietly for a half hour or so and watch the crows and the squirrels that always showed up. Coyotes would sneak in along the fence row to check out the source of the commotion often enough that I would remain alert rather than doze off. Everything changes with seasons and habitat and so do my stands.
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Greenside
seems to know what he is talking about
Member # 10
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posted July 05, 2003 07:46 AM
I very seldom look at my watch. If I had to guess, I'd say an average stand would be in the 15 minute range. Probably as many less as there is longer than 15 minutes. For me it's not uncommon to spend more time walking to and from a setup than the time spent calling.
Dennis
Posts: 719 | From: IA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 05, 2003 10:06 AM
Hmmm, I see another question there, Dennis. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31473 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Terry Hunter
Knows what it's all about
Member # 58
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posted July 06, 2003 03:21 PM
Almost all my stands are 15 minutes.90 % of the coyotes respond in about 3 minutes.When I take a coyote then I will call a few more minutes.Which will extend the stand to 15 minutes.A coyote can cover a lot of ground in 15 minutes.Why call longer move to the next stand.
Posts: 132 | From: N. Middle Tennessee | Registered: Jan 2003
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Az-Hunter
Hi, I'm Vic WELCOME TO THE U.S. Free baloney sandwiches here
Member # 17
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posted July 06, 2003 03:51 PM
Im very flexible in my calling procedures, and always go by gut instinct, never utilizing a timer. My stand will last between 5 to 20 minutes depending on what occurs. If I hunt close to home, I usually break it off around 11 am, if I make a run some distance from home to good hunting area, I stay all day, hunting in am, then taking a siesta till maybe 3 pm and resume the hunt. If solunar tables suggest hunting will be good in the middle of the day, then thats the time frame I'll hunt in instead of crawling under truck to gobble a burrito and read the paper. Generally if I call a coyote or coyotes and kill, I continue to call for additional 2-5 minutes. I don't change tactics in hopes of collecting a cat, if I want to hunt cats, I go to cat country. As far as waiting in silence after calling, I usually sit for 3 or 4 minutes before going out to gather up the caller and move on. If I have a particularly hot area that has been giving up coyotes, you bet, I'll call it repeatedly till it dries up, then give it a rest for several weeks to see if any newcomers have moved in.
~Az-Hunter~
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" Some people fail to plan, others plan to fail"
Posts: 1630 | From: 5 miles west of Tim | Registered: Jan 2003
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