What's on your mind?

[Sailfish]

Sitting in your stand, stalking through the wood......other than "where is he", what goes through your mind?
Have you ever thought about it?

I'll come home and my wife will ask me this, and my answer 90%+ of the time is .........nothing.
I don't solve any dilemma's, work out problems or figure out my kids' college tuition when the day comes........mostly i'm sort of blank (outside the task at hand of course)

What about you?

[xmatax]

Mine can range from a lot of different things but usually I don't remember any specifics about what I thought while in the stand...

-I sing songs in my mind
-I do math problems in my mind
-I try to play through my head scenarios of deer walking into the set
-I will think about what I want for dinner
-I try to pattern the wind blowing through the leaves to predict when a gust will come
-I close my eyes and focus on sounds to try to pinpoint locations and how far distance wise they are away from me

I don't know...It's all so random and like I said...Usually I forget specifics by the time I walk out of the woods with regards to what I was thinking about in the first place so to me I'm at peace if it doesn't matter enough for me to remember it on a 15 - 20 minute walk out of the woods.

[Ohio farms]

Good question Sailfish. While sitting in the stand 95% of the time I'm focused on the task at hand. Straining to hear and see sound or movement, along with taking in the beauty of the woods and all the other wildlife around me. The other 5% has to do with lunch, the discomfort of sitting all day in the cold and my bladder. I really do try to leave, as they say, all my cares and woes behind.
Many years ago my sister in law asked my brother and I, "What do you two talk about all day deer hunting? " Our response was, "We say good luck" in the morning, and "Did you see anything?" at the end of the day. Unlike goose and duck hunting, where you can enjoy each other's company during the hunt, with deer hunting you had better enjoy your own company because you spend long hours with yourself. I might just enjoy that the most sometimes.

[Woods Walker]

"I'll come home and my wife will ask me this, and my answer 90%+ of the time is .........nothing.
I don't solve any dilemma's, work out problems or figure out my kids' college tuition when the day comes........mostly i'm sort of blank (outside the task at hand of course)"

Congratulations! You are doing it right! It's exactly these kind of things that we go into the woods to get away from in the first place!

My best days hunting are when I'm "in the zone", where I've separated myself from time, my past, and my future. I'm simply just in the moment. It doesn't always happen that way, but when it does it's like being in another state of consciousness. And it's addictive!

[Deebz]

yeah, I'm mostly trying to not think about anything...

I sometimes think about plans for upcoming lessons in school, issues I'm having with friends/wife, or other immediate concerns... but if I'm really doing it right by the end of my sit I'm just enjoying watching the birds and squirrels (or deer, of course!) and enjoying being just another bump in a tree out in the timber.

A lot of times I will close my eyes and focus on the sounds around me, and try to visualize what i'm hearing. I've been able to get to know individual birds and squirrels this way at some of my favorite stands.

[Everyday Hunter]

A good question. It seems that when we become the predator, we're thinking mostly about our prey. The mind of the distracted predator works out problems, dreams, plans, and meditates. Those are the days when I really don't care whether I kill anything or not. Maybe I'd even rather not. The mind of the fully focused predator is on his prey, and what it will take to kill it. Both can result in something positive.

Steve.

[kellory]

I listen to books on my phone, by bluetooth. keeps me alert, silent, and can be on nearly any subject. westerns, navel battles, sailing ships, but no mysteries. (i want to keep my focus outward) Eyes keep scanning, always. shuts off with a single push button. I have 4 complete books on my phone right now with room for a few more. At least 100 hours stored right now. It's very peaceful.

[Sierra]

Good question. It's not until a couple of hours in that I have to put a leash on a wandering mind. I am pretty excited to be in the moment when I show up and it's dark and silent. It's nice to watch the day wake up, and the birds start, and see things begin moving. Eventually I start to think about home, work, etc and I take a bit to consciously push it out of my mind. Can't solve anything but a lack of meat in the freezer whence sitting on a stand, so no point in worries. I am out there, as we all are, to enjoy BEING out there. So I just remind myself of that. Once I get to my "place" I am really not thinking too much, rather anticipating.

A failed attempt at this is sitting in a stand worrying about a release (software) or something, and kicking myself later.

[Ohio farms]

Woods W quote
"My best days hunting are when I'm "in the zone", where I've separated myself from time, my past, and my future. I'm simply just in the moment."

That's exactly IT. How often can we "stay in the moment" for any length of time in our daily life? It cleans the soul to be there.

[Woods Walker]

"Cleans the soul"....yes...I like that! Very well put!