What do you do While Hunting?

[Bowferd]

I've never stand hunted, but always stalked, and often drawn and alighned without the intention of flying an arrow. I consider the draw an exercise and rehearsal for what is to come. I want to be as loose and limber as possible when and if an opportunity is available. To me it seems the exercise of drawing and letting up during our cold weather works as a limbering effect, on the limbs of the body and the bow.

[Two Arrows]

I guess it depends on the circumstances at the time. When I am in the woods, I'm after whitetails 99% of the time, and when I am doing this I don't take shots at any other game, as it might screw up my deer hunting. I decide if I am going to take a shot at a deer probably within the first 5 to 10 seconds of seeing it. Before the season gets started, I set a standard for myself as far as if I am going to shoot a buck and how big of a buck am I after. If he is smaller than the standard I have set, I simply sit there and let the smaller buck educate me with his behavior and body language.

Same goes for does. If I decide beforehand that I am going to shoot a doe, I will first see if she is dry or if she has fawns that can fend for themselves if momma isn't around. If not, I just watch and learn from what they have to teach me.

Also, while on stand I try to determine why other animals act the way they do. Squirrels seem to be a hunter's advocate in many situations as do various birds.

I guess that if I wanted to hunt other creatures, I will, at another time when it doesn't infringe upon my deer hunting time.

[Walt Francis]

Shawn, PM returned

[Brian Krebs]

I have a game I play. As I spend a lot of my hunting spot and stalk; or just slowly walking through areas hunting- I take along a rubber blunt tipped arrow.
 I like to 'stump shoot'; that is shoot at flowers or stumps; or whatever is fair target - like a dirt hillside or even a cow chip.
 But when hunting; as in the situation you described; I will not move a muscle when a doe or small buck walks by- because there well could be a buck or whatever following it.
 If nothing legal comes along; or anything I want to shoot; then I wait until the animal has moved well off; then I shoot at something that it was next to when I thought I had my best shot at it.
 What this does; is gets you to see if you could have made the shot- if it was indeed an animal you wanted to shoot.
 I was once elk hunting and put a great stalk on a moose. It was a young bull; with one antler drooping down and one in the normal position.
 If I had a moose permit I would have shot it. I did not though. I watched that bull; and when it was in a perfect shot position that I could not miss ( in my mind) - I waited.
 The bull walked off a ways; and there was an uprooted tree right where that bull had been; and I took out my blunt arrow and shot the stump.
  The shot was perfect! If indeed I had one of the coveted tags; I would have filled it; and I felt really good about that.
  That's my game. You can do it with any animal; just wait until its safely out of the way; and that your arrow won't get too lost.
  You will find that sometimes your distance was off; or there were little branches in the way; or the wind was strong; or that dreaded gravity swell occurs on that spot.
  But its fun; and thats what it is supposed to be all about.
  By the way; when I was standing there feeling superior in everyway- for having made what would have been a killer shot- on what would have been a small but legal moose..... a huge huge bull walked out to my left at 6 or 7 yards and presented a perfect broadside shot... if I had a tag that day; and had shot the small bull; I would have been quickly humbled....
   ( as usual )     :rolleyes:        

[**DONOTDELETE**]

sit back and just watch them do their thing

[Bjorn]

I hunt by spot and stalk; and sometimes by ambush too........the still of the woods and undisturbed game is overwhelming, especially when it is all coming together.
And when the hogs aren't cooperating I will sneak on out of season deer and get up close, come to full draw and hold...never even felt the slightest temptation to release on what I am not legitemately hunting.