Watching birds from the stand

[Chuck Jones]

I sat over 6 hours today in a tree stand. Had over a dozen does and fawns filter by and 1 small buck. Also had a flock of more than 10 Northern Flickers, (yellowhammers)surround me in my tree. One of them had spotted me, and raised a big stink about it. The others all came to help him cuss me out. I've never seen that many yellowhammers in one group, and never seen them behave that way. Interesting day.

[ChuckC]

Had a great day in UP MI last week.  One afternoon, a band of Chickadees did the same, surrounding me.  One landed on my upright bow tip and one was on my arrow several times during the fuss.  I was certainly wishing I was a pro dude with a camera man there for those shots.  It was really cute to see.  I like chickadees.  Also had several warblers near by, a flicker and a nuthatch within several feet.

Then... there are the blue jays. . .  nuff said

gotta love it
ChuckC

[Easykeeper]

I like bird watching in the stand too.  Like Chuck said, sit quiet and the little guys will land all around you, even on your gear.  

The last couple weeks woodcock have been moving through, they are really goofy/cool critters to watch.

[woodchucker]

I had Tyler out a couple weeks ago,and we had a bunch of Chickadees in the trees around us,close enough to touch... He just sat there,stone still, simply amazed!! After they flew off, he just couldn't stop talking about how AWESOME it was!!!!

This year has been a GREAT year for us!!! We've had squirrels & chipmunks in the blind with us. Hawks, Bluejays, and Woodpeckers in the trees around us. Now, If I could just get the deer to cooperate.....  

[ron w]

This is what makes the whole thing special to me. I had a Pileated Woodpecker stop to get a drink in the creek I was next to....really cool! Had a squirrel in my ground blind yesterday.......I could have grabbed him, big fella to......LOL!

[long time archer]

Had a small owl light on a grape vine in front of me and just sit there swiveling its head in all kinds of angles to check out the big blob on the side of the tree in front of it. That was cool. You just never know what you'll see while on stand.

[DEATHMASTER]

I take a small amount of seed with me and place it on a log close by. The birds find it very quick and gives me many hours of enjoyment in the woods watching birds and other critters.

[Kevin Winkler]

Originally posted by DEATHMASTER:
I take a small amount of seed with me and place it on a log close by. The birds find it very quick and gives me many hours of enjoyment in the woods watching birds and other critters.

Great idea Tim. I'll have to put some in a ziplock the next time I head to the woods.

[SELFBOW19953]

I had 3 vultures sit above me in a huge oak this morning.  I'm leery of big birds sitting or flying over me, and since the tree was to big too shake (to make them leave), I decided I would leave.

[cuboodle]

Had my bow across the rail on my lap last week a chickadee landed on my limb to my left it sat there for a about 10 seconds cool happenings that don't happen sitting on the couch

[Fletcher]

Yeah, the birds can add a lot to a sit.  Earlier this season I had a Carolina wren perch on the armrest of my ladder stand and this last weekend a red bellied woodpecker landed on the tree about three feet up from me.  When I looked up he gave me the stink eye and left.

[SELFBOW19953]

Funny story about owls.  A number of years ago, I was hunting from a tree stand along a trail through a stand of pines.  About sundown, I heard what sounded like antlers bumping into a tree limb and thought to myself "Game on!!"  I had my bow ready, not moving anything but my eyes trying to find the deer.  Suddenly, there was this VERY loud scream right behind me.  I knew that IT had me.  I yelled like a 10 year old school girl and nearly jumped off my stand-I was harnessed in or I might have made it.  I turned around and there was a screech owl about 3 feet from me (apparently they'll click their beaks to warn off intruders-the antlers on the tree sound, I think).  When I got my heart rate back down, I fumbled around for my camera, but the bird flew away.  I packed up my stuff and left-I'm sure I scared off any deer within a mile.

[b.glass]

I had cardinals, robins, blackcapped chickadees, a woodpecker, blue jays, gold finch, a couple different kind of sparrow (pretty ones with black and white stripped head), and maybe some wrens near my stand yesterday. Sure helped the time to pass have seen no deer.

I often have hawks or owls land near me. I had a tufted titmouse land on my arrow once.

While hunting I saw a screech owl come out of a hollow tree and perch on the edge of the opening. There was also a squirrel running around. When the squirrel jumped on the side of the hollow tree the little owl bent his head way down to look at him. You had to be there, it was so cute.