OK, let's talk about this. How often is too often? You have a blind or a tree stand up in a prime spot.

How often will you use it?

I have a stand location in a perfect spot for rut hunting. I won't use it in October at all but don't hesitate when the time is right to go to it 3 days in a row if the wind is right. I killed my biggest buck after hanging it midday on day 1, hunted it day 2 and then killed the buck on the 3rd day of that sequence.

I have hunted them every day for a week just depending.

Very nice Phopkins. Nice pic too

When I stand hunted I only had a couple of 'rules' but generally stuck by them because they were the results of trial and error and proved their worth over the years.

I hunt a stand site only when the wind is right. Period. That's actually how I chose the site from my list every time I hunted. Each site on my list listed the best wind direction(s) and I wouldn't compromise. I've waited until there was just a little over a week left in the season for the wind I needed... and killed the buck I was after that day too, btw.

So only when the wind is right, and also no more than once every 4-5 days. That's it.

I should add, I hunted mostly public land with a portable, although I did have a couple of lock-ons out there and hunted a few parcels of private property too. I had dozens of hunting sites to choose from, and I understand not everyone does.

Now I stillhunt, but the same rules apply for the most part.

That is a very nice deer phopkins, I would like to hear more about that hunt.

I am a big believer in the concept that a stand gets severely altered after you get busted by a mature animal. If a mature doe sees you and blows out of there, she will ALWAYS look directly at the stand anytime she's there in the future.

I only hunt a spot for 4 to 6 hours, then vacate it. Being a ground guy, I can always makeshift something else, somewhat close by and still get chances. I have hunted a "hot stand" for days in a row and the action decreased exponentially "days in a row". I prefer to give it atleast 4 to 5 days off after a sit.

I do think its's different in a treestand though. You can have deer walk right below you and never know. That's not the case on the ground, a deer passing by, getting a little suspicious, seems to be a one and done for that location.

Phopkins nice buck. Thanks for sharing your picture. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Any time I'm hunting what you call a "prime" location I try to have two stands. This year it was a ground blind and a portable tree stand. The wind plus whether I've been busted out of either will determine which one I use. My ground blind is permanent but I'll move that tree stand in a heartbeat if it's to my advantage. There's a certain satisfaction in outsmarting an old doe who's completely preoccupied with the stand you're not in. I do have a pop-up I've succesfully thrown up as a third if the treestand gets busted and becomes the best decoy, lol.

Depends on the the entrance/exit route to the stand. And wind of course.

I hunt a lot like Jeff. I always let wind direction determine the stand I hunt. I will sometimes sit the same stand two days in a row, but I try to rest each stand at least 2-3 days before hunting it.

If I'm made by a mature buck, which happens very seldom, in part because there are so few of them, I figure I won't see that buck from that stand again that season. However, during the rut in the north country where I hunt, if it's a good location I may see a different buck so I don't automatically quit using that stand. I may move the stand 25-50 yards if possible.

Like most, I've found that the firt time I sit a stand is usually the best. Even if they don't make you, I believe one leaves enough scent over time through repeated use of a stand that the mature critters that live nearby will avoid the area. But a roamer during trhe rut is still possible.

I agree with a lot of the above. But if your in a big parcel of woods your entry and exit are going to leave scent then the wind being “ right” are you positive that’s the direction the deer will come from ? Your still leaving scent down wind . Ive always found my first sit to be the most productive and generally speaking sightings go down the more time I spend there. But the rut changes everything. There’s a good chance your gonna kill a traveling buck . I’ve done a lot if all day sits with limited success . But outside the rut I’ll sit a stand maybe 3 sits then bail for a week or so. And only sit it if I feel conditions are as right as they can be

Depends on the stand, during rut and rut highway?-on a good wind, Food source?-Wind and few when they are using it. I move a lot looking for fresh sign, most times I sit a stand once a season, multiple if it looks real good.

I have 7 stands out on my property right now. The one I killed my big buck from the end of October, I put up one day and hunted it that night. Saw several deer, took it down the next afternoon and moved it 20 yards only to kill my biggest buck ever that night from it. Most of my stands I only hunt a few times over the season. Never 2 days in a row unless I'm absolutely sure I have a good wind and can get in and out with no detection. Which stand I'm hunting that day is dictated by wind direction.

I'm 100% mobile. I try to never sit the same tree twice a season unless I simply run out of ideas.

I hunt public land with a climber. Im not retired so i usually hunt on Saturday. I dont care about wind cause it doesnt matter with people walking around. I have a area i hunt with many trees and thats it. As im walking in i decide which tree. Sounds like a stupid way to hunt but this is how most public land guys do it. All my friends do and we do ok.

It is Nemo. LOL

I try to rest stands a day or two between uses depending on the time of the season. If a stand seems hot during the rut I may hunt it 2 or 3 days in a row if the wind is good.

I usually try to hunt two days(pm, am , pm, am) then move. That changes if I keep seeing deer at that spot. I will move eventually, because I'll get tired of walking into, and looking at, the same woods.

I used to hunt public land, relatively flat terrain. I had more rules about wind direction and over hunting stands. Wrong direction was a no go, never alter any trees or terrain during the season, no overhunting causing too much scent. It would ruin your chances every time.

Since hunting the coulee/bluff country, the wind direction just cant be predicted. You can leave camp with a west wind, get to your stand and the wind is exactly the opposite on your side of the ridge. So many more deer, I dont know what direction they will come from. Its just a crap shoot. might sound silly, but I just get the feeling from a spot and stick with it longer. Enough time on stand, and I will get an opportunity. I always do on this place. It matters where you hunt.

Hunting when the wind is right is a Joke here in the mountains of WV, wind will change 7 times in a morning sit. I try to hunt the thermals and do ok doing so.

Never worry too much during rut.

Jack, good point. Thermals are factored in when I put the info on my list of hunting spots. I also indicate next to each spot on the list whether it's better suited as an am or pm spot... or doesn't matter.

I continued to scout and worked to add at least one new good spot to my list each year until I had over 30 stand sites, mostly for the climber. That was enough options for am/pm and practically any wind direction and pattern changes through the season. Always had a good fresh place to go.

Now I only stillhunt, but still work off of what's left of that old list that could be adapted to stillhunting, and have added some new ones. List is always evolving.

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