I've done some pretty silly things in my life. This may be one of them. A few years ago I read that, a bow hunter to make it a point to sit in a tree stand, from sunrise to sunset without getting down. I was intrigued. I wondered if I could do that. So, I put it on my bucket list of crazy things to do. And over the years I have.  Every year, I try to have one all-day sit. I do it mostly to get my mind right.

The day started just before 4:00 AM. The alarm clock didn't go off. That's a good sign that my mind is ready. I gathered up my peanut butter and jelly half sandwiches, packed my water, grabbed a cup of coffee, and was off.

My out and up were uneventful. And I was on deer from the start of the day. The spot I was hunting was near the James River in South Dakota. I've hunted there for years so I knew there would be deer passing throughout the day. However, the forecaster got the wind direction wrong.

The breeze was out of the direction that I wanted. But it was about 5 to 10 MPH too stiff the bulk of the day. I've never liked the wind or windy days, but I was committed so I hung in there. 14 or so feet up on my 2 square feet of creature comfort tree stand.

The day looks different from a treestand. The world is different. Deer came through leisurely. The bulk of the heavy rut action was over and many bucks were on lockdown.

Squirrels. Birds. Geese. Hawks and other birds. Get up in a tree stand. Invest an entire day and you will be surprised what you see and what you think about. And what you don't think about.

A pair of young deer bedded down at 8 and 11 yards along the fence line where I was sitting. For over an hour and a half, just before noon, I was in super slow motion, keeping an eye on the rest of the area while they napped. That's an hour and a half of sitting still. Believe it or not, the time flew.

I could go on and on, but most people might not understand. But this once a year, get away from everything for just a little while, is something I look forward to. Up in the dark, down in the dark. Yes, it takes a little planning, but it can be done. And I'll most likely do it again.

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