With the 2020 Opening Day of deer season a recent memory, one has to wonder, where the heck are all the deer?

Congratulations to all of the hunters that filled a tag or two. I have heard a few stories of great success, bucks of a lifetime and memories that will last forever, which is one of the biggest reasons we all take to the woods.

Now I am not saying the deer have disappeared, but for the most part from the reports I have been getting and first-hand knowledge, the local deer population — except for a few yearlings — have all but gone nocturnal.

On a personal note, our trail cameras see very little if no movement during daylight hours. This is not to be a huge surprise to those that have done this deer hunting thing for any period of time.

Directly after the peak of the rut, whitetail daylight sightings do go down. This season though I figured with reports of record hunting license sales, folks would be out strolling around kicking a few up. This hasn’t been the case in my little section of whitetail country.

So, what’s a gun hunter to do? Throw in the towel, spend less time in the woods or just complain that there aren’t any deer left? I don’t think so.

When that switch does get thrown and the deer behind to get back to their patterns, we need to be there and be ready.

We prefer to use the KISS method. Keep it simple, stupid.

Simplify our hunting and get as close as possible to bedding areas without bumping deer. Often this means hunting from the ground — going old school — as I call it or sitting on a perch that is just high enough off the ground to get a good field of view. Then sit there.

It’s no big secret that if you want to kill deer, you have to be in the woods. Comfort in the deer woods has changed over the years. From the days of sitting in the cold and wet to parking your back side on 5-gallon bucket, hunters are offered more opportunities to get out from sun-up to sun-down.

Sitting all day during the post rut can be very productive or it can be very boring at times.

In my younger years I had no problem sitting on a stand from sun-up until sun-down, but over the past several years I have been finding it more difficult to hang out in the woods more than a few hours. Whether it be my mind will not shut off or my messed-up back, until recently I haven’t been able to stay comfortable.

I have come up with a few things that help make my time on a stand longer and more comfortable, and the best part of it is it doesn’t cost tons of money, but it will take some time.

I have forced myself into some long sits because I know the payoff can be terrific during this magical time of year. The old adage that you can’t kill them from the couch is not just an old saying, but it rings true when it comes to hunting mature whitetails during the days after opening day of the gun season.

There is a window of opportunity for whitetail hunters when bucks and does are on their feet during the day and constantly on the move. If you can park yourself in a high-percentage spot to contact one of these cruising bucks, you will up your odds greatly.

Having confidence in your hunting spots is key. Having confidence in my spot is the most important factor in keeping me there. If I feel very strongly that I am in the right spot and something good could happen at any moment, I cannot only stay on-stand, but also stay focused and alert for much longer. Confidence is gained by knowing your surroundings.

Staying comfortable is essential when you plan on staying on a stand all day.

Some stands are more comfortable than others but not too comfortable. I do not need a stand that is so comfortable that my eyelids are going to want to close, but not too uncomfortable that I am fighting it all day. Finding the right stand is a personal choice: some need a thicker seat while some need more back support. With a well-placed and heated seat pad, you can be comfortable all day. One of things that I have found important is a large platform. I make it a point to stretch my back at least once an hour. During these times, I stretch at least for 10 minutes and make sure that I not only stretch my legs but my back, arms, shoulders and neck.

Sitting in the woods all day can be boring for some but for me, not so much. I do enjoy being outdoors, just watching and listening to the world around me, but I also have been told I am not mentally-centered.

There are some great things that don’t take much room in your backpack to help make your time on a stand more enjoyable. While I am not one to do this, some folks will take along a book or others I hear will take a tablet to help make the time go by without being bored. I have found that a well-placed opened backpack makes it easy to slide your book or tablet into if that next wall hanger strolls by.

It goes without saying that dressing properly is important. Dress in layers so you can take things off as the day warms up and put them back on as the day cools down in the evening. Fleece is a perfect under layer when covered with a windproof outer layer. There are many fabrics and systems available today that make staying warm through varying daily temperatures easier than ever.

Another way to keep warm is to carefully move about to stay warm and loose. It is amazing how much an aggressive rattling sequence will warm up your arms and torso. Of course, seeing a buck come in to the rattling will make you instantly forget the cold, so the benefits are twofold.

Hunting all day in our part of whitetail country this time of year can mean everything from cold to rain to sun to snow. While it’s obviously important that we stay warm, the one thing that is often overlooked is food intake. The proper food will not only fight off boredom but can keep you warm and with the right combination of food it will keep you awake. Food with high crabs will produce energy, personally it’s jerky. A good trail mix is another easy to make and carry snack that can get you over the hunger hump.

Potty breaks can be important, but what to do at that time can make or break your day and stand. Drinking too much will produce urine which needs to be dealt with; an old-fashioned pop bottle will help out. I am a big fan of scents, but the use of the proper scents in the proper place. Deer like and do respond to scents but human scents in the woods isn’t the best idea.

This time of year it’s important to stay on a stand as long as possible; one has to be in the woods as long as possible. The longer you are in the woods, the better the changes one has to fill your tag on a mature whitetail. Staying comfortable during all hours of the day is important, having belief that you are in the best spot to spend your time and keeping yourself safe is vital to your success.