Is knitting a manly thing to do when hunting?

[MacGyver]

I have a problem when I go hunting, I can not just sit for hours at a time watching an area. I try reading and that did not work, one time I looked up and saw a moose looking it me and walked away before I believe what I was seeing. Another time I was reading about bear attacks, take my word for it that is not a book to read when hunting and I can not read and look around. Listening to music or talking books would keep me from hearing animal coming in.

What do you guys do to kill time and stay alerts?

 

[strangerinastrangeland]

Take a friend to talk too, but keep your eyes open and searching,'cause thats 90% of "Hunting"

 

[MacGyver]

I've done that in the pasted, I thought I would try to find a more realistic solution.

 

[Akres]

I simply get comfortable and relax...glass when I get the notion and daydream the rest of the time...and besides...I don't need to see all of the critters in the area...usually only plan on killing one at a time.

 

[AlaskaHippie]

Dunno (how to or) about knitting, but I usually toss a ziploc bag in my gear with some twine and a few beads.....Makin' key chains, lanyards, and other stuff, can be a relaxing way to pass the time quietly and the Kiddo reaps the benefit at times as well....

 

[nitroshrew]

I try to see how many wild edibles I can find while on the hunt. Maybe set out some bank lines for burbot. Pick some berries, mushrooms, wild greens. Toss one off. Quiz myself on the constellations if it's twilight. Whittle things for camp.

 

[bkmail]

Nitro,
What the hell do you mean by "toss one off"? I hope your referring to skipping stones or something....
BK

 

[bushrat]

+1 to Hippie, that is way cool.

When the kids were here, or friends, we'd play a lot of cards while up high glassing. Sometimes if it was cold we'd start a fire to warm up a bit behind the overlooks. Pick berries, read, make a birch basket. My method of glassing is not to glass continually, rather just look up and out every five or ten minutes.

Our son wrote a cool story titled "King in the Fire!" about one of our moose hunting trips, and it still brings back laughs. It was chilly, we had started a small fire and we were all sitting around it playing cards. Every few minutes I'd stand up and glass over the lookout. So we had just made some sandwiches and were all munching and he had a mouthful when he yells, "Kig in de fire! Kig in de fire! Kig in de fire!" We're all like, huh? what is he getting on about? I jump up and think maybe somehow he saw a moose way out on the flats...he swallows and says "King in the fire! You dropped a king in the fire!"

I think we were playing rummy. Anyway, we had more fun playing cards while glassing on many of our moose hunts. And we still spotted moose and killed moose not watching all the time.

 

[68 Bronco]

Nitro,
What the hell do you mean by "toss one off"? I hope your referring to skipping stones or something....
BK

Yeah, Come on Nitro - come clean.

 

[68 Bronco]

heh , heh

Your "King in the Fire" story, Bushrat, reminds of a trip where my young son returned from a 3 a.m. trip to "water the bushes", woke us, all breathless and paranoid because he just discovered we were sleeping out near a "Bearing Tree"! He thought, in his drowsiness and haste, that might be referring to bruins' territory. Much laughter.

 

[ProHunterAK]

Play Angry birds on the Ipod or just sit and relax and enjoy the wildlife (or in some cases lack of)

 

[tdelarm]

I have a problem when I go hunting, I can not just sit for hours at a time watching an area. I try reading and that did not work, one time I looked up and saw a moose looking it me and walked away before I believe what I was seeing. Another time I was reading about bear attacks, take my word for it that is not a book to read when hunting and I can not read and look around. Listening to music or talking books would keep me from hearing animal coming in.

What do you guys do to kill time and stay alerts?

That would suck to have ADD! Which I'm sure you don't. Personally, sitting in the woods or remote area for an hour or so...no phones ringing...computer...is priceless. Kind of like driving, take your eyes off of what's in front of you for one split second...and its over! I let my mind wonder. Hunting/fishing and saunas are the best therapy I think to figure out life. Its just you...and space.

 

[338MUZZLEBREAK]

Today was great just sitting and watching, waiting, hopeing, wishing! No bear decided to come out of the woods and eat the fresh grass or skunk cabbage but there were thousands of little birds. I couldnt believe how many of those little birds there were. They have to be second in numbers compared to mosquitos!!

I cant stay alert either, i just end up falling asleep and when i wake up im just freeked out that a bear sneeked up behind me and is ready to eat me!! I read bear tales years ago and havent been the same since!!

Every turnout south of Anchorage has motohomes or tents in them. Guess i need to work weekends and get weekdays off!

 

[akscotty]

look and listen or hike and glass.

 

[mart]

No!

Unless you use bone knitting needles and make them sound like antlers clacking together.

 

[norsehunter]

I chewed my fingernails since I had them. My grandmother tried to cure me of it. I tried everything, to no avail. One day, I took up bowhunting deer from a tree stand. By the end of the season, my fingernails had grown out and have ever since. Just sitting alone, in the silence of the wilderness(or woods around these parts) took away all the stress in my life and continues to do so today. I just sit, enjoy the world around me and kill something! My fingernails are about two feet long now so I have trouble typing(using a pencil helps). Haha
Knitting is OK as long as the needles are Mossy oak camo.

 

[FurFishGame]

If I knew how, I wouldn't hesatate to knit, who wouldn't want to have a nice warm hat to put on, on 20 degree mornings, sure would make it easier to crawl outta teh sleeping bag.

 

[FurFishGame]

if I have to sit there, I try and sit in a berry patch, and eat, and whittle, and try to rub the stupid sticky white residue on the lenses of my bino's but I typically hate sitting there, so I usualy "still hunt" and glass as I go.

 

[scott_rn]

Of course knitting is not a manly thing to do, even if yer huntin'.

Keep in mind, this is coming from a dude who is a nurse. Whittle some wood, tie some flies, but nothing girly like knitting. Making bead necklases is kind of border-line.

Wait, why does it have to be something manly?

 

[WIsam]

Depends what you're hunting for. If you are sheep hunting then you have no need to worry about proving masculinity

I usually bring the camp stove and boil some water for lunch.