Pull up a seat

SnowmanMo

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There is something to be said for comfort. IF you are too focused on your discomfort then you might miss some critical information. You might not hear a twig snap or see the slightest of movements.
My first predator hunt was a bit of a spur of the moment decision. A co-worker mentioned that he hunted predators, he mentioned that he would be going out that afternoon and that I was welcome to come along. I had just enough time to get to a sporting goods store to buy some camo wrap and a few necessary items before getting on the road to meet up with him.

I had no idea what to expect on that first hunt. I sure had no idea what I was getting into. We got out to our stand location, and he showed me where I should sit and where he would sit. The first thing that I learned was that sitting on the ground in Arizona isn’t a good idea. First of all, there are all kinds of nasty things just waiting to imbed themselves in your posterior. I am pretty sure I still have some f them still embedded today. When that first fox started barking at us my adrenaline spiked. My heart raced. Yet I felt calm. I knew I had to be still. So I focused on the sound of the fox to try and figure out where the fox might appear. I had a pretty good idea where the fox was when it sprung from behind a bush and darted across my 5 foot field of view before disappearing to my right. Not more than a few seconds later my partner fired at the fox.

Unfortunately, he missed. But I had already learned some valuable lessons. A good stool will not only keep you butt from becoming a pin cushion but it also gives you more a better vantage point. Sitting just a foot higher can open up a whole new world. It will make things much easier if you can see the predator before you have to try and get off a shot. A stool may not be the ideal choice. If you are hunting an area that is fairly flat, then a lower seat might be a better option. You might not have big brush that can break up your outline whereas a turkey seat might make for a more comfortable hunting experience. If you can get some altitude that would be ideal, but not everyone is going to be hunting up in the hills where you can sit amongst the rocks. I have hunted with partners who will walk miles past perfectly good hunting spots just to get some elevation even when that elevation is not in good calling areas. They will then complain that they don’t know why nothing shows up to their calls.

81eSfxzRkJL._AC_SX679_ by Jason Mosler, on Flickr

A predator hunter must be willing to go where the predators are. We all might dream of seeing 8 coyotes running full speed across miles of open ground giving ample time to get mentally prepared, but the reality of your situation might be quite different. I have had a lot of success by going into areas that do not favor the hunter. So a predator hunter has to ready and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. I have sat on the ground, sat on stools, stood on stands and even gone up on ladders or up onto rocks to make a stand a success. For the most flexibility starting out I would recommend something like a dove hunting stool, with the legs wrapped in camo tape to help hide it and to keep it quiet and to keep it from banging into things. If I get to my stand and a stool won’t work I can either stand or sit flat on the ground. This opens up my stand possibilities, you never know what is going to be around the next bush. So you have to be ready for as much as possible. Sure, it would be nice to have my ladder with me, but that is a lot of gear to lug around. I will carry a ladder if I plan on night calling or if I am in an area where the brush is above waist high, but then I will leave my stool behind since carrying both is a LOT to lug around. To increase your odds of success and enjoyment, pare down what you carry to only the bare minimum.

Now you could spend an arm and a leg to buy some ergonomic seating pleasure enhancement device…I prefer to buy some inexpensive dove hunting stools and throw some duct tape on the legs. I find that since I became a predator hunter that I wear out gear and equipment. When I hunted big game a lot of my gear would either get lost or not fit the next year. But because of the frequency that I hunt, my gear and equipment gets used in ways that I never have used my gear in the past. So spending $100 is out of my price point since many times a seat that costs that much probably isn’t going to last any longer than a $20 stool. I’d prefer to spend my money in areas where it is going to pay off more.

low chair by Jason Mosler, on Flickr
 
Just a thought, when your hunting steep country sometimes finding a spot to set up a stool or chair is difficult. I bring a little camo hot seat with me, cheap, very light. I hang one on my pack when I'm in steep country and set it on a rock or mound of dirt. They are nice in the woods for use on a stump or blow down. If the snow is deep (I lived in northern WI and MN for awhile and hunted on skis and snowshoes) you can kick a hole for your legs and use the pad to sit on your skis or snow shoes they'll keep your butt from sinking.

I did a review on chairs awhile back here on PM in "Other Predator Hunting Equipment. I bird hunt, bow hunt and predator hunt and seem to collect gear.

Here's the link
https://www.predatormastersforums.com/fo...rue#Post3281426
 
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I do the same. My main hunting seat is a Critter Sitter (unfortunately discontinued). It's a great chair for my style of hunting. It includes backpack straps and pockets for miscellaneous gear. I carry extra gloves, face mask, remote batteries, and a scale in the pockets. I clip a 2" foam sitting pad to it along with my Shockwave. It also has a long side pocket for my Trigger Sticks. Step out of the truck, sling on one backpack/chair thing, and head out.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSJust a thought, when your hunting steep country sometimes finding a spot to set up a stool or chair is difficult. I bring a little camo hot seat with me, cheap, very light. I hang one on my pack when I'm in steep country and set it on a rock or mound of dirt. They are nice in the woods for use on a stump or blow down. If the snow is deep (I lived in northern WI and MN for awhile and hunted on skis and snowshoes) you can kick a hole for your legs and use the pad to sit on your skis or snow shoes they'll keep your butt from sinking.

Yeah, we have the same problems out here in AZ...I find myself up in the rocks sometimes calling for foxes and bobcats and the seat can be tough to get level...sometimes I just lay my stool down and sit on top of it to keep me off the pokey things...I used to carry a pad but I trimmed my stuff down even more...

I did a review on chairs awhile back here on PM in "Other Predator Hunting Equipment. I bird hunt, bow hunt and predator hunt and seem to collect gear.

Here's the link
https://www.predatormastersforums.com/fo...rue#Post3281426
 
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