Nap time

fnf01

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
235
Location
Wisconsin
Best naps are in the woods!

Going elk hunting first time this year, will be in Idaho, almost as excited for the naps as seeing some elk.

Being from the Midwest napping in whitetail woods there isn’t a thing to be worried about. Out west is a little different, any napping precautions to take around bears, lions, etc? Lol

Any crazy stories of a nap gone wrong or any naps you still think about?

For me nothing beats opening day nap when there’s a fresh snow the night before and zero wind.
 

netman

WKR
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
764
Location
Indiana
Every day 1pm to 3 pm. No matter if on the bayou, in the mountains or on my couch. I can tell its 1 or close to it without a watch.
 

Jebuwh

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 17, 2017
Messages
255
Location
Utah
Best naps are in the woods!

Going elk hunting first time this year, will be in Idaho, almost as excited for the naps as seeing some elk.

Being from the Midwest napping in whitetail woods there isn’t a thing to be worried about. Out west is a little different, any napping precautions to take around bears, lions, etc? Lol

Any crazy stories of a nap gone wrong or any naps you still think about?

For me nothing beats opening day nap when there’s a fresh snow the night before and zero wind.

I highly recommend a hammock for the elk woods. Hang that thing near a little stream, nice breeze, best nap you'll ever have,
 

rino

FNG
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
87
Location
Helena, Mt
When I was about 19...(12yo brother tagging along) we were bowhunting & layed down against a hillside for a morning nap. When the sun hit our faces, we stood up, turned toward the hill to see a mountain lion sitting on its haunches maybe a dozen yards away. Unholstered my .22 grouse getter (hi standard double nine), told my brother to grab his knife...watched it stare at us for a few minutes then it walked off into the trees (watching us the entire time). Cool experience! When I take naps I'm occasionally reminded of that.
 
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
50
I try to stay away from naps during my hunts out west. I try to keep moving because you never know what could be over that next ridge!


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bigmoose

WKR
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
575
Location
Yerington Nv.
When I was in by 20's, my hunting partner and I elk hunted near Challis. Every day we would hike several miles up the mountain back into a roadless area. On the fifth day my partner was napping at the edge of small meadow in some thick blowdown timber. He was lying on his back with his head on a small log and his rifle across his chest, his eyes closed, when he heard a limb break. He opened his eyes and there was a big 6 point bull standing about 40 feet away looking right at him. He was able to get a snap shot at the bull as the bull swung around to go back the way he came. His shot broke the bull's back and down he went. That was the only elk either one of us saw on the whole trip. So, maybe napping is a good tactic ... you just need to pick the right log to rest your head on.

I have napped many times while out in the woods, even in grizzly country with no problems. I think maybe it's my snoring that keeps them away.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,837
I have done the nap while whitetail hunting and opened my eyes to a nice big deer and have no way to get my bow up and ready.

A buddy napped his way right out of a tree stand. Fortunately for him he was wearing a good harness and using sticks so he could haul himself back up easily with no damage. He did drop and break his phone though.
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
525
Keep your release on, arrow nocked and bow close by. Those pesky timber ninja elk will sneek right up on ya when you least expect it. They are worse than bears and cats. Ask me how I know.
last "good" nap was interrupted by a spike elk, 30 yds. I think I snored him in.
 

EJMK

FNG
Joined
Mar 9, 2019
Messages
79
Location
Western Colorado
The first bull I killed when I was 14 years old was late morning and my dadwas sleeping like a rock. I woke him up to tell him I saw elk and he almost spooked them when he came flying out of his spot, half startled and excited. Nothing better than napping in the woods on a late September afternoon!
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2018
Messages
796
Location
North Carolina
A good friend was archery elk hunting in CO. It had been a slow morning with no action and he had been blind calling while soaking in some late morning sun. He dosed off to sleep and when he awoke there was a 6pt bull standing so close it through dirt on him when it wheeled to leave. His bow was laying on the ground beside him but there was no time to even grab it, much less draw and shoot.
Sleep all you want, but remember it could happen anytime. For me the last thing I am thinking about on an elk hunt is sleep.
 

BluMtn

WKR
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
1,018
Location
Washington
A nice warm Oct. about mid-day in the back country laying against a rock that has been facing the sun all morning. That is the best sleep a person can get. I don't sleep well in a bed, but when I have my mountain naps I always feel revitalized. During my years of hunting and hiking the mountains I have more than once quietly walked by people who were doing the same thing and I don't believe they ever knew I went by.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,304
My first elk season I had curled up under a big Douglas Fir for my midday nap. I woke up and saw a herd of elk rounding the mountainside, coming right at me! I moved to cut them off and ran right into the herd. Blew em right out again. Lol almost...

I often find that I sleep poorly at camp and my best hours of sleep come at midday... If the ants leave me be.

Throw an extra layer on when you lay down. Waking up cold sucks.

The hammock is good advice.

If you wear contacts, bring some eye lube.
 
Joined
Mar 9, 2019
Messages
550
Location
kamloops british columbia
Predators are scared of people so you will have no issues. I was hunting elk above treeline in the rockies one day. It was mid afternoon and I was beat. Layed down for a rest and fell asleep. Woke up bout half hour later and was very shocked I had fallen asleep. Then I noticed a grizz high tailing away from me on the open slope! I don't know how close he got to me but it was enough to scare the crap out of him! Was a fun day on the mountain.
 

NV HUNTER

WKR
Joined
Jun 21, 2017
Messages
469
Location
nv
A good friend and I were goose hunting and both fell asleep. To our great surprise we woke up being attached by a flock of very aggressive geese ( kidding)! Grabbed our 10 gauges and killed our limits. Still laugh about that one!
 

CX5Ranch

WKR
Joined
Mar 31, 2018
Messages
397
Walked up on this ol boy a few years back. I thought he was dead lol.

He was part of my group and we hiked a good ways in. He said he was really tired. He shot a big ol cow that evening if I remember right. Hes killed 18 elk in 30 trips. 78 yrs old today.
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Salmon River Solutions

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Jul 5, 2018
Messages
1,126
Location
North Idaho
My only nap story is falling asleep in a chair, glassing 200 yards from the truck at a good vantage point while waiting for my buddy to show up.

Woke up all groggy, saw two spikes and filled my tag!
 
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