The 10 Best Ladder Tree Stands

As much as we would all like to think differently, hunting often includes endless hours of sitting in a tree waiting for something to happen. It is no wonder then, that many hunters are looking for more ways to pass the time while waiting for that perfect 12-point buck to come meandering along. While it is important to stay vigilant when in your stand, sometimes you just need to find something to do to keep from going stir crazy.

Sitting in a treestand is the perfect time to pull out that rangefinder and practice calculating distances. You can even use your distance measurements to create a range map of your hunting site. Pull out a sketch pad and start drawing recognizable landmarks with distance denotations between them and the stand. Not only will it make you more proficient with your gear, but it can also be useful for future hunters who use the stand.

If you don't have a rangefinder, you can spend your time studying your surroundings instead. Imagine possible prey approach paths and visualize the best shot angle for each. This can increase your chances of taking the perfect shot when a deer does finally appear.

To refresh your mind and give your eyes a break, spend some time meditating. Simply find a comfortable position, close your eyes, and take deep, slow breathes to still your mind and body. Try not to think of anything and instead, just experience the moment. At the same time, listen to the sounds of the forest and monitor for anything out of the ordinary. Not only will this help pass the time and give your eyes a much needed break, but it may also actually allow you to notice a deer approaching before it ever makes itself visible, since you'll hear even the slightest snap of a twig or ruffle of leaves.

If you are looking for something a little more active to do, you can take a few minutes to reorganize your vest or pack to ensure everything is placed in an optimal position for easy retrieval. Just be aware, the noise of this could potentially scare away your prey.

Hunting is by no means a new activity. Humans have been hunting since prehistoric times, though the act of hunting for sport rather than survival is a much more modern development. As weird as it may sound, hunting is actually better for American wildlife than it is detrimental.

Roughly 16 million people actively participate in hunting each year, with over 14 million paid license holders as of 2015. What may be surprising to some is that a decline in hunting, rather than being a boon, is actually a cause of great concern for wildlife conservation in America. Many people don't realize this, but the majority of wildlife conservation funds comes from hunters and anglers.

According to Greg Sheehand, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Principal Deputy Director, "hunters and anglers form the foundation of wildlife conservation in the United States, consistently generating more funding for habitat and wildlife management than any other source.”

The excise taxes on ammo, guns, and archery equipment alone garner more than $1.6 billion annually for nature conservation. This doesn't even take into account the profits from issuing hunting and fishing licenses. All of this money is used to establish and fund fish and wildlife reservations across the U.S., ensuring the continuation of many species that might otherwise face extinction due to the increasing pace of land development.