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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/20/2012 1:29:45 AM EDT
This may sound a little stupid, but I have hell staying alert after awhile behind a prone scoped gun. Any tips on staying alert. Anyone else have a similar problem?
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Posted: 3/20/2012 3:11:34 AM EDT
[Last Edit: eric10mm]
[#1]
Coffee?
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Posted: 3/20/2012 3:14:14 AM EDT
[Last Edit: jh1990]
[#2]
I used to chew caffeine gum, sunflower seeds, jolly rancher etc.
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Posted: 3/20/2012 7:38:51 PM EDT
[#3]
Yessir, once you get used to it (prone or sitting) it ain't too hard to doze off.
I wrap my thumb over top of the stock and set my cheek/jaw against that first knuckle. I dig my thumbnail into my upper lip sometimes, that helps a little. I will also open up the left eye, and take a look down range with it, close it and think about what things looked like compared to what they look like through the scope. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/21/2012 1:53:11 AM EDT
[#4]
Okay. At least I realize I'm not alone. I've gotten to the point of just accepting falling asleep every so often during deer season. Makes me feel soft, but it is hard to fight that sleep monkey.
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OH, USA
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Posted: 3/21/2012 7:58:45 AM EDT
[Last Edit: OhioLongRange]
[#5]
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=penguin+caffeine+mints&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=4340556389&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10855744352006997752&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_1pfius2y7j_b
Penguin REDS Caffeinated Cinnamon Mints 3 Penguin Caffeinated Cinnamons are the caffeine equal of 1 12 ounce cola beverage |
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Posted: 3/22/2012 10:52:56 PM EDT
[#6]
I never considered it, but I guess I can see it.
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Posted: 3/31/2012 12:49:51 AM EDT
[#7]
how long are you actually behind the scope? you should be taking intervals behind that glass, beyond that check data, scan scenery, use your mind on stuff...but try not to stay behind the glass more than 15 or 20 minutes
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Posted: 3/31/2012 12:53:24 AM EDT
[#8]
Precision rifle and caffeine are typically two things that don't jive.
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Posted: 4/20/2012 6:34:16 AM EDT
[#9]
you guys who are suggesting caffeine, your kidding right??
Often times getting drousy while prone is more a function of blood flow than anything else. The prone position by definition is designed to try to isolate as much of the body as physically possible from the tip of your finger and the side of your head. Blood is going to be pooling all over the place, and is going to have work hard to get up your body. The best thing to do if you can is to roll over on to your hip , bend your knees slightly and rest your head on your hand or forearm low to the ground. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/20/2012 7:18:20 AM EDT
[#10]
Pain.
Put some tobasco in your eye. (while that was a joke, I've known people to do it in ranger school) |
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Posted: 4/25/2012 12:25:40 AM EDT
[#11]
After many of days standing post and trying to stay awake I have found a good solution. Take out your handy hand sanitizer, put a little in your hand, rub hands together and huff your hands. Instant wake up.
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USA
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Posted: 8/14/2012 2:34:23 PM EDT
[#12]
The simplest answer is also the best one...get more sleep. Everything else is simply a band-aid approach to fighting the symptom, rather than curing the underlying disease.
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UT, USA
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Posted: 8/14/2012 2:55:44 PM EDT
[#13]
Get a sleep study done and see if you have undiagnosed sleep apnea. You could save yourself from a heart attack.
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MS, USA
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Posted: 8/14/2012 3:11:47 PM EDT
[#14]
Pound ripits until your chest explodes.
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Posted: 8/14/2012 4:08:58 PM EDT
[#15]
Originally Posted By jfagan601:
Pound ripits until your chest explodes. This is the correct answer. |
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Posted: 8/16/2012 9:38:28 AM EDT
[#16]
Originally Posted By jfagan601:
Pound ripits until your chest explodes. 
Buy them in bulk. Really cuts the cost down. OP, I think you really need to focus on the task at hand, that is, the shooting aspect. Get enough sleep and exercise. Stimulants are not conducive to effective precision shooting. |
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Posted: 8/16/2012 6:25:51 PM EDT
[#17]
Originally Posted By lew:
Originally Posted By jfagan601:
Pound ripits until your chest explodes.
Buy them in bulk. Really cuts the cost down. OP, I think you really need to focus on the task at hand, that is, the shooting aspect. Get enough sleep and exercise. Stimulants are not conducive to effective precision shooting. Stimulants are a no go for precision long shots. Any wiggle in the rifle translates into serious movement in the round at distance. When I lay behind the scope and find myself tired (if I have to stay behind the gun and can't take a quick break) I hyperventalate. Don't do it till you pass out but just enough that you feel that tingle. Your heart rate will slow quickly following that so as long as the poo doesn't hit the fan for the next 60 seconds you should be ok. The best thing those is have a spotter or other shooter let you have a break. Tired you will lose your edge. Hop off the rifle and take a brain break. |
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GA, USA
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Posted: 9/7/2012 4:02:10 PM EDT
[#18]
Hand sanitizer works wonders. Either rub your hands then sniff them, or put some on your upper lip. I found that chewing gum or sucking on cough drops also helps.
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Posted: 9/8/2012 9:26:42 PM EDT
[#19]
In my case, the thought "patience my ass, I'm going to kill something" tends to work. Also, keeping my mind on the task and surroundings, constantly reading the wind, listening for critters, judging range, etc. help tremendously.
Too, the fact that my blood pressure tends to be a bit high may help as well. |
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Posted: 12/28/2012 1:24:55 AM EDT
[#20]
Being asleep on the gun is one of the best things for the management of your physiology and body rhythms that would normally disrupt the sight picture.
If you can keep your body as close to being asleep as possible, with your mind awake and totally focused on a good sight picture. That's a tall mental order to juggle, but it helps me. As far as keeping you awake, hire a Team Leader to make his rounds and skull-punt you as you dose off. This worked wonders for young 11B's. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 1/12/2013 6:59:57 PM EDT
[#21]
Originally Posted By Genin:
The simplest answer is also the best one...get more sleep. Everything else is simply a band-aid approach to fighting the symptom, rather than curing the underlying disease. |
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Posted: 1/12/2013 7:04:59 PM EDT
[#22]
Originally Posted By HunterKiller86: Originally Posted By Genin: The simplest answer is also the best one...get more sleep. Everything else is simply a band-aid approach to fighting the symptom, rather than curing the underlying disease. Chalk that one up in the "Easier said than done" list. |
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TN, USA
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Posted: 1/14/2013 1:58:45 PM EDT
[#23]
Originally Posted By Madcap72:
Precision rifle and caffeine are typically two things that don't jive. This is one of the first things I learned. Even in my youth, my shooting coach wouldn't allow us to have caffeine a day before the match. You want a slower heart rate. It becomes a mental game to stay awake. Of course I'm guilty of falling asleep in a deer blind myself... 
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WV, USA
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Posted: 1/24/2013 2:08:15 PM EDT
[#24]
If your serious about this and in a real world situation of doing this then I would recommend Copenhagen in the corner of your non shooting eye!!!!!!! Im serious about this
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SC, USA
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Posted: 2/21/2013 12:52:08 PM EDT
[#25]
Originally Posted By LRRPF52:
Being asleep on the gun is one of the best things for the management of your physiology and body rhythms that would normally disrupt the sight picture. If you can keep your body as close to being asleep as possible, with your mind awake and totally focused on a good sight picture. That's a tall mental order to juggle, but it helps me. As far as keeping you awake, hire a Team Leader to make his rounds and skull-punt you as you dose off. This worked wonders for young 11B's. Spoken like a true LRS 11B, my TL used to make his rounds a lot, can't deny I've caught a few boots in my time. |
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Posted: 2/21/2013 11:31:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BD1a]
[#26]
Beat your dick.
Caffeine, no. Energy drinks, no. Tabasco in eye, retarded. |
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Posted: 2/21/2013 11:47:35 PM EDT
[#27]
Originally Posted By bigcountry:
This may sound a little stupid, but I have hell staying alert after awhile behind a prone scoped gun. Any tips on staying alert. Anyone else have a similar problem? Chew gum. |
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UT, USA
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Posted: 3/1/2013 1:42:00 PM EDT
[#28]
Take time off the glass...I bite my inner lip too, bad habit I guess, but I always do it when I am tired or bored.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/8/2013 10:13:17 AM EDT
[#29]
ROTATE with another shooter! Nothing else is certain over the long haul.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 6/22/2013 5:16:46 PM EDT
[#30]
Originally Posted By Sinister: Get a sleep study done and see if you have undiagnosed sleep apnea. You could save yourself from a heart attack. +1...best reply this far......I discovered my life time problem had been a deviated septum and over 75% of my left nostril was blocked. This creates an oxygen starved condition and the brain starves for O2 and you never get any rest regardless of how much time you spend in bed. Chronic fatigue is the result. 4 years of 28 day rotational shift work did not help! I would fall asleep in front of the class in Avionics school there at Gordon. As class leader and NCOIC of my class this did not help. later in Army Prime Power Production class @ Belvoir same thing later in all my Nuclear Power Plant Training classes I would get drowsy with a cup of coffee in my hand! All that said, a sleep study and diagnostic exam with a trusty ENT will catch all that. Solution was surgery for the septum and a RHINO-Plasty to enlarge sinus cavity. Results wow! feel like going to work great rest and ready to go...... I hope you look into all this and wish you the best this can have deeper impact on personal relationships and professional career......outsiders will not know you medical condition and frankly the boss could care less...they only want productivity.........so take care of your self and watch your shooting leap forward....! |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 6/22/2013 5:22:53 PM EDT
[#31]
Once your medical sit-rep is corrected...if that is what it takes I found that a steady diet of Tia Chi helps with focus, breathing and control.......physical fitness a part of being a shooter.....man i can't wait till our house is built...stuck in a apartment sucks and all my toy in storage......
 Good luck.... |
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MO, USA
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Posted: 8/17/2013 4:45:19 PM EDT
[#32]
Depends on your normal intake of caffeine. An addict like myself gets the shakes and suboptimal performance if I don't have a couple of cups in the am.
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KY, USA
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Posted: 8/18/2013 8:33:00 PM EDT
[#33]
Find something to do with your mind, draw a range card. I am not required to be on a scope for hours but my shooting sessions keep my mind working real hard, im always running the what ifs. Now for hunting, deer should be covered in bells, really I think I hunt so I can get a good woods nap.
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AL, USA
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Posted: 12/7/2013 9:20:56 AM EDT
[#34]
Here's what I used to do back in my Army days.. Skip the last meal (makes you sleepy anyways ).. As you start getting tired-- take a couple of NoDoz and wash it down with a 16 to 20 ounce bottle of Mountain Dew.. Within an hour or so-- for the next several hours- you will jump when a pin drops 50 feet away... yeah.... Not recommended for older folks though..
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Posted: 1/23/2014 10:29:07 AM EDT
[Last Edit: BD1a]
[#35]
Rub one out.
Necropost 
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