A process for collecting seismic data for a survey area where source trucks shake shot points and autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders record data at listening points, the process comprising: a) creating a geophysical survey layout for the survey area including defining individual locations for each of a plurality of shot points and each of a plurality of listening points; characterised by b) estimating the average number of shot points that will be shaken during a normal work day wherein the term "active shot points" means shot points that are currently being shaken and "active source patch" means a generally contiguous geographical array of shot points within the survey area that are expected to be shaken during a normal work day where the active source patch moves through the survey area and may change shape and dimension throughout the survey; c) selecting within the survey area, a series of vibe paths within which one or more source trucks are to progress from shot point to shot point through all of the shot points within the vibe path and within which the active source patch will progress through the survey, wherein the vibe paths are selected to have a nominal width dimension that will, combined with the average number of shot points estimated to be shaken during a normal work day, define an active source patch to have an aspect ratio of its largest transverse dimension relative to its smallest transverse dimension to be less than five to one, wherein "listening paths" comprise the listening points within the vibe path and on either side of the vibe path within range of shot points within the vibe path where useful, recordable seismic data may be recorded and "active listening patch" means the listening points within the listening path range of the active shot points and comprise listening points so that listening points in the active listening patch are receiving or will soon receive useful, recordable seismic data; d) deploying a plurality of autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders to the active listening patch; e) retrieving autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders that are behind the active listening patch; and f) re-deploying the retrieved autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders to listening points in front of the active listening patch within the listening path. a) creating a geophysical survey layout for the survey area including defining individual locations for each of a plurality of shot points and each of a plurality of listening points; characterised by b) estimating the average number of shot points that will be shaken during a normal work day wherein the term "active shot points" means shot points that are currently being shaken and "active source patch" means a generally contiguous geographical array of shot points within the survey area that are expected to be shaken during a normal work day where the active source patch moves through the survey area and may change shape and dimension throughout the survey; c) selecting within the survey area, a series of vibe paths within which one or more source trucks are to progress from shot point to shot point through all of the shot points within the vibe path and within which the active source patch will progress through the survey, wherein the vibe paths are selected to have a nominal width dimension that will, combined with the average number of shot points estimated to be shaken during a normal work day, define an active source patch to have an aspect ratio of its largest transverse dimension relative to its smallest transverse dimension to be less than five to one, wherein "listening paths" comprise the listening points within the vibe path and on either side of the vibe path within range of shot points within the vibe path where useful, recordable seismic data may be recorded and "active listening patch" means the listening points within the listening path range of the active shot points and comprise listening points so that listening points in the active listening patch are receiving or will soon receive useful, recordable seismic data; d) deploying a plurality of autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders to the active listening patch; e) retrieving autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders that are behind the active listening patch; and f) re-deploying the retrieved autonomous, continuously recording seismic recorders to listening points in front of the active listening patch within the listening path.