How early into stand

[DMM]

I was interested how early before sunrise you like to climb into your stand?  

I've always liked to error in being there early. Sometimes an hour or more before shooting light.

[KAZ]

Depends on the hunting location for me and where the people pressure & deer locations are at time of entry. Plus, it depends on weather and if it's 0 degrees or windy/rainy etc... General time frame is to be settled and ready 30 minutes before shooting light. When I travel distance for public land with hang & hunt that still makes for a pretty early wake up...

[Orion]

Since I can't shoot a critter before legal shooting time, I enter the woods so I get to my stand a few minutes before legal shooting time. With the twilight of dawn, I can see enough to be much more quiet approaching my stand than I can in total darkness.  

I usually have a 30-minute or longer walk into my stand in big woods, usually with no roads or trails to follow. Though I might start my trek in the dark, I don't see the value in stumbling around in the dark all the way to my stand, spooking critters as I go to arrive way before daylight (been there, done that). You might get does and fawns to come around after being spooked, but a mature buck won't be back.

[BRITTMAN]

Orion does exactly the way I do

[stagetek]

I usually get into my stands 20-30 minutes before legal shooting time.

[mark Willoughby]

About a hour before but all I walk through are open fields

[Bowwild]

I want to be strapped in, equipment set, and seated at least 30 minutes before legal shooting time.

[Meflyfisherman]

Im with Orion and Brittman.  Twice I have snuck in to my spot (rifle hunting) and kicked leaves aside at the base of a tree only to have a buck come to investigate (2 dead bucks).  Still hunt into your stand (strap on) and sneak up into it.  Climbing stands have special consideration depending on how close you believe the critters will be at the time of climbing.

[dbd870]

Originally posted by BRITTMAN:
Orion does exactly the way I do

Yep.

[Kromer]

I enjoy watching and listening to the woods wake up. Especially during rifle season, I'm settled in my stand at least an hour before legal time. Then when the neighbors start up their ATVs 10 minutes after light, I really enjoy hearing hooves pounding my way!

[Dave Lay]

I also get In stand usually a hour before light. I like the woods to settle down from my walk in , but that's a hour more my scent has to spread.

[Sam McMichael]

I try to get in the stand an hour before light. This lets the woods settle down from my walk in and allows me to pull the bow several times to loosen up.

[J-dog]

30/45 minutes? Like said earlier post if it is freezing cold? Might be later? The older I get the more sensitive I become to adverse weather!

[toddster]

Here in Illinois 30 minutes before sunrise is legal bow time.  No matter if hunting in tree or ground, I like to be set up and ready by that time.  How long it takes me to get there, depends on one thing my route to hunting area, by wind.  I agree one should not be bumbling around at dark, and a good low red light head lamp works, to be as quiet as possible.  Let me give you all a tip, I learned years ago, though am sure others know is as well.  If you cann't get to your stand quietly in the morning, you better get in a lot earlier.  If public ground, take some time and study where others are hunting, and use it to your advantage.  We all know deer do not seem to be detered by white light, but keep in mind with turkey's in your area, roosting, they do and their movement, can affect the behavior of a mature deer (seen it).

[toddster]

Oh, one more thing, sorry.  I am sure many of us learned this the hard way.  If you are running late, never force rush into an area.  From my experience, better to wait an hour then stalk in.

[BOHO]

For me it depends on the time of year and what I'm hunting. Early season the deer seem to move later in the am and in the evenings to food sources. I usually get out around 8-830 and hunt til lunch or it gets to hot and I go back to camp. Once the weather starts cooling off and the acorns start falling I try to get out at daylight. Rut I just hunt as much as I can cause you just never know. My two biggest bucks were killed at 930 am and 430 pm tho. Am was running with a doe and pm was checking a food plot for a doe but found me instead.

[bear bowman]

I hunt a lot of public land. In general, I'm in a minimum of 1 hour before daylight. I have one area in particular that I call my buck honey hole that I have to be in an hour and half to two hours before daylight.

[olddogrib]

Usually 30-60 mins...unless it's a full moon.  Then I'll sleep in and go in mid-morning.

[Rick Richard]

A half hour there abouts before day light.

[woodchucker]

After breakfast