What is..."Too early" or "Too late"?

[OkKeith]

On a hunt last weekend I got away from the farm house a little later than I normally do. As I tried to hurry to my blind without getting sweaty I did my best to stay quiet. I was in the blind well before shooting time but I got to thinking... what is too late? That lead to thoughts of... what is too early?

I guess the simple answer is that if you get to your hunting spot and deer are already there you are too late but I think there is more to it than that. In Oklahoma, shooting light is from 30 minutes before official sunrise until 30 minutes after official sunset. I always try to be in the blind or on stand 45 minutes before shooting light just to let everything settle down and to allow me to cool off and then get more clothes on. I may stretch this to an hour before for a blind since it easier to stay warm or cut it down to 30 minutes for a stand so I don't get too cold before daylight. There may also be something to not getting to a stand too early and let a lot of scent move around.

If I hit the stand or climb in the blind with only 15 minutes to spare before shooting light, in my mind I am "late". Any time after shooting light and I am "way late". But am I? Most of the deer I see are either already there or moving through before it is light enough to see (or shoot). Then it seems I always get movement between 8 and 8:30 a.m.

If shooting light ends at 5:40 p.m. or so, I like to get in and set up by 2:30 or 3 p.m. Warm afternoons always seem to involve a nap so that gives me time to be awake and alert for the golden hour before sunset. Most of my blinds have fairly compact hunting stools and I just can't sit on them for a long time and be comfortable so this has to be taken into consideration as well both in the morning and the afternoon.

This also brings up the idea of getting in to a stand or blind in the morning. Is it better to just make a beeline and get there quickly (with sweat and noise considerations) or go at a still-hunting pace? To my farthest spot, it is about a mile. I don't think I can do the "Squirrel Walk" that far and not be totally worn out.

What do all ya'll think? All opinions are welcome!

OkKeith

[Bisch]

In the morning, I try to be settled in the blind an hour before legal shooting time. That is about 30 minutes before first light. In the afternoon, I just try to get in 2-4hrs before dark, depending on circumstances.

Bisch


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[OkKeith]

Hey Bisch...

Does that account for snack and coffee/tea time in the blind? 

Sometimes I wonder what I look forward to more... the hunting or the hot cup of tea and the pop-tart in the blind.

OkKeith

[Trenton G.]

In the morning I like to be there well before shooting hours. I hunt public land, so sometimes my decision is based off of how many other people I need to beat into the woods. For example, this year on opening day of firearm season, I was sitting by 4 am. It didn't get light until 7.
In the afternoon, I generally like to be sitting by 3. It also depends on the weather a lot as well. The hotter it is, the later I go in without feeling late. During the rut, I almost feel like 2 is too late if I'm not sitting all day. Too late or too early for me really hinges on the current conditions.

[Orion]

I walk in when there's just enough light to navigate.  That usually puts me on stand about the time shooting hours open. I want to be able to see enough to avoid making a lot of noise. Most of my stands don't have trails or logging roads going to them.  Stumbling around in the dark just spooks critters.  You may see small and average size deer latter in the day, but if you spook a big/mature deer on the way in, you're unlikely to see him again. 

During the rut, I usually stay on stand all day.  Sometimes I'll come in from about 2 to 3 or 3:30.  I consider 12 to 2 to be the best time to see a big buck during the rut.  I try to leave as quietly as I can at the end of shooting hours.     

[huntmaster70]

I'd rather be an hour early than a minute late

[BAK]

I hardly ever hunt the mornings, but when I do I'm there 1/2 hour before shooting light.
Afternoons I like to have 2 1/2 hours of hunting time.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I plan to get to the tree in the AM about the same time you can shoot an arrow. Part of the idea is that the does generally move through early and the bucks come through later checking the trails.  Prime buck time for me has always been 830 to 930. Id rather let the majority of the does get past and sneak in between.  Another thing is I hate hate hate using a light. I think you bump way more deer stumbling around in the dark flashing a light around than sneaking in quietly in gray light.  I'd rather be 5 minutes early than an hour early!!! 😛

Afternoon I shoot for 2 hours early season, 3 hours during the rut..give or take.

R

[Lakerat007]

Depends on what I’m setting up on. A lot of the time I wait til thermal reversal b4 I enter the woods.

[dnovo]

I try to get in morning stand about 10-15 minutes before shooting light. Just can’t see sitting there an extra hour spreading scent.  In the afternoon I get in when I can. 2-4 hours before dark.

[goingoldskool]

I might be all wet here, but I think if you walk in going directly to your stand,  deer don't tend to notice as much as if they catch you sneaking.... when deer walk in the woods, they are usually moving with a destination in mind.  Other deer don't pay them much mind..... I dunno,  I've blown deer up doing both, but I've gotten by with a slow steady gait more than not.

[huntmaster70]

Not all stands need a flashlight approach & some can be walked to & entered pre-dawn. Maybe I have bumped some deer entering in the dark but I like the area to be "calmed down" by daylight. Waiting until just before or at "early light" I think you're more likely to be spotted going in

[SlowBowKing]

For morning hunts, my usual is 30 minutes before legal shooting time (so one hour pre-sunrise). In the evenings, it’s 2-3 hours before dark. During peak rut, I just hunt any time I can, which might be really early, after daylight, midday, evening, or any combo of these.

If I found myself running really late in the morning, I’d wait until it was light enough to see without a light before easing in to my spot.

[OkKeith]

Excellent discussion!

Ryan... what are your thoughts on using a red or green light? I have one ground blind that it is nearly impossible to get to without a light. The deep river bottom has some underbrush, heavy primary and secondary tree canopy. It is booger dark even with a full moon but it is fantastic hunting in the late season.

Lakerat007... I don't think there is enough elevation in my area to have thermals be a consideration. Most of the time the prevailing winds would wipe that out anyway. When I hunt western Oklahoma and some of the canyon lands in the Texas Panhandle, you are right-on. Its a factor for sure.

Goingoldskool... I'm not a small guy and trying to not break a sweat is a real concern. It seems like trying to be "sneaky" and slow is more effort than just a casual walk. I feel like my balance is better as well. So like you I just go at a moderate pace. Besides, there deer might wonder why that squirrel shuffling around in the dark is up so early. Is there an "armadillo walk"?

OkKeith

[bucknut]

I am on board with Ryan. I walk in at first light so I can slip in, unless I have to walk a mile to my stand. I have climbed in at daylight with unspooked deer 30 yards from my stand. I hate walking in with a light. Most of my sightings are 8-9:30.  Also most of my stands I use the terrain to my advantage if possible. I try to enter thru gulleys which keeps me out of sight and the wind stays funneling down it in the mornings. This also helps with getting busted on your tracks in. Seems they are more focused on getting across the draw and not nosing the ground as much. I'm no pro but it works for me!  And that is hunting 90% on public land hunting.  For what it's worth anytime in the woods is good, so you are never too late.

[Wudstix]

I usually have a route to my stand, early I walk in using an irregular pace 1-2-1-3-2-1-3-? steps, with pause between series that varies from 5-15 seconds.  Try to be in prior to first shooting light.  If I don't sit all day I'm in by 2.  I have found that the land I hunt there are deer moving at anytime of the day.  Also mid-day is very productive cause everybody goes out for lunch!  I've seen and shot equal amounts of game in all three portions of the day.
       

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I don't know about colored lights one way or the other, never messed around with them myself. If the deer really can't see em it seems they would be better.  That seems to be prevailing wisdom....but....I've also heard of guys thinking if they went in early morning the "deer couldn't see them" also "hunting during full moon is worse because the deer can see to run around all night"....amazing how many folks don't realize that deer and other animals can see in the dark 

R

[Wudstix]

Yawrp, nocturnal animals can for sure see in the dark!  But on the colored lens I think that green is better.  Red is OK, but not for hogs, they have learned that red is not healthy.  With colored lens you still have to move in slowly.  Walking in at a steady cadence screams MAN! 

[Trenton G.]

I very rarely use a light to get in and out. The exception to this is during gun season, when I always use a light when walking out. I also keep the light pointed straight down at the ground with my fingers over the end, just allowing a tiny slit of light to shine through.

[huntmaster70]

If deer can see that well in the dark why would you need  a "colored" light ? If they can see you going in w/o a light while its still dark  a colored light doesn't make you invisible.