1/2 hour early or right at sunrise?

[wisconsinteacher]

I have always been a guy that gets into a morning stand 1/2 hour before shooting light so things can settle down.  I know I make a little more noise doing this but I feel like I am not hurried when I leave early.  This weekend, I would like to try a new spot but I know it is very thick and do not know where the trail is 100% so I am thinking about leaving the truck right at the crack of daylight so I can get in without making a lot of noise.  Would you go early and hope for the best or go late and be able to find your tree?

[ChuckC]

My choice is to go in with just enough light to be sneaky and not use a flash.
CHuckC

[Ray Lyon]

If you don't know the way and it's tough to get in, go as quietly (stalking) first light.  1/2 hour before is still late going in before light.  One hour before is better.

[ChuckC]

Is two even better ?
ChuckC

[Scott E]

If I'm hunting a food source in the morning I get in an hour before legal shooting time. If it's a travel route I get in a little later.

I also use my trail cams to help me out with this.

[Roger Norris]

Stumbling around in the dark does more harm than good.  If you can't sneak in silently,  wait for pink light.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

one hour ahead is best. I always say I don't plan to shoot the ones there who are there in the dark. I want to shoot the ones there at 1st light. Yes I will bump deer in the dark But I never bump deer at first lilght

[RedShaft]

If I know right where I'm going and im expecting action or its a hot spot I go in around A half hour early. Being at my stand site.
If it's a new spot and I only been there once or something I go in just as I can see Around barley with no light. It much easier to see The land for what it is and pic the right tree. Idk how many times I have gone in fresh and picked a poor spot or tree because I didn't know where to set up. If I would have waited till I could have seen better I would have picked right spot.

Now this is getting to the area not the walk in. So you have to time it. Idk how far you have to walk as I hunt public land.
Another thing is we almost never see deer right off the bat in the morning. It's alwYs a little later. Only time I have deer right at day break is the rut and rifle season because guys are bumping them walking in.

[KentuckyTJ]

I think you should go in early still. The problem is you aren't using the right flashlight. Get a new lithium battery light that has a very low setting on it. You can see that noisy stick and avoid it and the low setting isn't bright enough to ruin your night vision.

Check this thread out.
 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=131998;p=1

[JohnV]

What time you go in should be determined by where the deer are pre-dawn.  I normally walk in just as it is getting light.  I make less noise and don't have to be shining a light everywhere.  I rarely bump a deer as most of my deer are still out in corn and soybean fields off my property feeding.  In my younger days I was one of those who would climb into a stand one hour before sunrise.  Not necessary where I now hunt.

[Talondale]

Depends on the circumstances.  Behind my house if I bump them in the dark I won't see anything that morning so I go in at first light hunting all the way.  If I see something I have an opportunity to put a stalk on them.  There are disadvantages to that as well.  In daylight a deer bedded uphill can see me come in and bolt.  But I've tried it both ways here and found first light is the better option.

Everywhere else I go in before light.  I use a red or green light and it doesn't disturb the deer.  I've walked up on deer in the dark using them, and a skunk once as well.  

[Orion]

I've done it both ways for a lot of years, well, not so much in the past 20, and haven't found it makes a difference, but I definitely spook fewer deer going in at first light.  I hunt big woods and usually my stands are quite far in so I can start walking in the dark, but it's gray light by the time I'm a couple hundred yards from my stand.

Keep shooting hours in mind, too.  For example, in my state, they're one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.  If you're sitting in your stand with a strung bow before or after those times, you're hunting illegally.

[Bill Turner]

On public land, I try to get ahead of the crowd. A half hour before sunrise has always worked for me. However, the older I get, the tougher its gets to get out of bed on cold, windy days.  Good luck and be safe.  

[Eugene Slagle]

I'm a 1/2 hour early person as well, sometimes a little earlier depends on the stand.

[stagetek]

I walk in, in the dark, and on evening stand I walk out in the dark. I do comply with the 1/2 hr rules here in WI.

[Robyn Hode]

I normally get to my spot a half hour to an hour before sun up. I don't ever see deer at sun up it is usually much later but I enjoy watching the woods come alive when the sun rises.

My stands are all on private property and set up permanent. I go to the stand in the morning 1hr before actual sunrise time, which is about 30 minutes before first light.

Bisch

[Sam McMichael]

I use a light, and I don't think it affects the hunting. I try to get to my stand about 1 hour before first light.

[pdk25]

I am an early guy, as well.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I hunt when I can. I  will go in before light if possible but if i can only get to the woods after it starts getting light out, I still go.

I have seen deer both ways. If you are unfamiliar with where you are heading, I would wait for a  little light. You can track up an area pretty good laying scent down looking for the perfect spot. Everything seems to look different in the dark.