What time do you get to your stand in the morning?

[PeteA]

I've been hunting with a bow for 35+ years. I'm basically a weekend hunter in a bow only suburb 50 miles outside NYC.
Hunting primarily on public land. I have always been a firm believer to walk in in the dark and get on stand 45 minutes before light. Hopefully to beat the croud. So I'm usually heading in to my area at 5:00am with flashlights and moving as slowly and quietly as possible. I have about a 45 minute to 1 hour walk in to the area I hunt.
I've resently had some conversations with a few members of my crew who believe in walking in at twilight vs dark. The thought is, why walk in, possibly with deer around you without being able to see them.

What are the rest of you guys doing?

[bear bowman]

Depends where I'm hunting. I hunt some extremely pressured bow only land in Maryland. When I hunt this place I'm in my tree one to one and a half hours early.
The private ground I hunt, I'm usually in 45 minutes early.

[JR Chambers]

In our state we can only hunt 1/2 before daylight

[bowberry]

I've never hunted high pressure areas. But, as a kid dad always had us on stand in the pitch black dark. I've seen the woods come to light and then come to life many times.

I don't do that as much now that I'm on my own.I feel like I'm missing some thing somehow.Part of the experience.

As far as deer go,I've never gotton close enough for a shot walking in, light or dark. Maybe a flag once or twice but no shot oportunities.

I say go in the dark if you like it. See the awakening.

spook em early, spook em late, Whats the difference?

[Jerry Jeffer]

I hike into big public land about 45 min to an hour as well. I like to get there in the dark. I don't even use a light, I know my way. I like to settle in early. Gives things time to settle down, and as said previous, watch the awakening.

[foxbo]

No way would I walk into public land in the dark without some type of light.

As I grow older, tree stands don't suit me much. I'm usually on the ground in one of my hunting seats about 15-30 minutes before first light. I take my time getting there too.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

When I hunt public land where I know guys will be coming in behind me, I will get there pre light. Usually 45 minutes before light, as long as I know my approach will be quiet.

On most Private lands,I will walk in just as its starting to get light out. "gray light" as some call it, unless I think I will be in an area where I expect deer to be at, first thing.

Honestly though, I have found little difference in deer sightings either way except when I make a  racket in the dark trying to find my tree.

I do think there is some benefit if you are hunting farm country to going in at first light because you can see deer in the fields and figure out an approach.

Everyone has an opinion, but I say go when you can.  Personally, I love watching the woods come alive and wake up.

[longbowman]

I read from somebody much smarter than myself years ago who said, "When asked how early I get to my stands I tell them, it's better to be an hour early than a minute late!"  So I always get in and allow the world to wake up around me.  Not sure if it really matters but that's just me.

[Phillip Fields]

30 minutes before shooting light.

[Jakeemt]

I am the same. I hike back quite a ways to get to some of my public land spot and usually get there an hour before first light. I don't know if it had advantages but, it just feels right and I like it so what the heck!

I get in the stand an hour before actual sunrise, which is about 30 minutes or so before first light.

Bisch

[ksbowman]

I get in about an hour early. Several times I have been setting in the dark and had bucks come in under me. Had a couple that stuck around til light but, then it got dark on them. I'm a believer in being there early.

[gregg dudley]

Hunted with some guys a couple weeks back who don't leave the cabin until it is getting light enough to shoot.  That was a first for me.  Their theory on it was that most of the deer that they kill are in the afternoon and that they rarely see anything at first light.  They try to sit until close to noon and don't waste any of their seat time (endurance) before dawn.  Worked as good as anything and I managed to kill a doe on a morning hunt.

I've always wanted to hunt more around mid-day and I can see that this strategy would give me more likelihood of staying in the stand later.

[woodchucker]

After Breakfast.....  

[ron w]

quote:Originally posted by woodchucker:
After Breakfast.....    

[dnovo]

Sometimes I've gone in early, like 30-45 minutes before first light and sometimes I've gotten in stand just at first light or even a bit later. Almost all of the deer I see in morning are always later, like an hour or 2 after light.
So these days I don't worry about it. I get there when I get there.

[joe ashton]

I like to be in the stand at first pink light.

[DennyK]

X2 Joe

[Jmatt1957]

legal shooting time for us is 7:15 Im in my stand at 6:45.

[LookMomNoSights]

I am in my set and all settled with no movement required for anything....30 mins before the first indication of light.