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?

[Sean B]

Pete, I usually go in well before light, mostly to let the Woods settle down a bit. I want those deer that are cruising just at twilight to be undisturbed. Plus, it gives any sent left down to dissipate.  I've had other hunters push deer out on me by going in late near my set up. It gets frustrating.

[VA Elite]

go in at dark...always have. I like to watch the light appear from the stand.

[woodchucker]

After Breakfast.....  

[Recurve7]

About 30 min before daylight.

[Mint]

I get to my stand at least a 1/2 hour before first light.

As for walking in and seeing deer at first light I think people are fooling themselves. If you have to walk normally 45 minutes to your stand to walk in with any stealth to avoid spooking deer that walk will take you a good two hours.

One time at the end of a morning hunt a friend who was 400 yards away walked over to my stand. I asked him did he see any deer and he said no. I counted eight deer that he had spooked walking slowly to my stand. Walking through North East woods leaves is impossible to be quiet.

[old_goat2]

I live a hundred or more miles from my stand, I'd love to be in it half an hour before legal shooting time and stay till I can't see to shoot but that usually don't happen! Sometimes I'll grab a cheap hotel room in a nearby town and then I can get in it before light. It's closer for me to go elk hunting!

[9 Shocks]

Depends on the spot and time of year/day for me.  Generally though I am in my stand and settled in 30 minutes before twilight.  I have had instances where I go in and shine my light and see eyes near my stand and then I just stay put and honker down by a tree and wait til I can see and watch the deer move off.

[Sam McMichael]

I try to get there an hour or close to it before daylight. Often, though, it is more like 30 minutes before light.

[fnshtr]

In WV our legal shooting hours are 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset. I like to on stand at least 15 minutes before legal shooting hours.

Like others have said, I love to watch as the world wakes up. I've been hunting this way for over 50 years.

[huckbuck]

It depends on how close your stand is to the bedding or feeding area.  During the rut it doesn't matter so much as deer are moving more during daylight hours so I try to be in stand as much as possible.  Usually from daylight till noon, take a break for lunch and then back in stand for the last three hours before dark.

[Orion]

I time my walk in so I arrive at my stand a few minutes before shooting time, which is usually just breaking day.  In my younger days, I went in in the dark. Spooked a lot of deer that way.  I'm a lot quieter when I can see where I'm going.

In my area, one usually only get's one chance at the bigger bucks.  I don't want one making me in my stand when there's not enough light to shoot.  When that happens, he won't be back.

[Michael Arnette]

I try to give myself an hour before daylight. In the afternoon I shoot for 3 solid hours of legal shooting light or better. During the rut I stay on stand all day any chance I can get. I agree with mint and think folks are fooling themselves sneaking in at daylight and missing out on deer and watching the woods wake up...its magical. Sure it works in some situations but I dont like bumping deer

[Michael Arnette]

I might add that when I am hunting public land I refuse to make any move at twilight for safety purposes. I always wear blaze orange head covering and do not want to get shot. I think its the most dangerous time to be walking around the woods. A flashlight is easy to distinguish from an animal...

[Bladepeek]

Right after a nice buck probably walked by   :(

[Nantahala Nut]

I have been going in at twilight figuring i could sneak in better that way.  I have spooked deer too often this year doing this so I am going in well before daylight this week.  My spot is only 150 yards from a food plot.  Last group I spooked was heading through there at 8 am

[jamesh76]

I get in the stand 45-60 minutes before shooting light.  I put my son who's 13 up first though  Gives me the opportunity to take my time and make sure he has his harness on and is set.

[mcgroundstalker]

Hey Pete... It's time for you to think out of the box, my friend...     ... Just have fun with it!

... mike ...

[highlow]

My advanced age has dictated what time I arrive and set up. Hunt alone almost exclusively and with all the infirmities that come with age, it behooves me to walk in with enough daylight to ensure my safe arrival. Another reason is because I've had to pass on a couple of animals that I was sure were decent racked bucks simply because I didn't have enough light for an ethical shot. Vowed not to let that happen again. If a big boy trots past my stand before daylight, so be it. Couldn't have shot it anyway. And finally, why sit in the dark for an hour and get cold. A spooked deer is a spooked deer, regardless as to whether is was in the darkness or the daylight. JMHO.

[KyStickbow]

I like to get in there well before daylight...and let the woods settle before daybreak.