I used to be ready b/4 it got light enough to see. I scared a lot of deer going in and it never really worked in my favor. Now I like to slip in quietly when it's just light enough to see. I stay until around 10 most days. I get out get a bite to eat, maybe shoot a few arrows, set a stand or do a little scouting or rest a while. I'm usually back out by 2. Sometimes I sit all day. I don't do that all the time because I get burnt out doing it every day. During rifle season I stay all day.
I like to try and be set up and ready to go on stand in the morning an hour before legal shooting time.
I have to drive 3 hours back to my family's farm, so a lot of times I'll stay on stand all day--this often includes a mid-day nap.
If I'm going out for an evening hunt I like to have at least 4 hours of shooting time.
Morning I'm there 1 1/2 hours before shooting time. I like to close my eyes and just listen. I'll get down around 11 or so and for evening I like to have 5 or 6 hrs.
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Everything comes to he who waits, If he waits til it comes.
I get in 1 hr before daylight, just to watch the woods wake up. I have enough locations where if nothing is happening at my first stop, chances are they are somewhere else. I may come down silently around 10 is and get out of the woods, regroup, stalk into another stand about 1 and stay until about 2:30-3.
If nothing is happening then, I will go to a stand I havent sat at very much throughout the season and wait it out til dusk. Usually Im a couple miles in the woods at this time so I will drop down and stalk the way back up the hill to truck, or do a man drive for my partners in other stand locations.
I still go in the dark but use a small red light to see, usually around 5. Just before the sun starts to color the horizon. I stay until 10 or so. The afternoons, usually later in aournd 445, right after work. 4 gun season sun up till sun down, unless I actually shoot something
Gary....my main hunting spot mirrors your times, perfectly.
I have to alter my entrance times according to the spot I'm hunting. SOme places I can go into, later. Hell I've stayed out late and went to stand without going to bed, before. The spot I'm talking about is a transition area.....and they come back from feeding all night...and they hole up in this spot....waiting to get a few nibbles before they jead to bed for the day. I've seen 'em bed down in this spot......get back up at first light.....feed and head to bed.
So I have to get there early. 2 hrs min.
Other spots? about an hour before first light.
Disclaimer: I hunt pretty small parcels...and I know my way around them in the dark. If I thought I had to make a bunch of noise getting to my tree.....I might wait a bit. Also....I have NEVER gotten a more peaceful nap than I do at that time of the morning....in my treestand. That time of morning is when I solve my world's problems, also. I wouldn't trade this time for anything.
I walk in only when it's dark and sit until around 11:00AM.For evening hunts, I'm in my stand by 1:30-2:00PM and leave when it gets dark. During the rut, I'm inan hour before first light and like tohunt all day.
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'07 Hoyt Vectrix XL 50-60# / maxed at 63# 30"
HHA OL-5000 single pin
Wisker Biscuit
KWIKEE KWIVER / XX75-2314 arrows
S-Coil stabilizer / Loop & Kisser / Fletcher Peep
TRU FIRE / Hurricane Release
Muzzy 3 blade 100gr
Over the years, my most productive times in the morning have been from 1hr to 2hrs after first light. I've adjusted my hunting accordingly.... I get to my stand just before day break.
In the afternoons I like to get in there anywhere from `12-2, just depends on the weather.
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" If he smells you its over. If he gets in your wind stream its over, If he smells where you walked, he probably aint coming back... Your talking about an animal that can smell a fingerprint. Any amount over 0% is to much." Dan Infalt
In the mornings I like to get there 1/2 to an hour before the sky starts to get any color to it. I usually stay till 10:00 or so. I have to say I usually seemost of my deer between 7:00 and 8:00.
I head back out around 4:00 ish in the afternoons (early season), earlier later in the year.
Hunting Time's
