It's risky.. no doubt. But if you want big rewards sometimes you have to take big risks.

Earlier is definately better though.

From my own experience.. and that of which I've learned from and with constant others..

Avoid walking through any Ag land if you can.

if you cannot..

Wait for the approaching breeding season.. even if it's still a couple weeks out. But the timing of the year is approaching and fall is here. Wait for that good cold front.. something to keep a buck on its feet a little longer as he's out messing with the ladies.

Then get in early. The earlier the better. And sit tight.

Now the foundation of the entire hunt is the bean fields. They come in early usually (the farmers take them away). I don't know when in NC.. but I know in Illinois the general time frame.. So you have to throw this into the equation as well. And this may very well determine the very best time to hunt this stand.

Bucks love the beans just before they dry. But much of the time they all but disappear usually as the beans dry up.. and other sources of food get hot. This is the other problem.

This is where my choice of hunting the stand only in the evening would come into play. Unless I could get that luck.. and that cold front early enough in the season.