With my game camera, I have just come to learn the deer are moving much later in the day than I realized. In Florida, with our 93+ degree afternoons, I assumed the deer were not moving much. Well, on two rolls of film, I have noticed they are moving at noon, 2pm, 4pm, etc. in addition to the early and late time.

I generally get in my stand before sunrise but in terms of legal hunting hours, if sunrise is 7am, I am hunting from 6:30 till 9am. In the evening, I get to stand at 4:30 and hunt till dark at 7:45pm. Based on my pics, I am beginning to think i am not spending nearly enough time in the stand, and am interested in how long most of you stay.

david

90 percent of the time i stay in my stand daylight to dark, may move stand after 930 in ther morning since i use a climber, ive found i see a whole lot more deer this way. GOOD SHOOTING AND HUNTING/DEAN

golden eagle

It really depends on the time of the year for me. I'm always on stand an hour before daylight. It allows time for whatever scent I have left behind to dissipate and besides that it is just awesomely peaceful. This weekend for example, it was HOT here in Texas. I stayed on stand from about 5:30 AM to 10:00 AM. I just couldn't stand it anymore. I was sweating profusely and didn't want to risk contaminating the area any more than I have to. If it were cooler, I probably would have stayed another hour or 2. In the evenings I usually try to go out at least 2 - 2.5 hours before dark. I have been known to stay out all day when it is cool and the rut is on. I may not necessarily stay in one stand but sometimes slip around between stands and still hunt.

Only till 9:30-10 in the mornings and go back in around 430-5 in the evenings. I might try staying a little longer this year. I usually have many days to hunt so I choose to only hunt a few hours in the morning and evening rather than all day.

Some things are true whether you believe them or not.

Around peak rut I stay in a stand all day. Early season I am out by about 9:30 and in about 2 p.m. Unless I have put myself right smack in a bedding area than I may stay all day no matter what time of year it is.

In the stand 1 hour before daylight and out about 10 back in at about 3 till dark 30

The best of luck in all your hunting endeavors!!!

God Bless,
Dave

Hey Tealboy,

I am curious about your midday pics. I am trying to learn all I can about the game charts and lunar cycles, and actually prove to myself that they work. I was wondering if the days that you documented midday movement were actually the days that the lunar chart stated that "Prime Time" was in fact during the midday. My gut felling says that this is probably the case, but could you verify that for me. Thanks.

early season i think that it is impossible to sit all day on a stand and not get restless. opening is around 6, i get in an hour early, and stay till close at 7. I cant handle 14 hours. so early season usually till 10, back out at 2. during the rut - all day!