I get up at 6 jump in shower and rinse off my body, then put on some pj pants and sweaters. I drive the whole 5 minutes to where i hunt. And get dressed there and walk in to my chair. Im usually in by 6:30. I was thinking about getting up at 5 tomorrow, and would end up in the woods at 5:30. Is that overkill? And i only got to walk about 2 acres in a field, and then about 40 yards in the woods/weeds and im where i hunt at so noise isn't really that big of a deal. So what time would you suggest for me to be in my chair?

OH MY!!!I'm sitting in my tree by 5:30 AM.

It depends... if I feel I am going to bump deer in the morning in a specific area I will go in a first light... and stalk my stand on the way in... this way I may get ashot on my way in. I have killed several deer this way over the years.

Time in depends on several things including, where you live, where you're hunting, set up, other hunters etc. I tell you, it sure sounds like you're walking across the field the deer are in and probably running them out. Here in Maryland you have to be in your settled in yourtree by around 6 or a few minutes sooner to let things quiet down. In upstate NY right now 6:30 would be fine. I used to be like Chuck7 and be settled an hour before daylight. You can't see to shoot well until close to 7. In most cases that's not necessary. I find I'd rather arrive and settle a few minutes to a half hour before first gloom. I still get to watch the world wake up and I'm fresher and more alert. On the other end, on afternoon hunts I used to sit in the stand until I couldn't see my feet. After a lot of years I decided that's past legal shooting time. If I can't see my pins clearly my chances of making a good shot are less. There are other days. I now climb down when I can still see to pack up my stand with some fading light.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...er/dfaddsa.jpg

Ok here is a pic of the property i hunt, the stuff inside the red square is what i have to hunt on. The woods towards the top i used to have permissing just the guy hasnt been home when i go over to ask if i can hunt there. The red box by the house is where i park my truck and the trail going from it in to the woods to the left is where i go in. to the left of that there is two squares of where i set up, the one closet to the line is where im currently at now. I tried to draw a deer to the left of the path i take showing where the deer go in at that iv seen. Either that way or from the woods im facing straight at me. No one hunts on what i got to hunt on and im pretty sure no one hunts in those woods, at least for bow season. Now does that help lol. Also im set up that far in because thats where the deer are and the other part behind me is weeds and trees pretty much taller then me, And im about 6'1

Here's my terrain in Florida. Imagine going through this stuff at 5:15 AM. with the gators and snakes. You are always breathing a prayer.This is a cypress dome.The deer and hogs stay in here for the cover , and food.

i live in upstate new york and i am in my stand by 5:30 6:30 is way too late you would definately spook them at that time

I like being in the stand 1.5 to 2 hours before sunrise. You'd be amazed at how many deer I've seen and heard under my stand an hour before dawn. If I were any later I would have kicked them out on my way in. Get out there early, put your safety harness on, and catch some zzzz's before dawn.

But QzQ... those deer you see 2 hours before daylight are long gone by daylight. I don't care how many deer pass a spot before light, you aren't getting a whack at them. In fact, you might be hunting in the wrong place for the time of day you're there. I see people all the time coming up with these "RULES" for success that just beat themselves up and are not any more successful than the guy that takes another hour to cuddle in a warm bed. What in the hell good does it do to see a deer 2 hours before daylight. If he's there 2 hours before daylight you should be somewhere else at daylight..... like where he went to. You'd be much fresher and a lot more alert and stink the woods up less when normal daytime wind currents kick in. In those 2 hours before daylight all you do is lay a big upside down mushroom of stink on the ground. Oh sure, there is the chance you'll spook a deer, but hey, you can spook the same deer 2 hours before daylight. That's just beating yourself up, waking the family and making you sore and stiff long before you can shoot anything. It's a definite overkill that probably makes you antsy and not a good hunter around 9 or 10. No need to be in a stand at 4:30 AM at this time of year. I've actually had spots I hunted that where it was better to wait until AFTER sunrise to slip in so you could see where the deer were and avoid them.

I don't bowhunt much in the mornings cause it seems like I almost always jump deer on the way in. Gun season is a different story. I try to get in the stand an hour before sunrise which is30 minutes before legal shooting time. I have a friend who is an excellent bowhunter who likes to hunt mornings and he doesn't start to his stand til it is getting light.