Im all way's in my stand 2 or 3 hours be for day brake..

Damn, you may as well stay over night!That's cool though.

It all depends on what standI am hunting that morning and knowing your area.

My arrival time will vary from 30 minutes prior to as much as 1 1/2 hour prior.

One of my favorite stands is a funnel area between feeding area and bedding area but closer to the bedding area. (About 250-300 yards to bedding area and about 1/2 to 3/4 mile to the feeding area.

It is amazing how many animals move through there way before daylight. I can seldom make them out good enough to know what they were, but they are always big bodied deer that I just know are 150" plus deer.

Since I hunt it only when the wind is favorable, it is my thought that by coming in so earlythat I do not disturbthese early arrivaldeer, allowingthe deer to continueto feel safeincreasing the chances thatthey will continue to use this bedding area whereas if I went in 30 minutes prior, chances are I would bust a lot of them andnever even know it.

I try to be in the stand 45 mins before first light. I usually try to figure out what time the people on the neighboring properties are going in and make sure I am in there 30 mins before then.

Once Im in my stand I basically shut up and listen. You can usually hear where the deer are wrestlign around at and focus on that area at first light.

Had this happen to me about 5 years ago while rifle hunting. A guy who's land we hunted on used to be a DNR officer and had a nice 8 point 1/2 mount that he had used to catch poachers. He put it behind a brush pile and about 20 minutes after first light I spotted him. Waitedfor the Damn thing to move for 30 minutes fora clear shot, but never moved!! I figured it out after about 45 minutes, I was pissed but I give credit where credit is due for a good joke!

10 minutes before shooting light.

I would "imagine" the answer to this question varies greatly and is dependent upon when the deer you're hunting are moving through the area you're hunting, that day.

Proximity to the type of area you're hunting would also play a big part (i.e. destination food source/funnel/transition area/proximity to bedding area).

I get to my stands when I do out of necessity......based on my experiences with varying my entrance times.

I've just never heard of a good reason NOT to get there early. Like I said....I nap REALLY well in my climber, anyways.

When i am hunting the edge of the woods i like to get to be ready 30mins before first light. But when i hunt the interior during the rut i like to get in an hour before light.

Me too. I don't get the need for earlier. I guess if you have to beat a buck there you can always listen to him walk by you while you sit there in the dark...LOL.

In all seriousness though...I want to get in quickly, and quietly, without spending extra non-hunting time in stand giving any early passers the chance to detect me. I feel if I bump a deer getting there (before legal shooting time)the chance of me getting a shot at it was slim anyways.

I am usually in my stand about 15 minutes before legal shooting time.

As early as I find it necassary. Depends on way to many factors to totally answer this Q.

However.. because many areas I hunt are in close proximity to food sources (not Ag.. I'm talking acorn or apple trees.) I prefer a very very early visit to my stand. 1-2 hours before shooting light is often my goal. Especially on heavy pressured land.

I've many times been in stand 2 hours before daylight and within 5 minutes had whitetail feeding below me for hours.. then returning to bed just after shooting light and walking by me unaware.