Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
09-10-2008, 03:19 PM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
Can anyone name (other than missing out on sleep) any DISadvantages to getting to your stand REALLY early (1.5 hours before shooting light)?
In '06 I saw what I thought was the buck I ended up taking that December run through a pasture (right behind my stand) in the moonlight. Germ said it once......he looked like he was late getting home and he was in a hurry. At least I knew I was close to being in the right PLACE....AND...if I'd been a bit later....maybe he'd have busted me going in.
Last year....I was in a tree when the 8 pointer I would take 4 days later came by me in the darkness.....just sauntering along. he actually stood about 5 yds from the base of my tree for about 5 minutes, before walking on away. I had him at less than 10yds this next morning same tree)...but had no shot He stopped while chasing a doe...but was quartering-to, hard). I shot him 3 days later, when I moved about 40 yds up to where I'd seen him coming from in both prior instances.
I keep thinking if I'd been later getting to my stand all those times....maybe I would've gotten "caught".
Can anyone give me a good reason why we don't go in earlier (as a whole).....other than..."I don't need to" (which is a perfectly legitimate answer, BTW
)?
In '06 I saw what I thought was the buck I ended up taking that December run through a pasture (right behind my stand) in the moonlight. Germ said it once......he looked like he was late getting home and he was in a hurry. At least I knew I was close to being in the right PLACE....AND...if I'd been a bit later....maybe he'd have busted me going in.
Last year....I was in a tree when the 8 pointer I would take 4 days later came by me in the darkness.....just sauntering along. he actually stood about 5 yds from the base of my tree for about 5 minutes, before walking on away. I had him at less than 10yds this next morning same tree)...but had no shot He stopped while chasing a doe...but was quartering-to, hard). I shot him 3 days later, when I moved about 40 yds up to where I'd seen him coming from in both prior instances.
I keep thinking if I'd been later getting to my stand all those times....maybe I would've gotten "caught".
Can anyone give me a good reason why we don't go in earlier (as a whole).....other than..."I don't need to" (which is a perfectly legitimate answer, BTW
)?
09-10-2008, 03:24 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
Only disadvantage is my butt getting tired.
Another is, getting mentally tired due to the extra time waiting for light. It drives me nuts setting in a stand, or setting up on the ground, waiting to see what is going on. Setting in the pitch black can wear you out mentally. Or at least it does me.
Another is, getting mentally tired due to the extra time waiting for light. It drives me nuts setting in a stand, or setting up on the ground, waiting to see what is going on. Setting in the pitch black can wear you out mentally. Or at least it does me.
09-10-2008, 03:30 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Flushing Michigan
Posts: 2,355
RE: Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
GMMAT I like to get out really early too, usually about 1 hour before shooting hours.
A counter-argument could be this:Why sit for 1.5 hours in a tree, and risk getting busted and ruining the spot, when you can't even shoot yet?
A counter-argument could be this:Why sit for 1.5 hours in a tree, and risk getting busted and ruining the spot, when you can't even shoot yet?
09-10-2008, 03:32 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
Can anyone name (other than missing out on sleep) any DISadvantages to getting to your stand REALLY early (1.5 hours before shooting light)?
In '06 I saw what I thought was the buck I ended up taking that December run through a pasture (right behind my stand) in the moonlight. Germ said it once......he looked like he was late getting home and he was in a hurry. At least I knew I was close to being in the right PLACE....AND...if I'd been a bit later....maybe he'd have busted me going in.
Last year....I was in a tree when the 8 pointer I would take 4 days later came by me in the darkness.....just sauntering along. he actually stood about 5 yds from the base of my tree for about 5 minutes, before walking on away. I had him at less than 10yds this next morning same tree)...but had no shot He stopped while chasing a doe...but was quartering-to, hard). I shot him 3 days later, when I moved about 40 yds up to where I'd seen him coming from in both prior instances.
I keep thinking if I'd been later getting to my stand all those times....maybe I would've gotten "caught".
Can anyone give me a good reason why we don't go in earlier (as a whole).....other than..."I don't need to" (which is a perfectly legitimate answer, BTW)?
Can anyone name (other than missing out on sleep) any DISadvantages to getting to your stand REALLY early (1.5 hours before shooting light)?
In '06 I saw what I thought was the buck I ended up taking that December run through a pasture (right behind my stand) in the moonlight. Germ said it once......he looked like he was late getting home and he was in a hurry. At least I knew I was close to being in the right PLACE....AND...if I'd been a bit later....maybe he'd have busted me going in.
Last year....I was in a tree when the 8 pointer I would take 4 days later came by me in the darkness.....just sauntering along. he actually stood about 5 yds from the base of my tree for about 5 minutes, before walking on away. I had him at less than 10yds this next morning same tree)...but had no shot He stopped while chasing a doe...but was quartering-to, hard). I shot him 3 days later, when I moved about 40 yds up to where I'd seen him coming from in both prior instances.
I keep thinking if I'd been later getting to my stand all those times....maybe I would've gotten "caught".
Can anyone give me a good reason why we don't go in earlier (as a whole).....other than..."I don't need to" (which is a perfectly legitimate answer, BTW
)?
09-10-2008, 03:33 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 1,184
RE: Disadvantages to gtting to stand REALLY early?
If you go in too early you may actually hear deer going by you and not getting a shot opportunity due to the darkness. To me, that would be frustrating.
I think if you're in your stand an hour before the sun comes up that is plenty early.
I think if you're in your stand an hour before the sun comes up that is plenty early.
09-10-2008, 03:36 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Northwest suburbs, Illinois
Posts: 2,075
RE: Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
I head out into stand very early. As a matter a fact I even coined the phrase Germ early a few years back after a pm conversation with the man himself. Pleasant dude.
But there are times when getting in too early can be a poor choice. But it depends on many factors.. and luck.
One example.. a fair sized CRP field in between a food source and heavy daytime bed. Go in too early crossing that field and your gonna bump deer left and right as they are bedded in the grasses chewing cud. Go in after the sun-light begins there movement back into the woods and it will be smooth sailing to your stand.
Now you can say its a poor choice to even choose that route in the first place. But.. if the CRP field is used to the hunters advantage.. perhaps not?
Word my brothers and sisters... word.
But there are times when getting in too early can be a poor choice. But it depends on many factors.. and luck.
One example.. a fair sized CRP field in between a food source and heavy daytime bed. Go in too early crossing that field and your gonna bump deer left and right as they are bedded in the grasses chewing cud. Go in after the sun-light begins there movement back into the woods and it will be smooth sailing to your stand.
Now you can say its a poor choice to even choose that route in the first place. But.. if the CRP field is used to the hunters advantage.. perhaps not?
Word my brothers and sisters... word.
09-10-2008, 03:38 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Becker County, MN
Posts: 550
RE: Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
I am often at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Many of my stands are in areas where I have to walk through ag fields to get to them.
If I try to get to my stands in the dark I will likely walk into alot of deer that I just can't see. This can ruin a hunt before it even starts.
So I often wait until the sun is coming up so I can see if any deer are still in the fields and is safe for me to get to my stand.
Many of the bucks that I have shot have been mid to late morning so this strategy has worked well for me.
Many of my stands are in areas where I have to walk through ag fields to get to them.
If I try to get to my stands in the dark I will likely walk into alot of deer that I just can't see. This can ruin a hunt before it even starts.
So I often wait until the sun is coming up so I can see if any deer are still in the fields and is safe for me to get to my stand.
Many of the bucks that I have shot have been mid to late morning so this strategy has worked well for me.
09-10-2008, 03:39 PM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Northeast Tennessee
Posts: 5,673
RE: Disadvantages to getting to stand REALLY early?
Behind my house I HAVE to be in the stand early. The deer, more times than not will be in the wood patch well before daylight and will stay well after, but if you are walking in the same time they are it's all over.
I'll probably be sitting in my stand opening morning by 5:30 at the latest.
I'll probably be sitting in my stand opening morning by 5:30 at the latest.