I am hunting a spot with my two cousins this sunday (Its their first hunt ever, and I am determined to get them addicted to bowhunting).
Now, I am aware that the best time for human activity during the day is when the sun is at its peak. But when do you all go into the woods in the morning? Every time I've hunted early AM, I've always screwed it up. I have a spot where I am pretty positive there will be a ton of AM activity, but I dont want to get there to late and spook them when we set up. Our legal hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise, to exactly sunset.
thanks,
Jake

I've been in a stand more than an hour before first light.

There are two things you can do, get there plenty early or wait til light and stalk your stand.

yep, if your getting to you r stand say 20-30 min. before sunrise and your busting deer, I'd get there at least an hour before sunrise, if I was still busting deer, I'd either try 1 1/2 hours, or move my stand to where they funnel back.

Is there any "rule of thumb", for when deer are active during the early season at night? I havent been able to find out much in my research about nighttime deer activity. I know that they are showing up 1/2 to 2 hours before sunset, but do they typically bed during the night as they do during the day? I guess my point is that I plan on showing up very early so assure that I get there before they do, but I do not want to get there too early and spook them at some other feeding time.

depends i normaly try to head in 20 to 30 mins before light. last year i got to the parking area to early and did not know it i was sitting there for a hour before day light. I fell a sleep.
if i headed in and spooked deer if i was going in 30 mins before light i would go in 45 minutes before light
Just keep going in earlyer till you get there with out spooking them.

Last year i went in anywhere from daylight to 1 hour before two 30 mins after sunrise. I only busted deer twice both at or right after day light.and i went in with a flash light every time

I like to be in my stand an hour before shooting time, which is 1/2 hr before sunrise. For evening hunts I'll usually be in stand for 3 1/2 to 4 hrs before sundown. Lets any screw ups I make (stepping on sticks or whatever) calm down.

3 guys 2 of them new, ya that's gonna happen.

No set time, each area is different. Gota just figure the place out. Takesa couple seasons.

lol when i was a kid me and two of my buddys and there dad would go tree rat hunting. One of my buddys said we all need to go deer hunting. His dad said ya you guys go on one side of the woods and i will sit on the other. We made more noise walking through the woods then a guy would make with a 4wheeler we were all big guys who had not hunted much