Fieldmouse

I will add one other thing. One morning before it got light out during the rut, I talked myself out of a spot. I couldn't find climbing trees that offered a long shot into a field. A lot of the tracks I saw on the way up the hill in the evening pointed to the crest but I picked more rather then less shooting range. 1st Mistake. From the beginning once in the tree, the deer were trickling in to the woods all over about 1 every 10-15 mins. At about 7:30am, a herd of 20 came up the hill and into the woods where I talked myself out of hunting that morning. I knew I wanted to be there and thought about moving mid hunt but didn't. 2nd big mistake. At 8 am, two huge bucks came up the same path and separated as they went into the woods. I would have had a shot at either one had I hunted my plan that morning or moved.

The moral of the story is that if your in the rut and wake up late go on and hunt. If you see a bunch of deer go by out of bow range, go ahead and move. The 10 -15mins it takes you to move can be well worth it. The bucks are very hard to grunt once they get that wif of the doe's

adams

Nubo, Sorry man I have to. If you get into stand 30 min before sunset you should be uncomfortable by first light. If I sit more that 3 or 4 hours my but starts to hurt. I can't imagine sitting all night. I'd probably scare all the deer off with my snoreing. How do you keep warm. lol.

I try to get there so I'll be settled about first light so I head to my stand about 30 min prior to sunrise. I think I know what Nubo is saying.

wimp

I don't like to get in my stand any earlier than I have to. I liked being settled and ready to go with only 10-15 minutes before I can see to shoot. For those worried about your flashlight, put a red lense on it and it won't scare any deer. I've walked just about right up to them with a red lensed light.

Double Creek

I like to be settled in as it starts getting grey.

Legacy357

i never use a flashlight and i try to get in my stand at least a good 30-45 mins before daylight. It could be the reason you get a deer. Like this year, on Nov. 10, a nice cold front hit central pa making it 20 degrees in the morning. I head to my stand at least 1-1.5 hr before first light. Its about a 20-25 minute walk to the top of this mountain. I climb up and start to get settled in about 30 mins before first light. Then i hear it. Deer walking directly behind my stand about 30 yards. I couldn't tell what it was at first but about 5 mins later i figured it out. It was a pair of does slipping through the woods before first light. As they walked over this little crest, a little buck started chasing them back right behind my stand again. But the trail they layed had set the trap for my buck. At 7am, here comes my 9 point with his head to the ground, right over the crest and right to my shooting lane at 28 yards. A nice hit and he is soon to be hanging on the wall. If i had been walking in at the time those does were near my stand, i would have scared them away and i know i won't get my buck. So get in early, sometimes as early as possible without a light and you will be set!

radical

i got a tree house with a heater. sometimes i sleep in it so i am always ready
rad

bronko22000

Personal opinion seems to be like most of the guys in here. I like to be in my stand and set up about 20 - 30 mins before legal shooting time. If you think you are spooking deer with your light, why not try the green led lights out on the market. They are not supposed to be visible to animals and throw a good bit of light. Or could it be that you are more noisier when you go in in the dark, just walking rather than sneaking in as you do when its lighter.
Another option is to hunt this area in the evening. I have two areas where I rarely ever see deer in the AM, but it is a great area for evening hunts. I took several buck from these 2 areas just before quitting time.

portable ladder

half hour before sunrise, so the woods settles down around you

silentassassin

I try to get settled in by first light most of the time but I haven't really seen a difference. I hunted some pulbic ground this year that was a particularly long walk and we never made it in by first light. It didn't seem to matter. Most of the deer I see in the morning don't come buy before 7:30 and more often between 8 and 9.

Hiawatha

Personally i head into my stand when its pitch dark..Animals maybe able to hear you as you walk by but the cannot see you and will not spook as easy. I like to be in there at least 1/2 hour before sunrise