Bob Gresko

I am wondering when everyone thinks is the best time to get in a treestand in the morning -- way before the sun comes up when you need a flashlight (which I think alerts deer) or wait 'till you can see without a light and sneek in quietly? The reason I ask is that this year I hunted large state forest ground, walked in really deep to get away from others. My observations after hunting this ground maybe 6 times is that on the days I got in before the sun came up (I had to use a flashlight), I didn't see anything. But on the days when I waited and snuck in when it was light enough to navigate without a light I saw deer. Of the deer I saw, one was one of the nicest bucks I have ever seen. Another was the nicest I have been lucky enough to take with a bow. To sum it up, four mornings I used a light to get to my stand and didn't see any deer. Two times I got to within a few hundred yards of my stand and waited untill I could see to navigate without a flashlight, then slowly snuck into my stand. On those two days I saw deer. What do you'll think?

nubo

Bob! for myself I tend to head into the bush about 30 minutes before sunset ,I like to be in stand and comfortable before light .This work's well for me .

nubo

TFOX

I tend to agree with you on this Bob.But most of the time I can get to my stands without a light in the dark but that is only when I get my but out of bed early enough.[&:]I usually go in right before it breaks day.

I actually enjoy going in a bit later sometimes and sitting later up into the miday.This way I do a little ground hunting to the stand.I just really don't enjoy sitting in the dark for 30-45 minutes.Enjoying the hunt is what I try to do regardless.

logs

I like to be in my stand at least 20 minutes before sunrise. I don not use a flashlight when walking in or out. One can navigate very well without one, just give yourself time to let your eyes adjust to the dark after leaving your cabin or vehicle.
The noise you may make moving in the dark is no different than any other animal out there as long as you move slowly.

Fieldmouse

I go into the woods around 5am. Thats about 2 hours before officail sun up. That will put me in my tree 45mins to an hour before it starts to get light out. It also depends on when the deer will move through. Some of my areas, the deer are walking by as I climbing other areas they won't show up until sun up. I love to sit and listen to the quite forrest. I use the flash light sparingly but deer really don't care about flash lights, but they do care about you crashing through the forrest. If you don't beleive me, spot light a deer from your stand while its dark. They don't seem to notice.

titleist_03

I like to head into the timber a little over an hour before legal light which is a half hour before sun up. I try to get out of bed as early as I can. I have a few stands near the edges of fields. I used to spook a ton of deer going in a half hour before legal. But now I try to beat them to the fields in the morning. The earlier the better. I wish I had the drive to get there 3 or 4 hours early then sleep a few hours before the action starts but I don't see that happening anytime soon! Most of my stand I can get to without a flashlight but the ones I can't I use a green LED streamlight. Supposively it won't spook deer. I've never noticed a deer spooking becuase of it so so far it works I guess. I've heard alot of guys like going in at first light that way they can see if anything is around and try to stalk it or whatever. They also do this if they have to walk through a field to get to their stand. Me personally, I being in the timber when that first sign on light peaks over the horizon. Theres just something about getting to see the first sign of light.

davidmil

I like to be settled in before it gets light. I have on a couple of occasions waited to go to a particular stand AFTER it got light enough to glass with my binos and make sure there weren't any deer in the way or to see where they were so I could select a stand to intercept. Whatever it takes.

Mike from Texas

Like most. I prefer to get in before day light. What I have found that works best for me is to get a headlight that has a red led on it to walk in. I have yet to spook a deer by doing this and it puts off just enough light to see by. Also by using a red led headlight, you can use it to get your stuff set up after you climb into your stand.

Shootem up870

i try for about 15-20 minutes b4 light. in the afternoon i am in my stand about 3 hours b4 dark and wait until it is dark 2 get out of my stand

wrongway

It depends on where you hunt. One place that I hunt is unpredictable. Deer can be going thru at any time of the day or night.