Most of my hunts are local afternoon hunts. I like to be in my stand and situated at least 3 hours before sunset. For morning hunts it's nice to be at the tree an hour and a half before sunrise. That rarely happens with me thought. I'm usually about 45 minutes before sun up. I just cant seem to get out of bed early enough and I don't leave the house without a shower.

I try to be there 5 minutes before shooting light.

How do you actually know if it is actually better if you usually only hunt evenings?

I love morning hunts to easily access stands. I leave my hard to get to stands for the evening. I'll get in the tree around 30-45 minutes before morning light.

I'm with silent, if I can get there and get in my tree before shooting light, I am good. I used to get out there 1hr before daybreak,but that got old, and after I stopped I haven't noticed any difference in success. I kill most of my deer about 1hr after day break.


Another thing, when you guys say sunrise do you mean the first shooting light, or do you mean when you actuall see the sun breaking the horizon, there is a difference. I'm sure we mean the same thing, just different terms.

I gotta agree with Pro-line on this. I have done much better in the afternoons than in the aerly mornings. Could be where I hunt. Just works out that way. I will try to be on stand in the afternoons around 4:00 or 4:30.

30 minutes before daylight

I like to be on my stand an hour before sunrise, not the same as legel shooting time in NY. That way I can watch the sun come up and listen for the turkeys dropping from thier roost. Last 2 weeks of bow are first 2 weeks of turkey.

Dr Kill, interesting tactic with the pen lights! Fully understand where your coming from regarding public land hunting... My buddy and I make it a point to be the first person in the parking lot which equates to a o'dark thirty time - usually way to early! In the past I usually liked to be on stand at least 45 mins to an hour before 1st light. Due to a lack of activity in my setups during the early AM I might walk in a little later...

I get on stand about 45 min before the first ray of light & will stay until about 30 min after dark.

I like to be on stand 45 mins before. In the evenings, I try to get there before 3:00. During the rut - Show up an hour before and stay all day.