Jimmy S

I always try to get into the woods well before legal shooting hours begin. I believe it increases my odds but more importantly, I do it for ME. I love watching the sky turn from black to blue and appreciate watching the woods come to life. It's an experience most non-hunters never get to see. To me it's an impotant part of the hunting experience.

Father Forkhorn

I like to be on stand 30 min before light. That said, I took a deer this year after I misjudged how quick it would take to roll out of bed, get ready, and drive to the woods. It was breaking day when I got there. Took a doe stillhunting my way to my stand.

RWK

I AGREE GET TO YOUR STAND AT LEAST 30 MIN. BEFORE SUN STARTS IT RISE, SO EVERY THING CALMS DOWN AND LETS YOU GET WELL SET UP. rICH

tight360

30-40 minutes prior to sun up for me. "However", one morning a few years back we were experiencing a monster downpour, and wasn't going to hunt until that afternoon, when the sun pops out at 9am. I quick get geared up and nonchalantly strolled out to the stand, got settled in, and not 10 minutes later coming from the same direction and trail, a nice shooter 8 point shows up 10 yards in front of me. Startled the you know what out of me. Never got the bow up, he stood there and stared me down, then moved on down the trail. Never seen him again.

AR Bowhunter

Reminds me,

About 10 years ago. I was on the way into my stand for an evening hunt and an in coming cold front. A steady wind out of the North at about 20 mph. I had douced my boots with doe in heat an started my walk to the stand. I got about 60 yards from the stand an could hear snorting an seem to be getting closer. I started trying to get in my lock on stand before he could get to me. Well I did not make it. I was standing on my steps mid way up the tree. He was standing at the bottom about 15 yards out looking at me. He was a decent eight point too.

Valentine

The exact time that a deer is going to appear in a given location. I spooked deer before dawn; been surprised at deer appearing at mid day.

My most memorable was the new bride was late from her night-time shift. I got a late start and it was clearly light at my start. Arrived at my location in about an hour. Walked down a trail and talked to another hunter. Not a shot all morning.
Kept walking until I was in about a half hour and made a cut into an area I had scouted. Within 200 yards, about eight deer jumped up. I aimed and knocked down a big doe.

I was home before noon. The deer hung in the garage.

For years its been, "Why are you leaving before dawn." "Why don't you wait until it gets light out."

I think I'm going to sleep in some days this year, and go late. Age is catching up with me.

heinz57

i have a 15 min. walk to get to my stand , i have shot more deer walking to my stand than sitting in my stand ..i also walk back to the camp at noon for lunch then a 15 minute snooze and around 3 pm walk back to my stand untill it's dark ...

Mojotex

If I know the way in very well or if the "path" in is relatively clean, and I am confident that I can slip in without making enough noise to wake the dead, I will ease in 45 min. - 1hr. before even a hint of light. However, some of the very deep woods spots that I go to require me to work my way through 1/2 mile or more of cover or woods. Depending on the wind direction I may noit take the same general paths in more than once or twice a season. One area that has been very good to me requires me to wade through nearly a mile of low, wet bottom that is laced with thigh deep drains and creeks, and cross one or more 100 yard wide sloughs to get to the oak "flats" where the deer usually come to later in the day. So, when I go to these sort of places, I try to time it so that about the time first light comes I am within 200-250 yards or so of getting to my stand. That way I can make it in from there fairly quietly, avoiding sloshing about crossing dead fall or busting twigs. I have also had very good luck easing in to my stands about a hour before the gang usually starts back for camp. Especially those places I hunt where the deer usually feed. Sometimes I think the deer are "trained" to stay put until about 10:00 a.m. when lots of guys I hunt with usually call it a morning !

backwoodsz71

oh, usually the night before, jk 30mins if not an hour before sunrise, just like some of you there's something about hearing all the commotion and wondering how close they'll get or if they'll smell your boots, i've even had them walk right beside the tree i was sitting in just 5mins after i sat down then only to see no deer once sunlight arrived...

IL-Cornfed

I always want to be in my stand and in position atleast an HOUR before sunrise.