If I go in the morning it might be 7 or 8 before I get in the stand. I'm not going to sit but about 3 hours anyway.

I try to be in my stand about 30 minutes before legal shooting time.

It depends on the set up. Typically about 30 minutes. But if for some reason I can't get in till later, it doesn't bother me. I love being in the woods whenever I can be.
-Jake

When its a regular archery day, I like being settled in and ready to go 30 min before light which usually means I like to get to the base of my tree 40min or so before light. If I bump deer walking in, which has been done before for sure, I'll try and get in earlier next time.
On big pressure days such as opening day though, I like an hour ahead of daybreak. In my neck of the woods, deer will be moving early and pushed, hopefully to my nice quiet spot in the woods since Im already set up and waiting :)

It seems that 30 minutes to an hour is the norm for almost all of us and the reasons are the same as well. Last year I got busted twice in one spot so I gave up trying to get on stand in the morning,I made this spot an evening only spot,after the change I had a deer down a week or so later. Thanks for the input everyone, it helps to know what others do and what works for most.

We're ON our stands by 5:00 a.m. Legal time to shoot is about 6:30 a.m. We (six of us) walk in as a group and drop off as we go so only one entrance in the woods and one out. No one comes in late or leaves early. We stay in our stands all day. No one goes walking around. This keeps the deer moving in their natural patterns, even during gun season. And we get some beauties off this leased 120 acre land. About 3-5 wall hangers a year.

guess I can say I'm about normal, 30-45 minutes before legal shooting time for me.

I hate waking up early, yes I know morning is the best time, but I still dont like getting up before daylight. I'm usually in the stand by 11.

Sounds nice. Wish I could get some guys I hunt with to do the same.


VA

"Legal shooting time" in TN is 30 mins before legal sunrise. But if it's a clear, cloudless day you can safely see clearly enough to shoot in most open areas 10-15mins before that. I prefer to be IN the stand, seated and crap put up and ready for the hunt at LEAST 15 mins before that and usually 20-30 mins. So that has you in the stand 1-1.5 hours before legal sunrise but like I said, you're really only "in the dark" about halfhour at most.

Same thing goes for sunset as well, 30 mins after usally means 10-15mins later before it's just to dark to tell an 8ptr from a 9ptr at 150yds through the brush.