StealthHtr22

I'm in the stand 15 - 30 minutes prior to daylight. Any longer, it bores the hell out of me just sitting in the dark, and can make me want to fall back asleep.

On days leading up to and on a full moon, I will not get to the stand earlier than 8 a.m., sometimes even waiting until about 10 a.m. I will not waste my time on a full moon, early morning hunt anymore. I wait until mid-morning.

cjwink

Depends on where I plan on hunting.. If I am hunting in the woods I will wait till I can see to walk in without a flashlight, that way I can slip in quietly. If I am hunting an open area where I can see or know I have a clear path that I can get to the stand without a light then I will go about 15-20 mins before legal shooting light.. I also will wait longer till about 9 AM if the full moon was out the night before.

sevi316

45min-hour before first light on most days...

HOWEVER!!!!

On opening weekend I go out an hour and a half early... because while everyone else is going in the woods 45min-hour before sun up they are pushing all the deer right to me... Every year I see see deer at first light on opening day. Not sure if it is because i go in so early but I am not going to change it up lol

Good Luck!

flyinlowe

I go in about 30 minutes before shooting light. I was kind of thought it doesn't matter if you spook a deer an hour before daylight or 10 minutes before daylight. They are either going to book it out of the area or circle back around. So if I spook one an hour before daylight and he circles back around I am not going to see him and if I do I likely can't shoot. If I spook one 10 minutes before daylight I he circles back around I might be able to do something about that before he leaves the area.
There is nothing quite like sitting in total darkness and hearing something busting toward you in the dry leaves and you have no idea what it is.

Rhody Hunter

I like to be on stand an hour before daylite . that gives me time to get comfortable and be quite long enough when the woods come alive. as soon as i hear or see that first bird or animal i know it is game on

Buckhunter46755

45-60 minutes before first light....

crazyhorse613

I like to get out about half hour to 45 minutes before the sun breaks. Give you time to settle yourself down with out getting spotted and your eyes adjust to the low light making it easier to see and catch motion. I also like to move throughout the canyons and right about day break is usually when i tend to catch the most movement.

Sniggle

I like to be in the stand a good 30 minutes before first light...but on opening gun season, which I hunt on public land, I get in 1:30 before first light.

So last opening day gun season I was parking at the public land at 4:30 AM, walked in and was settled in my stand by 5:30 AM.

Valentine

some hunters don't sleep in their tree stand all night, just so they absolutely don't disturb any deer.

minnesotadeer

Conversely, if you are hunting near or pass by a bedding area on the way to stand, it can be helpful to stalk in at first light versus bumping them out in the pre-dawn darkness. A wise old hunter i know doesn't start heading toward his gun season stand until shooting light for this very reason and has many big bucks to show for it.