Getting in the woods too early, been reading a lot against it.
 

In the short time I've been hunting, if I was going to hunt in the morning, I usually would get to my spot well before daylight and wait in the dark for an hour or two. It's just what I was told should be done so I've always done it. Made sense to me.

But lately I have read several times that it's one of the worst times to get into the woods. You're likely to make more noise in the dark (and that headlamp might be seen), and often the deer are still out feeding. Many times the deer don't have to move far between bedding and feeding areas, so the chance of sneaking into your spot at 0:dark-thirty undetected is not too high. This also makes sense to me.

What do you all think? I enjoy seeing the sun rise and the woods come to life, but I don't want to spook my quarry on the way in. Also, not a huge fan of waking up at 3am and freezing while the sun is down. :D

I never go in till sun is just starting to rise

I like to be sitting down about the time you can barely see in the woods, when its just getting blue in the sky. No need to be there so early if you can see and not make so much noise. Hardly ever spook deer either. Now i also know a few people that wont go into the woods until about 730-8 and hunt til 1-130(pending temps). they see more deer than i do, but cant bring myself to going that late, i feel like im going to miss something. Its also about stand locations and propertys. Everyone is different and all locations are also

I get to the woods about 1 hour before sunrise, which is 30 mins before legal shooting time.

I've done both, head in pitch black and just light enough to see. both can work against you.

I like to be sitting before shooting like so that the woods quiet down and forget you are there.

You can bump deer in either case. I do have experience that says a deer is more tolerant of you in the dark.

Went in one morning, pitch black, friend and I along a tack line with flash lights. We split, I headed up to my stand 100 yards form where we split. I got 10 yards from my tree and a deer was feeding at the tree. Flash light to it's eyes and it just stared at me (first I thought it was two tacs). I just froze and turned off the light, the deer slowly walked off, not liking what was happening but not to spooked.

In the light, every time, that deer wolud have been long gone before I got anywhere near that tree.

I've had deer walk under my tree while to dark to shoot within 60 seconds of me getting there.

i also get in usually an hour or so before daylight, i couldnt imagine going in after sunrise the two biggest Bucks ive ever killed were at first light

I like to be in my stand 15-20 min before legal shooting light (1/2 hour before sunrise). That's plenty early enough to beat the neighbors out so they chase deer right to me when they get in the woods....

I never understood the idea of getting to your spot 2 hours before first light. In addition to the points you raised, here are a few:

1.) Deer walk by and you can't shoot
2.) You are more likely to end your hunt early due to being cold if you're already sitting in the woods for 2 hours before you can see.
3.) You are more likely to end your hunt early due to being bored if you're already sitting in the woods for 2 hours before you can see.
4.) You will be hungry or have to go potty earlier in your hunt.

Plus, what time are you waking up? 3:00am? Might be better to get some more sleep so you are alert.

I say get in there 15-30 minutes before light is fine.

better to be late, well rested, and warm than early, tired, and cold... It isn't when you get there, it's how long can you sit there during the time that you can shoot... the deer live out there all day every day...

i got a lil ancy one time and went way to early. fell asleep, and woke up with like 10 squirrels, 4 wabbits and i'm pretty sure what was a deer running off when i woke up...best i can guess is i was snoring, and they were all checking me out. lil b4 sunrise is good fer me. before shooting light.