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How early?

bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
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Appalachia
I know several of you subscribe to the "be on stand an hour before light" theory of morning access. Personally, I don't do this and have bumped more deer going in this early than I do otherwise. I typically get on stand about 30 minutes before legal light and am done setting up 15 minutes ahead of time. I rarely bump deer on the way in after years of tweaking my access and don't see a need for going in any earlier.

What's your process and reasoning?
 
I like about one hour before sunrise. Mainly to let things settle down nicely and to hear the sounds of nature as the morning unfolds.
 
I should ask for clarification for the "hour before" camp. Is that an hour before shooting light or sunrise? Like Rick, I shoot for an hour before sunrise, or 30 minutes before shooting light.
 
I'm a get in my stand 1:30 or 1:45 mins early. Our property is just laid out, and used by the deer at "walk-in" times. If I am late getting out I will jump deer almost 9 out of 10 times. I've had, and shot too many deer within the first 5 minutes of shooting light, that had I been going in to my stand at a normal time would have been ran out. It is just the natural travel routes of the deer in our area. It hasn't changed in 30 years.
 
That's a good point in knowing how the deer use the property early on. I learned in the first fee seasons on our farm that deer like to travel the bottoms (my main access) before daylight to get back in to the woods and I rarely see deer in the first hour of light. I go in later to give deer time to get out of the bottoms and it's worked for me.
 
1 hour before sunrise for me. It's just how the deer behave in my specific area. Its all about sneaking in at the least percentage change of them being near there. Deer do act different at different times of the year along with different properties so just scout the area with cameras and see when the best time would be for your specific stand location. That's just my 2 cents on it and that's how I do it anyways.
 
I'm an hour to an hour.5 before shooting light. My theory is if I bump deer, there may be other deer 500 yards away that may come through. I just like being up there like Rick.
 
I try to get in the stand 1/2 hour before shooting light. I'm not a morning person and I don't enjoy sitting in the tree in the dark for much longer otherwise I'd go earlier. I get to the spot even earlier but I try to go very slow and quiet and be completely settled 1/2 hour before shooting light. I went real early once last year and I was about done being in a tree by the time the sun came up.
 
For me it depends on when I wake up... A lot of times I'm up a good hour before I need too be and get bored and anxious and just head out.... Most of the time I'm there 45 minutes early but have been known too be on stand and hour or better waiting for the woods too come alive.... Have bumped deer early and late so that's not been a deciding factor....
 
xbowguy said:
I like about one hour before sunrise. Mainly to let things settle down nicely and to hear the sounds of nature as the morning unfolds.
Click to expand...

There's nothing like watching the woods come alive after sitting in the dark for a while! Alot of folks never experience that. Their missing out.

Lately, Ive been waiting to be able to see before making the final approach to my stand site. Over the years I have bumped alot deer walking in while its dark. Alot of that is on me for not having proper access. Some of it is just how it is on certain properties. (Ive also been packing in stand/sticks just about every hunt so that plays a roll. Alot of places i'll know the exact tree im going to, but set up still goes smoother with no need for a flash light)

Some properties i'll start trekking in when its still dark and im walking a creek or a bottom, but by the time i get to where im headed, i'll be able to see.

Im like a damn turtle. Id say about 15-20 steps and then stop, scan the area and make sure im clear before advancing. Takes a while to get where i am going.

I'll skirt deer occasionally, but rarely due i ever blow them out of an area. I hate the feeling of being blown at when its dark and your half way up the tree and not knowing what the hell just spooked
 
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I try to always be in the stand 1 hour before shooting light. If I bump a deer it gives plenty of time for the woods to quiet down before I would expect to see deer. Most of the time, knock on wood, I rarely bump a deer then. There had been times when I spooked deer by going in just before daylight to where the commotion seemed to ruin the morning for me. I am also giving myself plenty of time before that too to get into the stand. I take my time going in, trying to sound more like a deer walking along browsing, and pause often. If I can pick up a walking stick along the way I will as I believe the extra 'step' in crunchy leaves definitely can help.
 
I like getting in when I can see alittle so I can hopefully see what I jump and not sound so noisy because stepping on things that snap and crunch but I might have to start getting in earlier to beat the crowd to the parking spot! Lol
 
I like a hour before sunrise also but some times when I start to get burned out I'll wait till about 9:00 or so to head out. I have heard that more deer are killed between 10 and 2 so sleeping in sometimes isn't a bad thing.
 
I didn't get to read everyone responses but to be honest my morning hunt game has changed over the years.

I try to get up early but I really hunt only stands with EXTREMELY easy access. I try to get in about 45 to 1 before legal shooting light.

I just don't have enough ground to try to sneak into deep pockets of my land, I will just push deer out of the way.
 
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