What time do you go into your stand?

MonRiver · September 05, 2012, 02:05:00 AM

This will be my first year hunting in almost a decade. And almost all of my previous experience has been during the Pennsylvania rifle season which is the two weeks after Thanksgiving. I did hunt with a compound a few years and with my recurve one year--still haven't taken an animal with a bow yet. Our archery season starts September 29th and I'm getting excited.

I always made my way into my "spot" (I hunt from the ground) EARLY. I tried to be in my seat at least an hour before daylight.

I'm just curious as to what time people try to get to their stands in the morning and/or afternoon.

calgarychef · September 05, 2012, 02:30:00 AM

In the afternoon I like to be there at least 3 hours before dark. That gives me time to settle in and quit making noise before the deer start to move. If it's during the peak of rut, all day isn't too early!

pamike · September 05, 2012, 04:21:00 AM

Min 30 min before light.

TSHOOTER · September 05, 2012, 04:21:00 AM

I think it depends on where your hunting and what type of stand you use. When using a climber in the morning I like to be up my tree and settled in about 20 min before legal shooting light. If I've prepped the tree I need about 10 minutes to do this. If not I may need much more. I try to hunt pinch points 1/4 mile or more from the feeding area where I don't expect to see deer until after good light. Therefore, I don't find it neccessary to be too early. If you hunt off the ground or use a permanent stand you can go in without a flashlight right at shooting hours and be quick and quiet. I've never seen a need to be on stand excessively early in the mornings. Afternoons I like to be set up at least 3 hours before dark as well.

Good luck.

Hopewell Tom · September 05, 2012, 04:42:00 AM

As above, 30 minutes before light, 3 hours before dark. That's the ideal.
Sometimes, if you can imagine, things go south. Mostly then, I go anyway. I've bumped deer on approach and still had activity. Other times, not.
My reasoning is age old, it's very poor hunting from the couch/bed/house/camp.

madness522 · September 05, 2012, 06:13:00 AM

In the morning I wait until it is light enough to hunt before I leave the truck then still hunt to my stand. How many times have you blown deer off at or near your stand in the dark when all you can do is listen as they snort and run away? Way to many! Thats why its rare I will get in stand before its light enough to hunt.

Rustic · September 05, 2012, 06:58:00 AM

I like to get to my ground blind an hour or more before sunrise. Yep I have bumped a few deer but I think its pretty cool to be settled an watch the morning woods awaken...

misfire · September 05, 2012, 07:00:00 AM

I try to be in the stand a good 45 minutes to an hour before sunrise. This is the best time of the day. Sitting in my stand listening to the woods wake up is a big part of the hunting experience.

Uncle Buck · September 05, 2012, 07:14:00 AM

I think it depends on the situation, I have hunted where it was quite a distance between thier evening feeding areas and where they hid away in the morning and there was very little hunting pressure, I could get to my stand at 7 and still have a good hour before the deer started filtering in. Having said that I love being in the woods before sunrise so I can watch and listen to Gods creation "waking up"

sswv · September 05, 2012, 07:15:00 AM

has a LOT to do with what I'm hunting with, whether the rut is close or on, where I am and which stand I'm hunting. Most often it's at least 30 mins before daybreak and for an evening hunt at least 3 hrs before sundown.

Whip · September 05, 2012, 07:28:00 AM

In the mornings I'm more inclined to be settled in just in time before shooting light- 10 minutes is about perfect. I do hunt private land though, and all preplaced stands.

I used to go earlier, and still do on occasion, but I know that my tolerance for sitting in a stand is limited to about 3 hours before I start getting too figity. I'd rather sit an extra hour in the daylight later morning than an hour in the dark.

Jack Shanks · September 05, 2012, 07:40:00 AM

Smart deer read these threads and know to be in their beds an hour before daylight. They know most hunters head out of the woods three hours after daylight and return three hours before dark. Therefore, it is safe to move around at all other times.

wetfeathers · September 05, 2012, 07:50:00 AM

I also hunt from the ground and like to arrive at my spot about 15 minutes before light. Give yourself some time to get in without sweating or breaking every stick and twig in your way.

misfire · September 05, 2012, 08:16:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Jack Shanks:
Smart deer read these threads and know to be in their beds an hour before daylight. They know most hunters head out of the woods three hours after daylight and return three hours before dark. Therefore, it is safe to move around at all other times.

I knew it!!

They read Posted signs too!

thump · September 05, 2012, 08:54:00 AM

Over the past 10yrs I've been working a job where I rotate shifts and along with seeing my kids get on the school bus in the morning ,has forced me to get in my stands around 8:45 most mornings.
My one stand is placed between a large piece of security cover and croup fields. I see deer almost every morning I sit this stand usually around 10:00. All the deer I've taking from this location were between 10:00 – 12:00.

huntmaster70 · September 05, 2012, 08:57:00 AM

I'd rather be a hour early than a minute late

Hoyt · September 05, 2012, 09:09:00 AM

In the afternoon it depends on where I'm hunting in relationship to where I think they will be feeding and bedding.

I like to hunt a long ways from the main feed source (closer to the beds) so I have a chance to get a shot earlier in afternoon and not be all night tracking, etc.

In mornings I don't get up the tree real early anymore, except on special occasions like gun season is in and I want to be where I'm going before others are in the woods.

Nowdays I just want to be up the tree about 10-15 minutes before I can see to shoot. Any earlier and I get sleepy waiting on daylight. 8:00am seems to be my prime time anyway.

Mint · September 05, 2012, 09:30:00 AM

I believe NYS law says you can't be in the stand more than a 1/2 hour before sunrise and that is what I usually aim for. I hunt an hour and a half away so that isa 3:30am wake up call so that is early enough for me.

September 05, 2012, 09:49:00 AM

I go out in the morning about an hour before it is just light enough to see. In the afternoon i go out anywhere from 2-5hrs before dark, Sometimes I go out in the middle of the day, but not hardly ever.

Bisch

Vesty · September 05, 2012, 10:22:00 AM

Like Whip, I too hunt private land in pre-hung treestands. My journal reveals that the peak of movement from these stands is between 8-9:30 AM. I am settled in my stands during"pink light" as the Wensel's call it.