Pre-dawn to your stand?

[Jeremy K]

My buddy keeps telling me to bring a chainsaw in the woods and start it. He said he sees more deer while cutting firewood then if he is actually looking for deer.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Depending on the stand and approach I could be 1/2 hour to 45 minutes in the dark for bow. During gun I will be there about a half hour prior on opening day. After that I still hunt to my stand locations so it is light before I go in.

[grampy]

Years ago when I first started hunting I was so excited I would be in my stand at least an hour before sunrise. I now prefer to scout my way in at the first grey light. I look for any fresh sign like new rubs and scrapes fresh tracks and of course any deer that may be up and moving through the area. It may be well after sunrise before I finally get to my stand/blind. I killed one of my best bucks doing this a few years ago. I spotted him moving up the ridge towards me,so I got down behind a big hemlock tree and watched as he slowly made his way up to me. I put an arrow through him at twelve yards well after sunrise. I never would have seen him if I was in my stand before light.

[Hunterny28]

usually 30 mins before legal time- if you slow and quiet you are fine. managed to get in the stand numerous times with out spooking the deer in the field it over looks. all about where you enter and exit. 

[turkeyfeathers]

My buddy keeps telling me to bring a chainsaw in the woods and start it. He said he sees more deer while cutting firewood then if he is actually looking for deer.

I see more deer driving to and from my hunting spot so I'm going to drive my Subaru up to my stand. Heated seats are a bonus 

[nyantler]

always predawn when possible...I have spooked countless deer and they always came back ...or even came at me....it's all on how you do it...buck in pic... was understand spooked and I grunted and stomped...stiff legged back...spooked and I got half way up ladder and I grunted again...he came back then walked off into  gully...around 8 I put an arrow through him at 3 yrds....

 

The grunt call works great for any pre-dawn spooking of deer.. as long as they don't smell you and especially during the rut... many bucks will return to that spot... hoping to see what he thought he heard... Without the grunt call though, he may spook off to somewhere he thinks is safer... When I did more stand hunting I was usually in a few minutes before legal shooting time... just never saw the need to be there much earlier... never hade a problem seeing deer... plus I never wanted to see that huge buck 10-15 minutes before shooting time and drive myself nuts knowing I couldn't shoot him.

[ncountry]

The grunt call works great for any pre-dawn spooking of deer.. as long as they don't smell you and especially during the rut... many bucks will return to that spot... hoping to see what he thought he heard... Without the grunt call though, he may spook off to somewhere he thinks is safer... When I did more stand hunting I was usually in a few minutes before legal shooting time... just never saw the need to be there much earlier... never hade a problem seeing deer... plus I never wanted to see that huge buck 10-15 minutes before shooting time and drive myself nuts knowing I couldn't shoot him.

 

1st buck I ever shot with my bow .... I was trying to sneak up on him as he was feeding under an apple tree. I accidentally cracked a branch and he took off , I grabbed my grunt call and he stopped on a dime , turned around and walked right back to the apple tree.. One of the best responses I've seen to a grunt since I have been hunting..

So I know exactly what you mean. I use it a little whenever I am trying to sneak around and accidentally make a noise.

[growalot]

I've never considered my sits in the dark a waste...In fact they are a learning experience...plus if you know the area well enough you can hear deer come in and bed down near you. Besides knowing when and what direction they go..I have been witness to dozens of buck battle that literally took place under me as well as around me...nope I love my stary morning walks in and sits...also fun to be sitting in amongst a flock of turkey and watch them wake up ....

[Paula]

Opening of shotgun I am out in my spot at least by 530-6am. Love seeing the sunrise. Sometimes I also nap

[nyantler]

Opening of shotgun I am out in my spot at least by 530-6am. Love seeing the sunrise. Sometimes I also nap

 

Now finally!!.. a good reason to get there early. I do remember one archery season day being in my stand at dark because I heard there was going to be a meteor shower that AM... front row to the best light show I've ever seen... worth every minute of sitting in the darkness.

[MACHINIST]

Usually I am there sitting in stand ready and waiting around 15-20 mins before first light.I used to get in super early but I noticed that I had deer walk near me and I knew I blew my chance then.

[Buckmaster7600]

I've never considered my sits in the dark a waste...In fact they are a learning experience...plus if you know the area well enough you can hear deer come in and bed down near you. Besides knowing when and what direction they go..I have been witness to dozens of buck battle that literally took place under me as well as around me...nope I love my stary morning walks in and sits...also fun to be sitting in amongst a flock of turkey and watch them wake up ....

Although some have stated they would "rather hit themselves in the groin that sit in the dark for an hr" it is my favorite time to be in the woods I have learned more about deer from what I have seen in the moon light than any other time. I have seen bucks fight, does fight, does being bred all in the pre dawn moon light. There is few things I have found more relaxing than being in the woods in the stand in the dark. Everyone has their own way and mine might not be the best but I have been very successful and won't be changing anytime soon.

[nyantler]

It really does boil down to what works best for you... if going in early works.. then that's what you ought to be doing.. there are no real rules for how to deer hunt... deer are different, people are different... your experience will be different than others... do what keeps it enjoyable for you.

[Five Seasons]

I used to get in an hour before light, because that is what I was taught, saw a LOT of sunrises. Got cold a lot earlier, tripped over rocks a lot in the dark, fell into a couple creeks,and got poked in the eye with tree branches also. Eventually, I came to the realization that it really didn't matter, now if I hunt in the mornings, I'm in my stand right at sunrise.

 

an hour is a bit early. A good trimmed trail, trail tacks and a headlamp are also a wonderful things

[Buckmaster7600]

an hour is a bit early. A good trimmed trail, trail tacks and a headlamp are also a wonderful things

I love being in my stand and seeing my neighbor walk in with his head lamp on and the watch the deer start working out of his field towards me:)

As for me I go lightless when ever possible but I always wear safety glasses into my stands in the dark.

[Five Seasons]

The grunt call works great for any pre-dawn spooking of deer.. as long as they don't smell you and especially during the rut... many bucks will return to that spot... hoping to see what he thought he heard... Without the grunt call though, he may spook off to somewhere he thinks is safer... When I did more stand hunting I was usually in a few minutes before legal shooting time... just never saw the need to be there much earlier... never hade a problem seeing deer... plus I never wanted to see that huge buck 10-15 minutes before shooting time and drive myself nuts knowing I couldn't shoot him.

 

what is this smelling you're talking about? I smell like cigarettes, dryer sheets and hookers and still shoot big bucks.

[Five Seasons]

I love being in my stand and seeing my neighbor walk in with his head lamp on and the watch the deer start working out of his field towards me:)

As for me I go lightless when ever possible but I always wear safety glasses into my stands in the dark.

 

depends on the stand. I have a very low green light I use for well groomed private land trails. Public land and climber is really no choice. Just something you have to do to stay safe and not get lost haha.

[nyantler]

what is this smelling you're talking about? I smell like cigarettes, dryer sheets and hookers and still shoot big bucks.

 

There is an element of luck involved in hunting as well...

[Live2Hunt]

So first light is what, 30 minutes before sunrise?  And you are going in two hours before legal shooting time, sometimes earlier? 

 

And you pattern other hunters? 

 

You are super human.................................You MUST have a wall full of trophy deer hunting like THAT!

I hunt stateland and Im in 2 hours before legal shooting time to get my spot on opening day.  If I was fortunate to have my own land it may be a different story, but you do what works. I also pattern hunters and find the deer (as well as ducks / geese) have us patterned.  Hunted one section of public land (thanksgiving morning) and had seen 17 hunters in the am. Most guys leave by or before  10:00am.   At 10:45 deer were moving and seen eight in the next 1.5 hours.  You do what works for you. Even the best plans can be screwed up on stateland. LOL

[jjb4900]

At the hunting lodge I go to near Oneonta, most guys - including me - are out the door well before sunrise while one guy waits until a couple of hours after sunrise to head out. The later guy says he doesn't want to push the deer out of the fields and back into the woods before they would otherwise go on their own. I respect the experience and advice I read on this forum. What do you think is best, and why?

well, since you hunt with the people who have different start times, what do you see coming from them? is there a difference in success rates or does it appear there is none?

[Lawdwaz]

I also pattern hunters and find the deer (as well as ducks / geese) have us patterned.  Hunted one section of public land (thanksgiving morning) and had seen 17 hunters in the am.

 

If you have the hunters patterned and you saw 17 guys in the morning I'd say something went tits up, no?

 

Oh wait........THAT was the plan?

 

 

 

 

[Lawdwaz]

I love being in my stand and seeing my neighbor walk in with his head lamp on and the watch the deer start working out of his field towards me:)

As for me I go lightless when ever possible but I always wear safety glasses into my stands in the dark.

 

So your neighbor needs a headlight in the dark and you can see the deer working out to you?  It must not be too dark then?

 

 

No light for you but you do wear safety glasses? 

 

 

 

This thread is awesome!!!!!!

[The_Real_TCIII]

I like to be in my stand an hour before sun up........bow or gun.This way by legal shooting time the woods settle down again..

I do the same thing, I'm obsessed with being in super early. And to be honest I typically don't see deer until 8:30

[jjb4900]

I love being in my stand and seeing my neighbor walk in with his head lamp on and the watch the deer start working out of his field towards me:)

As for me I go lightless when ever possible but I always wear safety glasses into my stands in the dark.

wouldn't stumbling around blindly on the way to your stand, to the point that you need safety glasses to protect yourself, alert the deer to human presence just as much as any other method of entering the woods?

[The_Real_TCIII]

I've never considered my sits in the dark a waste...In fact they are a learning experience...plus if you know the area well enough you can hear deer come in and bed down near you. Besides knowing when and what direction they go..I have been witness to dozens of buck battle that literally took place under me as well as around me...nope I love my stary morning walks in and sits...also fun to be sitting in amongst a flock of turkey and watch them wake up ....

i love sitting there in the dark, turkey season too