Pre-dawn to your stand?

[growalot]

When a neighbor bordering us before everyone knew we bought the new strip...went into a nursing home. Opening week of gun season was comical. I would get in my climber on the edge of a j shaped ridge. I'd start an hour ahead then end up a good 2 hrs early....Not 10 mins. In on any given day would I not see across from me bouncing white...green and red orbs headed down and coming across toward me...listening to the deer running ahead of them..... some snorting sometimes not...Then I'd pull out my flash light and slowly scan the woods top to bottom ..just once...it was like the lights on a Christmas going out. After hitting 2hrs early they just gave up...Lol

Though it took the new owner of that place 3 yrs to clean them out...It sorta looked like 5&20 waking up on a Monday morning

[Buckmaster7600]

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!!!!!!

With any moonlight ar all you can see deer moving yes, he follows the edge of his field about 15 yds in and hunts another field edge and I see his headlamp every weekend morning. Yea I wear safety glasses when walking in or out it the dark. one thing I learned in 8 years in the marine corps as a sniper is nothing can F*** your day up like a stick to the eye.

[Buckmaster7600]

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?

I would say I am above average at moving through the woods in the dark.

[Buckmaster7600]

Some of these responses crack me up, I think the op started this out of curiosity but once again as is the way this forum works if someone doesn't do it certain people's way then they are wrong!

[JMeg]

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?

Not a large enough sample size. Late starter was only up 2 days while I was there. He didn't shoot any deer during his morning sits. Everybody else was out well before dawn. In the 10 days I was up during bow, there was one deer taken early morning, in the first hour after sunrise.

[jrm]

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.

 

Agreed. Although in my case it is with an ATV, not a chainsaw. Before/after season, I some across deer regularly when riding an ATV on my trails. I think when season starts, the deer on my property all get together and charter a plane to Florida.

[hunterman]

I think if you do your homework ,know your land well enough. know your deer habits well enough ,watch the wind , You can go in any time you want to. You have   to know the area know the weather and wind direction. I have been a bow hunter for 50 years  and have never gone in my stand later than 1.5 hours ahead of first light. what some call a waist of time I call relaxation , I love sitting listening to animal movement while I am just sitting there .Smelling the nice clean cool air, and just enjoying the time in the woods. Thats  what hunting is about fore me. The things you see when your eyes finally adjust to the light ,especially on a moon lit night .ITS  the best.  I can tell you from experience if you take the proper precations   and place your stands right, connecting with a nice buck is very possible . Deer and all animals calm down  after a short time .I find that  squirles  are the  first to rat you out when your going in or out.   A big part of any entry into  your stand is, maintaining you trails all year  trimming cutting the trail to your stand without  over doing it. That includes  and primarily the ground . A braking of a branch or tig can ad more noise than needed .   Zig  zaging your trail in helps keep it les noticeable to others. Big number one. I clean my hunting clothes and put them in a container of leaves and dirt . I don't use cent or eliminater  except in the wash cycle. I shower  before going in   [baking soda and non cent soap]. I never drive to my area with hunting clothes or shoes on. Change outside my truck ,thank god its dark . That has worked for me and I have taken some respectable bucks  doing this .Tony               

[The_Real_TCIII]

There's something about sitting in my tree in pitch dark before shooting light that I'm addicted to, turkey woods too. I go in very early but take a long root around to avoid crossing fields

[growalot]

Now that I'm getting older and will have a grandson with me in years to come...BTW he's due any day now....I have started building more big shooting houses...when I say big they fit a office chair or 2...a folding cot and a heater...That way before River is old enough to hunt...I can go in at mid night and sleep until half hour before legal time put on my warm slippers sit back and relax ..have some coffee and a granola bar and there is no disturbing any deer at all.

There many of you that might say that's not hunting...well I beg to differ. I had to know where the best placement of the blind would be and I still have to do some calling to get them close enough or interested...I have to know the winds for the best blind ...for I still have to open windows...I'm now just hunting smarter...for who wrote in the rules one has to be cold and miserable to be a hunter....

[Merlot]

Yep, predawn to my stand. Maybe in the stand an hour before legal sun-up. Just love to be out in the early AM.

[GreeneHunter]

Yep, predawn to my stand. Maybe in the stand an hour before legal sun-up. Just love to be out in the early AM.

Its nice to see the woods " come alive "  !

[dbHunterNY]

hard to say if he was full of BS but I've waited until just after daylight to switching stands mid morning based on deer patterns.  I wouldn't rule it out.  go in with a red light before dark or I've raked a trail into the stand.  I remember a Field&Stream article where a buck waited for camp to clear out and activity to die down.  then came off a nearby ridge bed to feed in the field behind the camp.  you get to where the deer will be without spooking any.  that's the goal.

[Doc]

Generally, the older I get, the later I get on stand.....lol. During bow season, if I can time it exactly right, I will get on my stand a few minutes before legal shooting time. I get a quieter entrance, and do not have deer trying to walk over me prior to when I can shoot. That's important because I use ground stands.

 

Opening day of gun, I have a spot that generally gets me at least a doe opening morning and quite frequently a buck. It is one of those escape routes that deer use when the guys come up the hill from the state parking lot. Its about as close to being a guaranteed spot as I have ever seen. I generally am on stand there at least an hour before the first sign of light, armed with a flashlight to alert approaching hunters that I am there. After opening day, I become a still-hunter and whenever I happen to naturally wake up, that starts my day.

[NFA-ADK]

We usually get to the stands just before or at first light.  I have been in stands an hour before sunrise and I must admit I do like it but have found it is not always needed and would rather sleep in bed vs a tree stand.   

 

The higher the deer population in the area I hunt sometimes dictates an early entry.  Low populations have much less chance of spooking the deer.  The distance to travel to the stand also can cause me to want to get in early.  Long hike going through many different area's and I want to be at the stand by first light or earlier.  The residential area's not so much as the hike is less than 300-400 yards with many less than 100 yards and very little disturbance to get in.

 

 

 

 

[First-light]

All guys that think you get in the woods before "first light" are crazy, nobody beats me to the stand!! lol

[hunterman]

The way I hunt is not for everyone I respect other hunters way of hunting there areas .You are the best judge of your deer habits and stand locations. I hunt 3 locations in my area I have hunted them for many years .The metheds and strategies i use work here for me .I have always hunted rub lines and travel route .I am usually pritty close to there bedding ND a 1/4 to 1/2 mile from there feeding . Wind is very impotent when hunting there ,scent counts for even more. I usually see deer coming through a little after first light. There slowly feed from the fields to the hardwoods to 2 small food plots. then trough a gully to the thickets on the hills and the creek beds . While I realy could not get to my areas blindfolded I can honestly say I know my hunting property like the back of my hand . Thats not bragging its a fact . I made it my business to know the does and bucks walking my area I scout them carefully all year. I am always happily surprised when I see a buck I never seen before , cruse through during the rut. Last point I have killed 9 of my best bucks near or just after first light . I feel every hunter knows his area, some places are very tough to get to without spooking the deer .I go in early and my entry is located well enough where the wind is positively in my favor When its not I don't use that area. Tony

[WNYBuckHunter]

I like to be in the stand 30 mins or so before it gets light during bow season, or if I have my daughter with me. During gun I wait till first light to walk in.

 

If I wasnt in the stand before first light, I might miss my opportunity to shoot one 10 mins before legal time. Wouldnt want to miss out on that.

[hunterman]

I am sure your joking about taking any  game before legal  hunting time .I find that hunters ant worth **** if they are not able to connect with there prey without the use of illegal methads. .The tittle hunter does not really fit someone who cant take the time and energy to learn all they can about what there hunting and put that knowledge to good use to outsmart what I consider a smart animal .Those  are the guys I can usualy here closing there car doors, before they enter there hunting area .Stepping out of there car or truck  putting a cigarett out with there hunting boots.and smelling like they just filled  there truck with gas while wearing there hunting clothes, before going to there favarit spot to hunt. The guys that know about wind direction,  but can not seem to remember that when they go hunting. You know who I mean they are the guys  who cant  figure out why they hardly ever see  much less take a deer .They are the ones who resort to underhanded ways to get a tag on something and then brag about how tough it was to get it .I think when they  have **** for brains ,Thats  the only way they  can do it. When I look up at my wall and see the deer I managed to outsmart and sit and relive  the  complete hunt again in my mind.MY memories are clear and happy  not marred with something I may have done that was unethical . I hope all real sportsmen can do the same. Otherwise,  where  is the pride .TONY         

Edited August 14, 2015 by WNYBuckHunter
Edited for language. Please see forum TOS. Thanks

[growalot]

WNYBH...put that stick away...didn't you read the signs....no poking the animals...

[hunterman]

I would like to say something more on the subject of legal hunting time. When I am in my stand I don't pull out my watch every 20 minutes to see the time . I under no circumstance draw back on a deer until these things are in place I can see clearly exactly what I am shooting at. Is it a deer I want to take ,or do I pass on it. Will the shot be a clear killing shot that wont end up being a wounded lost deer . When those questions are answered[ yes ]I take the shot.I hope all hunters go through the same process.TONY

[growalot]

I set my phone timer to vibrate what the legal time and legal sun set ...I look at the weather station for my town and the times there then set the phones timer...not too difficult until I have to let one pass and yes I do let them pass turkey ,doe ,and buck. Letting a buck pas under these circumstances is far easier than even the thought of having to pass one under poor DEC management rules.

[hunterman]

I agree with you comment about DEC. There are many things I don't agree with them on. Tony

[landtracdeerhunter]

LOL, I like to have breakfast in my stands and be done by at least an hour before sunrise.

[WNYBuckHunter]

LOL, I like to have breakfast in my stands and be done by at least an hour before sunrise.

 

I bring a sterno, a frying pan, some bread and eggs and whip up omlettes while I wait.

[Nomad]

Some are better at deer hunting , others at spelling basic words and using an occasional paragraph .