How early to arrive at deer stand?

[Grouse Man]

How many hours before sunrise should one arrive at a deer stand in the morning? (or afternoon as well, I guess). Legal light is 1/2 hour before sunrise, so I would guess at about 1 hour before sunrise.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

 

[beretta boy]

An hour before has worked for me ...

 

[xeon]

ya 45min to 1hour is something that you could be safe with, but its hard trying to stay awake.

 

[jmasson]

an hour is good....gives the bush some time to calm down

 

[Levi Garrett]

Depends on the weather, if its calm and it was a star bright night, I like to get there at the crack of dawn. ie 1/2 hour before sun rise. If the weather sucks, at sun up is fine for me.

 

[Daniel]

seems the guys that go sit down in the bush hung-over at 10:00 get tonnes of deer. hm, maybe I should try that

 

[Anglinfool]

We slept in last week and only got to our hunting spot at about 9am. Thats about 3 hour after our 2 other hunting buddies had already left for the next coulee. Low and behold, there were about a half dozen WT and 4 Muleys within range when we showed up. 2 deer down.

Those ealry risers were sure pissed at us!
It's nice to get out ealry, but not always necessary as we discovered.

 

[GEORGE7mm]

45 mins to an hour is about right, I have had deer playing around me in the dark many times, if I was to go there late they wouldnt of been there at all.

 

[redmist25]

I try to always be at least 1/2 hour before legal time. Just remember that your gun needs to be encased until legal shooting time. I use a gunsock that is nice and light and folds up compactly into your pocket when your not using it. The CO's around here like to check your vehicle for gun cases after you have left in the morning or wait for you to return at night and issue a nice little ticket if your not in a case.

 

[gitrdun]

seems the guys that go sit down in the bush hung-over at 10:00 get tonnes of deer. hm, maybe I should try that

Yeah, guns and booze really do mix well don't they?

 

[Levi Garrett]

hung-over was the key word I would say That would not be mixing guns and drinking, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Jose]

Yeah, guns and booze really do mix well don't they?

Well, with enough booze, everything will look like a buck. Who knows you might even drink enough to have an imaginary friend show up.

I like to be up in my stand 45 - 60minutes before legal shooting time.

 

[Grouse Man]

Question was moot. Never saw a damned thing.

 

[rideauwrangler]

I usually want to be in my spot 1 hour before legal sunrise.

 

[jimmyjazz]

I like to start heading out about an hour before sunrise and take my time, generally about a fifteen minute walk from the camp to where I like to sit for the first hour. I take a good half hour to get there, don't want to over heat then sit around for an hour and get cold. After the first hour I like to still hunt, just taking my time.
Find I can't sit more than an hour, I get bored and fall asleep.

 

[BIGREDD]

The time you arrive at your stand is not nearly as important as how you approach it! The half hour before legal shooting time is one of the most likely times for deer to be moving. More deer are bumped in the fields or on runways when you walk in at that time than any other... most times you don't even realize you have done so. Go in at least an hour early while the deer are still in their beds and approach your stand in a way that avoids bumping the travel routes and bedding areas.
Or Still Hunt in slowly at legal shooting time!