I prefer to setup 1-2 hours before daylight.... but I practice this all year and walk my routes in the early off season as I am scouting before daylight. The problem with night time entry, IMHO, is people never really practice it except hunting season. Being form the military, I guess I just like the tactical aspect of sneaking in before daylight. And the truth is, ant stand that can be approached in daylight can also be approached early morning - you can sneak just as effectively - but you have to work out a system. For example, when I get close, 100 yards or so, I have a headlamp attached to my upper thigh that points 2-3 feet in front of me. It has a small hood on it I made so you really cannot see the light except right in front of me. I walk it one step at a time (all my light allows me to see clearly). Yes it takes me 30 minutes or so to cover the last 100 yards - but it is just like I would stalk in close during the daylight. By keeping the light really low and pointing it towards the ground directly in front of me I seldom spook deer..... and probably would have spooked those same deer in the daylight.