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Sneaking In

S

Swingin' Free

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
631
Location
Central NY
Does anyone have any luck going in early? 2-3 hours before day light?
My plan is to setup shop and hang out. The deer seem to be spooked. I hunt a farm with 90% field and I want to get next to their bedding.
Good plan or should I do the usual "hour before light" ?
 
I would try 1 hour before then 2 hours before. Just to see how it works and go from there. I always get setup and ready 30-45 mins before dark. More experienced P&Y slayers may have a better idea though.
 
I'm usually in the tree 2 hours before light. I sleep once I'm settled. If I'm near a bedding area I've been known to get there 3 hours before. Since I've started this I think I've seen more deer and spooked less on the way in.

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I'm on a meat mission. Last week I sat from 1 hour before light and sat til dark. Lowered my bow and something bounded twice and hung out.
I've always kicked something up on the walks in. Just hoping to get there before they do
 
I’ve done 2 hours a couple of times. Have you observed a buck stick in one spot for two hours feeding? I’ve seen young bucks feed for an hour but rarely a mature buck in one spot. If you feel like it gives you the edge then go for it!
 
In Black Warrior MA the whole thing is a bedding area (92,000) acres. Find a good spot look around 360 degrees and they can and will bed within 100 yards if they choose to that day, or be 2 miles away. Cut a trail to sneak in quietly and they will use your trail, when you are not there, can't win.
 
Going in early requires a light, which I prefer not to use. I was taught about 30 yrs ago by an elder in a club that if you wait until it is breaking dawn just barely enough to see 3 ft in front of you, no light is needed and the birds waking up make a lot of extra noise and cover your sound. It has worked well for me and I have taken bucks less than 5 minutes after climbing, but rarely bump one. If I am going deep, I will use the light and go early, but will wait to cover the last 200-300 yds in that pre-dawn light.
 
Bwhana said:
Going in early requires a light, which I prefer not to use. I was taught about 30 yrs ago by an elder in a club that if you wait until it is breaking dawn just barely enough to see 3 ft in front of you, no light is needed and the birds waking up make a lot of extra noise and cover your sound. It has worked well for me and I have taken bucks less than 5 minutes after climbing, but rarely bump one. If I am going deep, I will use the light and go early, but will wait to cover the last 200-300 yds in that pre-dawn light.
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Wow John. I've never heard this way of thinking before sir. Does this really work? I always thought I had to go in and be setup an hour before daylight. Man, not having someone to teach me these tricks is a bummer.
 
Bwhana said:
Going in early requires a light, which I prefer not to use. I was taught about 30 yrs ago by an elder in a club that if you wait until it is breaking dawn just barely enough to see 3 ft in front of you, no light is needed and the birds waking up make a lot of extra noise and cover your sound. It has worked well for me and I have taken bucks less than 5 minutes after climbing, but rarely bump one. If I am going deep, I will use the light and go early, but will wait to cover the last 200-300 yds in that pre-dawn light.
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That pre-dawn light always gives me anxiety. I feel like I messed up the morning hunt by being "late". I'll have to change that thinking.
Thanks
I'll give it a shot tomorrow, hopefully some points on the board.
 
Swingin' Free said:
That pre-dawn light always gives me anxiety. I feel like I messed up the morning hunt by being "late". I'll have to change that thinking.
Thanks
I'll give it a shot tomorrow, hopefully some points on the board.
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Talk about anxiety... this is exactly how I feel. I'm scared and I'm not affraid to say it. I'm waiting for @Bwhana and maybe a few others to chime back in.
 
I am way more effective under even the slightest bit of natural light. Seems like when I go before first light under a headlamp I always end up making unnecessary noise or tripping on hidden barbed wire that used to be a fence years ago lol. Happens almost everytime. I've also been busted a lot more in the dark
 
I've been using a red headlamp. I had a buck almost run me over. It didn't seem to bother him, my noise did. I'm no great hunter, but I try. I was figuring going in napping and waking up like a leaf on a branch.
I think there's a great untapped knowledge base here... I'm excited to hear some responses, different tactics, different times of day
 
Bwhana said:
Going in early requires a light, which I prefer not to use. I was taught about 30 yrs ago by an elder in a club that if you wait until it is breaking dawn just barely enough to see 3 ft in front of you, no light is needed and the birds waking up make a lot of extra noise and cover your sound. It has worked well for me and I have taken bucks less than 5 minutes after climbing, but rarely bump one. If I am going deep, I will use the light and go early, but will wait to cover the last 200-300 yds in that pre-dawn light.
Click to expand...
I’ve never heard of this or thought of this either! It makes sense! An I get to sleep a little more. Toddler keeps me up late.
 
I can't prove it, but feel like I am able to walk closer by deer at that time without spooking them as I would with a light earlier. To me, the real key is all the bird noises that cover your sounds. Another thing I like about this method is that you can see the trees better and pick the right one to climb without shining a light all over. I do not usually hunt a specific tree on public, so I also have to find one quickly and thus it allows me to do that and avoid poison ivy and other hazards. He also taught me not to worry about bumping deer going in like this, odds are if you went in early, they would be gone by shooting light anyway. He killed a lot of deer, so I listened.

Worry and stress should not be part of hunting, we do this because we love it and it is supposed to be fun. If you are late, so be it. If you bump a deer, it didn't leave your world forever, and even if it did, there are others out there. If you're not having fun, go home and come back when its fun again!
 
I felt the anxiety today. I got up really early and headed in towards the scrape line and trail I had pinned the day before next to a femoral creek. I just needed to get on my gps pin and find the 2 big pine trees in a hardwood stand. Well, turned out my app was 90yards off on my pin. I spent all of the darkness looking for the area and working up a heavy sweat. I finally just rested and waited for first light and I walked right to where I wanted to be. Of course, by the time I set up, it was day light. It made me feel like the morning hunt was over before it started. Im gonna sleep in tomorrow a little and head in when the woodpeckers start to kackle. Thanks


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Swingin' Free said:
Wait til daybreak and slink in as slow and quiet as possible?
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Thats my general tactic but "quiet" is a relative term.
Sometimes its impossible to sneak under certain conditions like frozen snow, or a thick layer of freshly fallen leaves. Those are conditions when its better to try to sound like a buck chasing does than it is to try to sneak. The downside if you can call it that, is deer will COME to check you out so getting up the tree quickly and set can be critical.
Im not a huge fan of being in the tree for long periods in the pitch dark, especially when its damp. The odds of being busted go up. Can't see or hear if deer are present. Sometimes you hear them come in, mill around under the tree and then dead silence. Are they still there? Did they bed 10 yards away facing the tree?? Dont know...cant see 'em.
 
Bwhana said:
Going in early requires a light, which I prefer not to use. I was taught about 30 yrs ago by an elder in a club that if you wait until it is breaking dawn just barely enough to see 3 ft in front of you, no light is needed and the birds waking up make a lot of extra noise and cover your sound. It has worked well for me and I have taken bucks less than 5 minutes after climbing, but rarely bump one. If I am going deep, I will use the light and go early, but will wait to cover the last 200-300 yds in that pre-dawn light.
Click to expand...
This^^^
 
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