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Sneaking In

Walking in in grey light is alot easier to get in with less detection. But every mature buck I have ever shot in morning was under grey light. I would have missed my best bucks if I wasn't in stand in the dark. The key is to know your woods and your entry. Scouting for deer is one thing, but I always scout for entry and exit just as much.

It was a good point above. If you guys are walking in under grey light, are you walking out under same light in the evenings? Your exit is just as important. If you say you hunt that spot and burn it on the way out, you may be making a big mistake. I sit same areas multiple times a year and continue to see the same bucks on multiple sits. I just keep making micro adjustments and continue to watch entry and exit. Another strategy I use on exit is to create my own pressure. I specifically walk certain areas to keep deer out. They know to stay out of that area and skirt the back edge. Guess where I'm set up!

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I generally come out after dark.But will wait deer out to leave most of the time.I have a buddy that takes a sling shot to the tree to spook away deer in the plot before he gets down.
 
I’m usually in the stand ideally atleast an hr before daylight

Hard to beat a buck to his his bedding area & walking in with daylight he’s most likely already bedded & slinks out of there

I’ve had better success with early entries during morning and afternoon hunts

It may be because it’s on heavy pressured public & my area is settled down by the time other hunters are walking in & probably push deer my way


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Tapeworm said:
I’m usually in the stand ideally atleast an hr before daylight

Hard to beat a buck to his his bedding area & walking in with daylight he’s most likely already bedded & slinks out of there

I’ve had better success with early entries during morning and afternoon hunts

It may be because it’s on heavy pressured public & my area is settled down by the time other hunters are walking in & probably push deer my way


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The phase of the season has an influence on deer timing and when we should arrive at our stand.
Early, pre, pre rut has bucks arriving at their beds earlier and moving around less throughout the morning. Actually, morning hunts suck during the early season...evenings are much better in pre rut.
But when the rut starts kicking in, there is no telling when they will be on their feet. I suspect that they often run most of the night and lay down for a rest around daybreak. Its the time of day when they have most likely encountered humans and they probably want to lay down and monitor risks. After things are quet for an hour or so, they resume thinking about the girls and they get brave. I swear I see more bucks on their feet after 8am than I see at daybreak (when the rut is picking up).

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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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Much of the "club elder" advice I've gotten over the years is based on extra sleep :D
 
brydan said:
Much of the "club elder" advice I've gotten over the years is based on extra sleep :D
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I think you young guys need more sleep than us old guys. Heck, most nights, I'm ready for bed when it gets dark...meanwhile you youngins are living the night life.
I have no problem getting up in the morning...usually awake before the alarm clock goes off.
Now, if you will excuse me...Im late for the early bird special. Gotta eat now so I can get to bed by 7:30...lol.

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Allegheny Tom said:
The phase of the season has an influence on deer timing and when we should arrive at our stand.
Early, pre, pre rut has bucks arriving at their beds earlier and moving around less throughout the morning. Actually, morning hunts suck during the early season...evenings are much better in pre rut.
But when the rut starts kicking in, there is no telling when they will be on their feet. I suspect that they often run most of the night and lay down for a rest around daybreak. Its the time of day when they have most likely encountered humans and they probably want to lay down and monitor risks. After things are quet for an hour or so, they resume thinking about the girls and they get brave. I swear I see more bucks on their feet after 8am than I see at daybreak (when the rut is picking up).

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During very early season..
Morning hunts are very often your best opportunity...bit that quickly changes with the first week of pressure...the other point I'll make is bedding for bucks during the pre rut is so unpredictable because their on their feet checking resident does then branching out to nieghboring properties too do the same..floater bucks will begin to show up nxt week and buck activity will increase dramatically....then lock down is going to happen...be ready to stay out and be flexable to change locations to increase your chances to encounter a buck on your hitlist
 
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When I hunt mornings early season (typically only weekends) I like going in early. I hunt and have always hunted almost strictly heavily pressured public. My thought process is to (a) beat the deer to their beds & (b) beat the other hunters. A red light works well. I give myself plenty of time, and be ultra-sneaky.
 
Silvio said:
During very early season..
Morning hunts are very often your best opportunity...bit that quickly changes with the first week of pressure...the other point I'll make is bedding for bucks during the pre rut is so unpredictable because their on their feet checking resident does then branching out to nieghboring properties too do the same..floater bucks will begin to show up nxt week and buck activity will increase dramatically....then lock down is going to happen...be ready to stay out and be flexable to change locations to increase your chances to encounter a buck on your hitlist
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Early season is risky season.
Its probably the time of the year (other than late winter) that bucks range is the smallest. Their world is tiny in early season. Food is everywhere, bucks coats have changed to winter coats and its hot. They also have no interest in the girls YET. They just aren't moving much during the mornings but don't think for a minute that they can't be educated due to over pressuring them.
Yes, bucks are very predictable during that time, but they have a very short time frame of movement during morning daylight hours. They can be killed but the risk factor is high.
If you want to kill a buck, you have to do it when they are on their feet DURING DAYLIGHT. Bucks arent out and about very much during the mornings in early season.

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Allegheny Tom said:
Early season is risky season.
Its probably the time of the year (other than late winter) that bucks range is the smallest. Their world is tiny in early season. Food is everywhere, bucks coats have changed to winter coats and its hot. They also have no interest in the girls YET.
Yes, bucks are very predictable during that time, but they have a very short time frame of movement during morning daylight hours. They can be killed but the risk factor is high.
If you want to kill a buck, you have to do it when they ate on their feet DURING DAYLIGHT. Bucks arent out and about during the mornings in early season.

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Let's say it is risky, you have to take good calculated risks to gain the reward. I've killed many mature bucks on October 1st, but I knew the travel patterns and escape routes...when bucks are still together this is the time to take a risk and set up on there routine...
 
Silvio said:
Let's say it is risky, you have to take good calculated risks to gain the reward. I've killed many mature bucks on October 1st, but I knew the travel patterns and escape routes...when bucks are still together this is the time to take a risk and set up on there routine...
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Back to my original point...EVENINGS in early season are more productive than mornings.
Not saying that great bucks arent killed during the 1st week mornings, but morning is much tougher than evenings.

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Allegheny Tom said:
Back to my original point...EVENINGS in early season are more productive than mornings.
Not saying that great bucks arent killed during the 1st week mornings, but morning is much tougher than evenings.

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Yes, your spot on...mornings are only productive in short spans during the hunting season. I'd like to think risk taking as a selective tool rather than deal breaker. Sometimes hunters will wait until the last couple of days to be aggressive but it's to late in most cases. Well, let's just say we can learn different hunting tactics that address mornings and evening hunts
 
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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EXACTLY SIR!!!!
 
Allegheny Tom said:
The phase of the season has an influence on deer timing and when we should arrive at our stand.
Early, pre, pre rut has bucks arriving at their beds earlier and moving around less throughout the morning. Actually, morning hunts suck during the early season...evenings are much better in pre rut.
But when the rut starts kicking in, there is no telling when they will be on their feet. I suspect that they often run most of the night and lay down for a rest around daybreak. Its the time of day when they have most likely encountered humans and they probably want to lay down and monitor risks. After things are quet for an hour or so, they resume thinking about the girls and they get brave. I swear I see more bucks on their feet after 8am than I see at daybreak (when the rut is picking up).

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I like to be in at least an hour before grey light. Stuff happens and I’ll settle for a solid half hour. If I don’t think I can be at the tree half an hour early I’ll just wait until I can start to see.
 
Alright... Ya'll pray for me. Wind is going to be right tomorrow morning before the rain blows in. I'm still leery about it but I'm going to attempt this first light thing. I can only stay out until 1030 though. I'll be up and ready by 0630 waiting for light enough to see three steps ahead of me. Think that'll start me "hunting" on my way in at 0700 or so. It's aggressive, but I hope to be setup by 0745.

Did we all agree that running to your tree is an acceptable approach? ;)
 
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