I’ve been contemplating how early in the morning to get out to the hunting blind. I usually try and be in my spot about 15-20 minutes before shooting time.
But what do the rest of you do? How early do you get to the stand or blind (or whatever) before shooting time?
Usually I’m there about an hour before but no less than 1/2 hour. I like to be there before it starts getting light out and they are moving closer to their bedding grounds. Don’t want to spook them out right before shooting time. It usually works in my favor as the neighbors arrive a few minutes before shooting time and send them in my direction.
At least 30 minutes before legal shooting time, usually more. My Father drops me off with the ATV so he needs time to get to his stand too.
20-30 minutes before, and sit until dark, or if I have to leave for something. Generally, it’s dark to dark until I kill something.
Generally, it’s dark to dark until I kill something.
Same, as long as the weather is tolerable. I enjoy getting out there in the dark on a quiet morning and just waiting for the day to begin. Any noise is amplified too. Seems like every opener there’s that one lone shot off in the distance that’s super early and I wonder if someone just shot themself climbing into the stand.
At least 30 minutes before legal shooting. Need time for a cup of coffee and a heater. And of course to let things quiet down before the deer start moving for the morning.
My goal is 1 hour before legal shooting time. I’ve been as early as 2 when it was really mild weather. I’ve got some pretty long walks to some of my stands with large hills to climb. So I head out early.
Seems like every opener there’s that one lone shot off in the distance that’s super early and I wonder if someone just shot themself climbing into the stand.
I do the exact same thing! Like when it’s a half hour early… It just has to be an accident right?
I’m really bad at this now that I own a property.
Back in the good old days, it was up at 4 AM, full cooked breakfast, then a half-hour drive to the farm we hunted on and then 15 to 20 minutes walk to the stands at least.
Now at the Midwest Monster farm, it’s turn the coffee pot on at about a hour before legal shooting time, eat granola bars for early breakfast and amble out to the stands about 15 minutes before legal shooting time. I don’t think there is a stand on the whole farm that’s more than 15 minutes of a walk away from the camp, so I’ve gotten really lazy.
Yes, I know we should be out there an hour before first light, but especially if it’s cold or windy, dang it’s hard to get motivated to do that like I used to.
And I really admire the “sit all day” guys. I’m good until about 11:00 on opening morning and then I need my coffee, eggs, sausage and hash browns on rye toast.
Grouse
Depends where I’m sitting and what they are doing. I usually pull cameras a week before and watch for the trends of time. Really don’t care a lot about bucks timing- mostly the does. So if I’m skirting my field and I see the trend of feeding 530-645am, I’ll try to stroll by 5-5:15. But almost never less than a hour and NEVER near the tail end of feeding times. When I spook them earlier, they often come back out in 15 to 30 minutes. If the does are around, bucks eventually show up to the party
I sometimes wait until day break so I can see what’s on the field that I walk in on – 1/4 mile walk. More than once I have pushed deer off the field and into the neighbors woods. They typically walk back into our woods to bed down right at first light if their not spooked.
I do the exact same thing! Like when it’s a half hour early… It just has to be an accident right?
I don’t know man. I look forward to the first barrage of shots that echo in the early morning light that signals a new season but I feel like there’s always that one lone shot that is way too early.
When I was younger, I used to climb into my stand with all my stuff in one hand and use my other to climb up. After I almost fell years ago, I stopped dicking around and started using a hoist and a safety strap, plus two full hands to go up and down. Its just much safer not only for me but also for the equipment that could get damaged if I dropped it.
I can honestly say in 17 deer seasons, I have never heard a shot that early. Sure, maybe sometimes you get one a couple minutes early, but never anything that it was still dark. It sure isn’t for lack of hunters either. I’ve been through some deer opener mornings that gave duck opener a run for it’s money as far as shooting goes.
As for how early to get out, that depends. For deer, I don’t like to push it that much. I like to arrive at my spot about 30-45 minutes before legal shooting time. 15-20 minutes is really pushing it, that’s gray light, and the deer can see you a long ways off. I’ve gotten there an hour early, and it’s ok, just a little longer than needed. Much more than than that, and it seems you get into trouble bumping deer. There’s an awful lot of deer out and about at 4-5 am.
Now, I’m definitely not a morning person, I’d just assume stay up late vs get up early, but I like getting a head start plenty early. I can walk slow, take my time, stop and listen every now and then and wait for deer to move if I find them in the dark. And there’s nothing quite like sitting in a tree on a chilly morning listening to the woods waking up! In my younger years, I would get out 2 hours or better early and set an alarm on my watch for 15 minutes before shooting time. Then take a snooze. I had a safe to sleep in box blind then. I truly love every second I get in the woods.
I can honestly say in 17 deer seasons, I have never heard a shot that early. Sure, maybe sometimes you get one a couple minutes early, but never anything that it was still dark.
Almost every year there’s 5 shots that are more than 15 minutes early, and usually 1 or 2 that are pushing 30 minutes. 🙄
I like to be at my stand an hour before shooting time. I’ve calculated this numerous times the last few days. Sunrise-30 minutes-60 minutes-25 minute walk-5 minutes to unload-17 minute drive=departure time. My walk this year will be 1.1 miles. I could drive 1/3 of the way, but I don’t want to push any deer around upfront in case I decide to hunt there another day. The goal is an all day sit, and the weather looks perfect. Hopefully I can put one down early, quarter it in daylight, and pack it out before dark.
My time can really vary based on the areas. A couple pieces of state I hunt I will be staring into darkness for a couple hours letting all of the other hunters push the deer past me into the bedding where I am sitting. The deer are usually bedded withing sight at first light.
A couple other private spots I will be in 1/2 hour to an hour before shooting time where the farm I hunted last weekend I will get in at sunrise as the deer always tend to be by the pond until just after. I get a good west wind slip in and sit for the duration of the day. Had a shooter come by twice but couldn’t get the shot I wanted with the recurve.
Almost every year there’s 5 shots that are more than 15 minutes early, and usually 1 or 2 that are pushing 30 minutes. 🙄
There is a neighboring property we’re apparently 1 hunter is notorious for shooting early. If I’m anywhere near our southline I can hear them come into the stands in the morning.
A number of years ago it was still pitch-black and I was just walking to the stand. Probably at least 15 to 20 minutes before legal light. From across the fence line I hear BANG.
Then clear as day I hear, “Damnit Bill! We said WAIT this year.”
I guess I am in the minority here, but usually 15 minutes before legal shooting. Good for you guys for getting out there an hours before sunrise, it just usually isn’t in the cards for my group. Most would rather stay up an extra hour drinking adult beverages and accept the consequences of not getting out super early.
45 minutes to an hour. I like to be all settled in and everything organized with enough time for the woods to settle back down and any deer I bump to forget where that noise was in the dark, plus being in before the neighbors come in has them bumping deer over in time for first light.
Seems like every opener there’s that one lone shot off in the distance that’s super early and I wonder if someone just shot themself climbing into the stand.
Due to an incident my dad’s friend had about 15 years ago, anytime we hear an early shot where we hunt in MN, we assume “there must have been another skunk in rod’s deer stand.” 
I Still-hunt/stalk/track so I’ll hang out and sip coffee in the truck until it’s light enough to see then I’m off into the deep.
Due to an incident my dad’s friend had about 15 years ago, anytime we hear an early shot where we hunt in MN, we assume “there must have been another skunk in rod’s deer stand.” 
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That’s pretty funny and reminds me when we got settled into our old goose pit years ago to realize there was a racoon stuck in there. 
Due to an incident my dad’s friend had about 15 years ago, anytime we hear an early shot where we hunt in MN, we assume “there must have been another skunk in rod’s deer stand.”
A former IDO member had that happen to him. He and his daughter were tripping over each other getting into a ground blind in the predawn darkness and his daughter says, “Dad, there’s a cat in here.”
It totally wasn’t a cat.
The good news was she wasn’t holding it in her arms when she said it.
Grouse
At least 30 min before any sign of light.
I’m usually out a hour or hour and a half early. I ground hunt so I like to wing my spots and play the wind in the morning. I set up my burlap piece and just watch the woods wake up
Out early and ground hunting paid off again
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Well done my Man!!!
Way to git r done early Bearcat!
Awesome bearcat! What do you use for a seat usually?
Awesome bearcat! What do you use for a seat usually?
Yesterday I used a uprooted tree as a seat and cover, today I brought a little chair. I also move around through out the day
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