How late is too Late?

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Brad
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How late is too Late?

Unread postby Brad » Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:35 pm

I have been going out extra early this year and enjoying taking my time and not being in a hurry to get where I am going. With that said on thursdays I get done with work a little bit earlier, and I can't help but wonder if I had just enough time to sneak out for a quick evening hunt, I don't think I would. I get done at 4:30, am home by 5:15, and 15 minutes to drive to one of my private spots. I think that would cut it too close, for sure if I wanted to be in a stand. What time do you ussually pull the plug on being able to go out or not?


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BJE80
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby BJE80 » Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:42 pm

If I can get in low impact and it's not a stand I worry too much about or have plenty of stands to hunt. Sure why not?

Let's face it, when do you see the most movement? Last hour of shooting light right? Get in there quick and be quiet.
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:46 pm

I've shot deer going to my stand about 45-minutes til closing time.

Interestingly enough I've shot approximately half my deer with less than 20-minutes of legal...

I usually plan for 2-3 hours though...
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str8shooter
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby str8shooter » Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:51 pm

Personally I don't like feeling rushed...I tend to make stupid mistakes and get "rammy" when feeling pressured. I would take that night and make a scouting trip out of it. Sounds like a perfect night to observe, or sit a super low impact tree. If a storm front was blowing through I might consider pushing the envelope, but if it's a ho hum run of the mill early season day I'd bide my time.
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:54 pm

str8shooter wrote:Personally I don't like feeling rushed...I tend to make stupid mistakes and get "rammy" when feeling pressured. I would take that night and make a scouting trip out of it. Sounds like a perfect night to observe, or sit a super low impact tree. If a storm front was blowing through I might consider pushing the envelope, but if it's a ho hum run of the mill early season day I'd bide my time.


Gr8 alternative - well spoken!
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backstraps
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:22 pm

Personally I would make the most of it. Before long the time will be changing and you wont have the opportunity more than likely.

I would none the less go in a spot for observation.
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phade
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby phade » Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:10 am

I usually prep a few spots for such an occassion. Close to access, in decent areas or in an observation areas.

I do have one spot behind my house that will occassionally have a decent buck passing through as well as a resident doe group and a couple dinks. It's nothing more than a 1.5 acre woodlot with some decent understory. It is connected on the back side by a hedgerow and a couple acres of knee high grass (they'll bed there every so often) behind another house about 550 ft away. It hardly gets hunting pressure during gun because it is so close to my house...it might get pushed once then...but for bow...nobody sets up there.

I've taken a few does there and passed on a couple bucks in the three years I have been there. I only hunt it when I am real short on time...I set a ladder stand there to access quickly and the wind blows to my house 8 of 10 days so I don't have much concern with blowing deer out. On the third day of last season, I got home from work with 35 minutes of shooting light. I threw on my camo leafy suit and hit the tree stand. Had 8 does pop up and took one of them within 5 minutes of being in the stand. Filled the freezer and a short drag, leaving me to focus on a buck for the rest of the season.

I don't overhunt it though...usually 2-3 sits an entire season and total seat time is probably 2.5-3 hours there. Funny though, going by just deer encounters, I have more does seen per hour there than any other stand. I may try it during the rut once and sit an all-dayer, but most times I have sign of bucks it has been in the nighttime (seeing with headlights pulling into driveway). Haven't seen a bruiser pass through in hunting hours yet.
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby bowhunter15 » Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:42 am

I agree with the observation idea, or doing something close and easy access/low intrusion. When I shot my doe Sunday, I didn't really have any intentions of shooting anything, just gathering intel. I walked into that 15 acre woodlot with 45 minutes left to watch the deer. As luck would have it I filled a tag, but it's unlikely that I would have ever taken that opportunity to go into a good buck bedding spot, set up a stand, and be ready to hunt as the sun's starting to set. If it's on private you could probably benefit from having a stand like phade's hung where you can silently sneak in and climb in no time.
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headgear
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Re: How late is too Late?

Unread postby headgear » Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:03 am

I don't think it is ever too late, there is always time to sneak in a quick hunt. It is just important not to rush. Going in late certainly makes things a little harder because other deer could be on their feet and bust you but its alwasy worth a try. If those bucks are moving until last light anyway you really have more time than you think. I would much rather hunt for 30 minutes in the right spot and be super quiet than to rush in and setup fast and be in the wrong spot or blow my cover.


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