Trying to beat deer back to their bed

[Bighuntermioh]

I hunt a 25 acre wooded area close to a good size creek. The local does have been bedding in this 25 acres all year and I see five of them daily. I've got one 4.5-5.5 year old 12pt on camera multiple times at night on a camera which is set up for night time movement. To see what's comeing and going. These does never seem to leave. So when should I dive in there and set up my sticks and hang my stand and hunt.

[SplitG2]

In the middle of the night. I do a lot of hanging in the middle of the night, especially during the rut while the deer are out and about feeding. Go in and hang a couple hours after dark, go home get a few hours of sleep and slip in early in the morn. Beds, especially doe bedding in my experience is empty within a couple hours after dark

[headgear]

Get in there early so you are setup an hour+ before daylight, hope the does come back to bed a little late. Or check the moon and see if they might be feeding right before first light and bedding later.

[Ashreve93]

Headgear made a good point about moon phase and location.. and in Pa right now i believe it's pretty good. I do, however believe you would need to get there earlier, still. I'd get in there a couple gotta before sunlight. Ive seen deer heading to their beds 1.5 hours before daylight, so be setup, and ready to hunt 2 hours before light.. now that's dedication!

[Bighuntermioh]

Right on that's how I hunt. My tree in the bedding area was set up in April. I've got two big bucks from last year back again and wow the one buck man did he grow. Had pics at 10am 11-2-17. Then I watched him run in there from my back yard on Friday. So now it's back to work for the week. Then off for vacation for a week. I'll be in the tree from 4:30 am to 6pm on 11-11-17. I'll be hunting the fringes dan infault style all week then go John Eberhart style all weekend. Lol. Thanks for the tips.

[Motivated]

Clean access, clean wind direction is critical and monitor the does. Don't over pressure them. When they are hot they will draw the bucks in during daylight. 25 acres is too small to put high pressure on the does. Bust them off of there to the neighbors and you lose a great draw for the bucks to come onto your property. When the does smell ready the bucks will be there. This is where your historical rut data helps you.

My two cents.

[ThePreBanMan]

Honestly I have been busting up deer going in the early AM - about an hour before light. Been kind of frustrating actually. I like the idea of setting up the night before. Then you can go in right at gray light. I seem to bust less deer after the sun's light starts to crack the black. But going in stand on back doesn't give me enough time to hike in and setup for that best prime time of the AM.