What time to get into tree?

[JPiskun1080]

I work 1st shift Mon-Fri 7-3:30 and my closest hunting spot is 40mins away (35 if Im speeding ). I consider this property to be low odds and my goals each year are usually doe harvest unless a shooter does happen to show up on camera. I can usually get setup by 5-5:30 depending how far i'm walking in and setup. Usually allows me to hunt last 2 hours. Once daylight savings hits though I dont have enough time to make it, unless I leave early. I keep an eye on weather and if front of some kind is supposed to come through ill certainly make time to hunt.

[Hawthorne]

Early usually 6-7 hours before closing. I like to take my time plus I very rarely see anyone in parking areas that early going out.Since I hunt far back and tear my stand down everytime I usually don’t see anyone in the parking areas after the hunt either. Nobody knows me that way

[Dewey]

Early usually 6-7 hours before closing. I like to take my time plus I very rarely see anyone in parking areas that early going out.Since I hunt far back and tear my stand down everytime I usually don’t see anyone in the parking areas after the hunt either. Nobody knows me that way

That’s funny but true. It’s the main reason I’m the first one in and last one out. I hate answering nosey questions.

[Boogieman1]

Early season if I buck hunt all I care about is the last 1.5 hours. Come rut I play the numbers. The more hours in the tree the better my odds. If I can sit all day that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

[BigStick]

I like to be in the tree for 3-4 hrs before closing, but it doesn’t always work. It really depends on what other obligations I have that day. The earlier the better most of the time, but other times it’s best to wait for that wind shift. I’ve even sat and waited for a small shower to pass so I keep dry but still get the silent entry with the wet leaves.

[Thesouthpaw]

It all depends for me. If I don't have to work, I'll try to be in at least 3 hours before closing on a typical day. If there is a cold front or major weather change, I might get in earlier. If I have to work, I try to get in as soon as possible, which is usually around 2 hours before dark.

[elk yinzer]

On higher movement days early season I usually see does get up from their beds about 2 hours before sunset and mill around for an hour plus without actually going anywhere. Bucks always seem to be sunset or later before I even see them on their feet, and they mill around too which really stresses the importance of hunting in tight to beds.

IRL, workdays I hurry to get into the woods by 5, on weekends early season I eat lunch, do some chores and maybe get setup by 4. As the season goes on that shifts until the rut when every minute of daylight in the tree something could happen.

That said, I'm not much of an early season buck hunter to this point, so I am more just here for the comments.

[chase]

Myles Keller told me once, " I don't care if you only have 20 minutes to hunt", go hunt

[Beastintraining]

I like to get out early, say 4-5 hours before primetime. In previous years it would be a walk to the same area and set up and wait for things to calm down. This year I think I will be using it to scout my way into new areas and set up. Should be interesting....I will post all my failures for people to read haha.

[mheichelbech]

All depends. How well do I know the area and when deer will be moving through. One place I hunt, there are so many squirrels chattering and running around all the time that it gets to be very irritating. I don’t sit there any longer than I think I have to.

Newer places where I am not as familiar I would get in much earlier to be able to take my time, be quiet and do a lot of observing on the way in.

The other issue is expectations on thermals. I’ve had spots where I had high expectations of a shooter buck but couldn’t risk getting in before thermal movement one way or another and as such it would be a sneak in with only maybe 45 mins to hunt.

Also as mentioned previously, wind and weather shifts can drive your decision.

Later season if it’s really cold and a spot I know deer won’t be moving through until near dark, I may wait until an hour before dark to get in the stand.

Like almost everything in deer hunting, it can be tough to have a pat answer. Have to figure it out as I go along. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from this website.

[may21581]

On public I have found alot of movement around 11-4. I contribute this to the average hunting crowd showing up when getting off of work. It's as if they have learned or caught on to this hunting pressure and feel safe traveling during those times. Also by getting their earlier they tend to relax again if you make small noises before their evening bed to feed or bed to doe movement. I've seen the biggest bucks around 12-2 in the afternoon, and this was near main hunter access trails where most of the folks walk to go way back in.

[Grizzlyadam]

In many of the hilly areas I hunt I believe I often make the mistake of going in too early where the daytime thermal is still flowing up to a bedding area above my location and busting the deer out. Waiting until the last 45 minutes or so to get in may be a better move in that case. Something I picked up here that I hadn't considered enough in the past.

On the other side of the coin, if im sure the wind is in my favor, then getting in earlier when the deer is said to be more groggy may be best if I need to get really close.

[Treewalker87]

Like many have said, whenever you can get out and go hunt, go hunt!

Ideally, for a PM hunt, I like to be in my stand settled in, about 1.5- 2 hours before last light if I am buck hunting during early season. If I am going out to shoot a doe, and hunting a "doe only spot", I would be out there earlier-mainly because I don't care if I screw things up with a wind shift.

With life getting so busy, I have been speed hunting locally, sometimes sneaking into a spot with 30 minutes to spare. As long as you're careful on the entry, you can still have a great hunt. Last season I almost had a shot at a Booner on a speed hunt like this. If only I were in that tree 10 yards to the left!

[Tufrthnails]

That's a loaded question. I don't have a set time. Like said above weather plays a huge part. My knowledge of the area is big as well. As in how winds react do to the foliage, if I'm gonna be fighting water thermals, or if their is a predicted wind switch or storm front coming.