Packing up early

[Lockdown]

Every year we get a couple members with a horror story of packing up early and having it bite them in the rear.

NEVER pack up early.

If I had the option of either:

A) sit for 2.5 hours and pack up with 20 minutes left

or

B) sit for 2.5 hours but I can’t nock an arrow until there’s 20 minutes of light left


I’m picking option B. I’ve had tons of encounters in gray light over the years. I leave my bow on the hanger until the sun goes down. Then I get ready.

By the way, to the member who posted in live from the field, I’m not picking on you or singling you out. Your post just prompted this thread. You called it a life lesson, just trying to make sure nobody else has to endure the same thing.

[matt1336]

Right. At night, when it’s really dark, the only thing that changes in the woods are the fact that the Sasquatch’s and boogymen come out to play. Oh...and the serial killers stash their victims way back in the marshes by all the buck beds. Other that that stuff, there’s nothing to worry about.

[Dewey]

I totally agree with hunting up till the last second of LEGAL time if possible because odds are that’s when the bigger bucks usually show up but that’s not always possible. Every year the first few weeks of the season I find myself packing up sometimes 10 minutes early because I simply cannot see anymore due to heavy canopy in the tree tops especially on cloudy days. If I cannot easily identify a bucks rack or especially pick out a spot for a killing shot I’m done for the day. No way I’m pushing the envelope just because the law says I can still shoot. Thankfully later in the season that’s not an issue and then there is no reason not to hunt until that final second.

[brancher147]

I would say the same thing for morning hunts. Sit until you can’t sit anymore then sit another 20 minutes. I have had a lot of encounters doing this.

Was hunting a bedding area a couple days ago on a bump and dump attempt hoping a buck from the previous evening would return. I was very uncomfortable sitting on ground and sat from 6 until 9. The buck didn’t show but I sat an extra 20 minutes and in that time noticed 2 does bedded behind me at 30 yards. No idea where they came from but I was able to get out of there knowing they were there which really helped.

[stash59]

When I first started bowhunting, back in the 70's. The law in WI was. Season for the day closed at sundown. Most of the deer I saw. Never showed until sundown and later. Even when I wasn't sitting field edges. So when this changed I loved it.

Also read an article years ago about hunting until the edge of night. As far as PM hunts went. The author stated he'd rather miss the entire rest of the day. Than miss those last 10-15 minute of last light. That stuck with me.

In general deer are most active around sunup and sundown. Even more so than at night. There's a fancy scientific term for it, that I can't remember!!!!

[1STRANGEWILDERNESS]

I don’t know what it is but almost all My encounters and kills are early afternoon or late morning. This is generally from nov1-nov30 though. Perhaps this will change as I push up closer to these bedded bucks.. if I get it right..

[EllieTheChubb]

In general deer are most active around sunup and sundown. Even more so than at night. There's a fancy scientific term for it, that I can't remember!!!!

The word you're looking for is crepuscular

[Huntress13]

I almost always sit until full dark before I move. Even when I know there's no way I can see well enough to shoot. I have the mistaken feeling that I will spook less deer getting down if it's full dark rather than just almost dark. I know they can see in the dark and have no problem navigating all night long, but I'm like the cat sitting behind the sheer curtain thinking nobody can see her. Sunday night I had one really close when I started down the tree and it blew out of there, but that normally doesn't happen. Normally if there is one close in the dark, it doesn't blow, it just runs.

[BackCoverBowHunter]

It is crazy to me how people can sit for hours and then pack up and leave at grey light. You put all that effort and time in wait until it is dark to leave!! Bottom line is people are afraid of the woods in the dark. Their mind takes them out of the game.

[Horizontal Hunter]

When I first started bowhunting, back in the 70's. The law in WI was. Season for the day closed at sundown. Most of the deer I saw. Never showed until sundown and later. Even when I wasn't sitting field edges. So when this changed I loved it.

Also read an article years ago about hunting until the edge of night. As far as PM hunts went. The author stated he'd rather miss the entire rest of the day. Than miss those last 10-15 minute of last light. That stuck with me.

In general deer are most active around sunup and sundown. Even more so than at night. There's a fancy scientific term for it, that I can't remember!!!!

For sure.

In Connecticut hunting starts 1/2 hour before sunrise and ends at sunset. It can be very frustrating.

Bob

[Tennhunter3]

Most of the bucks I see on public are last 30 minutes of light. In that grey light.

If its light enough to still shoot and make out clearly what the animal is it is still shooting light.

[jchang3]

I made this mistake once.

[gsquared23]

I totally agree with hunting up till the last second of LEGAL time if you possible because odds are that’s when the bigger bucks usually show up but that’s not always possible. Every year the first few weeks of the season I find myself packing up sometimes 10 minutes early because I simply cannot see anymore due to heavy canopy in the tree tops especially on cloudy days. If I cannot easily identify a bucks rack or especially pick out a spot for a killing shot I’m done for the day. No way I’m pushing the envelope just because the law says I can still shoot. Thankfully later in the season that’s not an issue and then there is no reason not to hunt until that final second.

Spot on. I had some does come by last night at least 9-10 minutes before the end of “legal” shooting light, but I could barely make them out and only when they were moving, much less make an ethical shot. As they moved through I started packing it up, if I can’t see enough detail to make an ethical kill, shooting light has passed.

[stash59]

In general deer are most active around sunup and sundown. Even more so than at night. There's a fancy scientific term for it, that I can't remember!!!!

The word you're looking for is crepuscular

Yuup!!! Thanx.

[RookieBeast2019]

I totally agree with hunting up till the last second of LEGAL time if you possible because odds are that’s when the bigger bucks usually show up but that’s not always possible. Every year the first few weeks of the season I find myself packing up sometimes 10 minutes early because I simply cannot see anymore due to heavy canopy in the tree tops especially on cloudy days. If I cannot easily identify a bucks rack or especially pick out a spot for a killing shot I’m done for the day. No way I’m pushing the envelope just because the law says I can still shoot. Thankfully later in the season that’s not an issue and then there is no reason not to hunt until that final second.

Spot on. I had some does come by last night at least 9-10 minutes before the end of “legal” shooting light, but I could barely make them out and only when they were moving, much less make an ethical shot. As they moved through I started packing it up, if I can’t see enough detail to make an ethical kill, shooting light has passed.

Yup. If my old eyes can’t see. It’s time to pack up.