Scbasshunter Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 What is the best way to get to a stand in the am during the early season? The deer are most likely going to already be out and about before sun up since it is so hot during the day. Is it best to wait until first bit of light so you don't unintentionally spook any deer while getting to your stand and hope to catch a deer coming through late? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Entering a stand in the morning in the early season. A lot of very serious hunters won't hunt mornings in the early season for fear of educating their deer. If you do hunt just make sure you plenty off the food source and don't walk through food to hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 if you can get back off from food source and catch them heading to bed...fields are more of an eve. hunt, then you still want to be able to back on out without them seeing you when you leave if possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Hunting in the mornings bumping deer out on the way is probably less educating than climbing down from a stand after dark in the evenings with deer you do not realize are around watching you. Unfortunately it happens. Chances are you could still bump them after it is light when they are transitioning. Had an old doe with her fawn I did not know were there in the 2009 season watch me climb down after legal shooting light had ended, she looked up in that tree every time I saw her after that and unfortunately busted me when I had the deer in my avatar coming in during our late bowseason. Ended up killing the buck a few days later when our rifle opened back up, never had an opportunity on the doe. Sometimes if the deer leave in the mornings on your way you can go on and get in the stand and they will later come back, but you got to be careful because sometimes with a group of deer they may not all leave right away and even though you may not see them they can see you. Like Martin said above I try to hunt more in the woods in the mornings and cover fields in the afternoons, but even still there is the chance you can educate the deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 If possible set up on a trail leading to/from the food source so you catch them coming or going. If you can't, then I would suggest getting in the stand well before sun up. I'm usually in the stand a hour before any light breaks the horizon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Read an article years ago I think in petersen's that suggested "hunting" your way to your stand. Probably a real good idea. If at all possible to glass from a distance, try to in advance to get an idea when the deer are moving where you want to get to. Obviously a lot of places like here where hills and cover make it impossible to see any great distance that is not an option, that is where trail cams can be a lot of help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Like others have said, early season morning hunts require stealthy approaches to stands. I wouldn't want to walk through or even on the edge of a crop field to get to a stand back in the timber. Early season morning hunts usually mean hunting trails and/or some sort of food source back in the timber the deer may choose to hit on their way to bed. Of course the deer may leave its bed to go there for a short snack & then back to bed. If water is scarce, hunting a water source comes into the mix too. JMO but early season morning hunts are low percentage hunts for mature bucks. If I'm making an early season morning hunt there's a good chance I'm there to wack does...not bucks. Your odds of killing mature bucks are much better in the afternoon as long as those bucks haven't been pressured much. Obviously it's best if they don't even realize they're being hunted. Once they feel the pressure they're more apt to become nocturnal until the early stages of the rut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Great points Rhino...that's why I try to pinpoint staging areas back in off a field edge, access the stand by old trail/logging road/ or walk a creek to get in. If you walk across a field even in pitch black, you are bumping deer and leaving scent. One way to minimize that could be by getting dropped at your tree by a truck or utv..they leave you are in and the deer do not associate the vehicle with danger for the most part.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scbasshunter Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Entering a stand in the morning in the early season. It is buck only until Sept.15 and only mature bucks on the property that I hunt. I figure it is a shot in the dark regardless but can't shoot one from the couch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 deer don't "follow the rules" all the time. go hunt just don't get sloppy with playing the wind, being quiet, and controlling your scent. creeks and ditches work ridiculously well for getting into and out of a stand location don't have too many where I hunt but they work. may need to make sure they're able to be traveled through though. maybe lots of debris and blow downs in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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