When are you in your stand during the rut?

I was doing some reading the other night and read an article about the rut saying that you don't have to beat the deer to the spot so you are better off letting the sun come up a little bit then go into the stand. Do any of you guys do this? I have always gone to the stand in the dark during the rut but if going in late would help my chances i'm up for it!

 

It sounded like you just said "I really want to sleep in a little in November.


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of course not

 

Beat the deer! You know what time he will come by? I am in the woods every minute I can during that time of year. I will be in before daylight and stay after shooting hours. If I bump deer I would rather do it in the dark than daytime. I have a chance of getting away with it if it's dark.

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A bad day hunting, (whatever that is??????) is better than any day working.

Can't think of any place that I would rather be than to be in the woods ESPECIALLY during the rut!!!!!

 

What gives me my inspiration is Trail cam pics and videos. If I have a good buck or two on camera I have no problem getting up in the AM. If like last year when I didn't have any target bucks I slept in a bunch. Hunted mostly from 2pm till dark.

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i let it get light out a little bit. deer have no schedule time to breed. if that doe stay around your area so will he!

 

I time it so that I'm setup and ready to hunt about 15 minutes before the sun is up. I just like watching the woods come alive during sunrise. Many times I have had bucks walk by while I'm setting up in the dark, so I feel it's worth it. But also I have been running late and walk in under grey light. Then go on and shoot a buck later in the morning. So you never know

 

I feel the same way but knowing a trail camera only looks at little area I always think that the big boy is dodging the camera.

 

I am in and totally ready and quiet at least 15 min before it starts cracking daylight.
Love watching the wild wake up!!


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I don't think I've ever killed a buck right at sunrise. But I do usually see does cruising home at that time. I tried that a couple years ago and did kill a decent buck (for me) that year. One thing I rarely do is get out before 1pm. I think I've killed more deer from 10-1 then another time.

 

I have shot 3 of my biggest bucks
20 minutes after shooting time 24 minutes after shooting time and last year I had to wait him out and I shot him a minute after shooting time. Two were on opening rifle and one three days prior

So I wont sleep in during the rut
I mean why would you shorten your day during prime time?

 

I like to be settled in a half hour before grey light but shot my bucks the last two years coming in late interestingly enough.
I read and heard the same about coming in late and I believe their point was that mature Bucks are moving to their beds before sun up and you have a better chance of spooking them coming in early than coming in after they've bedded. Don't know.


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I can't sit in a stand all day so I settle for afternoon hunts anything more than 3 hours gets painful.

 

Don't let articles tell you when you should hunt or not. I would use your instincts and knowledge and make the call when you should be in the stand. In my opinion, most don't have the luxury to hunt all the time. So it's probably good to hunt when you can.

 

If I have an area that requires me to come through or close to a large food source for a morning hunt I've been known to wait until after light. This way I can make sure the field is clear before proceeding. However if I have a good entrance route and can slip in under the cover of darkness I'll take that 100% of the time. Although I don't think getting in after light is necessarily going to hurt anything, you just never know when something is going to cruise by shortly after daybreak. Why lose any more opportunities than you have to?

 

I have never harvested a deer before noon but still get to my stand 45 min before sunrise.

If I ended up getting busted in the morning walking out I would just reroute my stand entry.

 

I think it completely depends on the land you are hunting. Some properties this actually makes sense. Others it makes no sense what so ever. It all depends on your location in relation to food and bedding.

 

the problem is every article is just someone's opinion, and its relative to the deer in their area. Just like every other thread online. The 2 mature bucks I've shot were both morning about an hour after shooting time, so I'll always try to be in before light.