I've got a question

[hangumhi]

What do you prefer, hiking in quite a ways before daylight and getting to a spot on opening morning or hiking in at daybreak?  I've tried both and I always seem to see more deer when I hike in at daylight.  I guess my thought on this is that if you're hiking in say two or three miles into an area and plan on sitting for a while at a specific opening or two then you don't get to see the ground you just hiked through before daylight and the potential for seeing deer while still hunting.  I'd like to hear other people's reasons for choosing one or the other.  Thanks...And I guess the same question applies to when you head back to the truck; do you wait until after shooting light to start walking back or start still hunting your way back to the truck usually?  I really do lose sleep over this question as I never know if I'm doing it right or not and I'm sure that the answer probably depends on the situation so I'd like to hear some scenarios and how you'd handle them with regards to my question.  Thanks again I appreciate the help.

[PolarBear]

I like to hike in and be in my "spot" at least an hour before daylight.  It gives the woodland critters time to calm down.  Also, the majority of other hunters are going to hit the woods late (well after daylight).  What happens if you are already way ahead of them, they wind up pushing critters farther back into safer areas which just happens to be where you are sitting nice and quietly.  I also don't leave my evening spot until well after dark (usually when I can no longer see my hand at arm's length).  One reason for this is to minimize my intrusion and to keep other hunters from seeing where I go in at, and it is usually no where near where I park my rig.

[bucklucky]

Sleep in , get up at 10:00, walk in at 10:30 ,   shoot a magnum 4 point , out by noon. That's how my little brother did it. He retiered from buck hunting after that 

[PolarBear]

That sounds like a cousin of mine.  Twice he has gotten up really late from too much booze the night before and has taken decent bucks within 100 yards of camp while taking his morning constitutional.  Both times the rest of us roll into camp at noon to see him sitting by the fire with a cocktail and a freshly skinned buck hanging from the meat pole. 

[boneaddict]

Done both many times.  Just depends where you want to hunt.  I am reminded constantly of a situation that happened.  Idabooner an dI were sitting in our pickup drinking coffee waiting for it to get light.  This guy comes and parks right behind us, bails out and runs into the woods.  I mean runs into the woods.  To beat us to our hunt.  We just sip our coffee and wait, a bit miffed.  Well I ended up following his tracks all morning and I saw more damn deer, including two nice 4 points.   The guy blew by half of them wand the deer just let him walk by.  I went back and found Idabooner to come shoot one of those big black antlered 4 points, but when we returned he gave us the slip.    Great morning.   I will probably be hunting this spot with my late tag.

[Alchase]

I remember getting up at 3:00 am hiking to the top of the mountain to be in position before first light. Finally seeing a nice buck around 9:00 am, taking him down and spending the next few hours dragging him the few miles back to camp. Arriving back in camp around 2:00 ish, I was wiped out.
Only to find out my buddy's wife watched a nice buck walk right between there RV and my tent around 10:00. She threw a blaze orange vest over her night gown and stepped out of their RV and dropped the buck 40 yards from camp.

 

[fishing is for fools]

  Nice that is how it is done

[mossback91]

 I usually go in right a daylight because of the fact that I might see something on the way in which I usually do but at times I wish I was at the top before daylight.

[zackmioli]

i dont have a long hike to my spot in the mornings, bout 20 minutes. but i usually like to head up just before light so i can barely see as im going in so if i see any movement i can hang tight there and if not i still make it to my area before legal shooting time.

[TeacherMan]

If it is a new area wait until day break and go for it. 

[Big Bucks Tim]

I've done both.  To me it all depends on how far I'm Hiking in.  If it's a short walk I wait till day break.  If I got to hike in a ways I try to get there early.  Point being I like to get to my spot and start hunting as close to hunting time as possible.   

[MIKEXRAY]

I ALWAYS hike in before light and set up on stand simply because I SUCK at stalking. I am noisy, clumsy and just scare animals away. Way more sucessful getting in and being quiet. My    Mike

[Bean Counter]

I am generally a fan of waking up long before daylight.  That said, I took a buddy elk hunting last year, and the only time we came close to an elk was opening morning when he was stumbling through in teh dark and a whole heard made off in the darkness.   

So it may be good to wait until a bit of dawn can let you see where you're going sometimes.

[rasbo]

,before if Im trying to get ahead of something Ive already spotted before.usally right at dawn.If I cant sees um icants shootem

[Bofire]

 :)I sorta split it, I like to go in a ways but dont like to get too close until I can see a little. I dont like to use a light to close to my stand and I HATE falling down I also hate walking into limbs
Same reason I leave a little early, I never remember my flashlite and I HATE falling down!!
Well I have remembered is a couple times.
Also depends on how far it is.
Have any of you guys ever gotten 'jest a little bit lost" trying to get out of the woods with a flash light? Boy Howdy I have. Anymore I get to a known road or trial before full dark, you cant see spit with a flashlight.
Carl