How long do you stay in the stand?

[shootermcgavin]

Mornings, I try to be in the stand an hour or so before daylight and stay until 9:30-10:00, and evenings, I try to be back in the stand by 4:30ish and stay until I can get out without spooking deer. Once the time changes, I try to be in the stand around 3.

That's basically me as well. My goal is to be at my stand no later than 45 minutes before shooting hours, giving me 30 minutes of completely still before shooting begins. I stay until at least 9:30 if I see nothing, or 1 hour past the last deer I saw.

Evening hunt is arrive at stand minimum of 3 hours before shooting hours end, typically 4 hours before.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[shootermcgavin]

Follow up questions.
1. You have no game cameras to pattern movement and can only hunt morning or evening. Which do you choose and why?

2nd is actually seeking advice. My shooter buck has a tendency so far to show up at my stand between 5:00 am and 6:30 when he comes around... Right when I normally would be walking in. What would you do? Come in late, don't come in until his pattern changes, say screw him and go for a doe and meat in the freezer, or something else?

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[D. Hargrove]

Set an L shaped ambush. Deploy M18A1 Claymore Mines on the side closest your location (pointing away of course). Place your designated Sniper at a distance greater than 350 meters downwind with a clearly defined Final engagement line. Ensure that all fields of fire are clear of obstruction. Position all other members of your fire team to the rear and off to the side of the Claymores at a distance of 25 meters and at an angle of 45 degrees. Take your position in the stand and remain until the adversarial beast encounters your position, tripping the pre-hunt emplaced Chemlight trip wires, thus alerting you to his presence. At this point you are on your own...

 

[Okie4570]

Set an L shaped ambush. Deploy M18A1 Claymore Mines on the side closest your location (pointing away of course). Place your designated Sniper at a distance greater than 350 meters downwind with a clearly defined Final engagement line. Ensure that all fields of fire are clear of obstruction. Position all other members of your fire team to the rear and off to the side of the Claymores at a distance of 25 meters and at an angle of 45 degrees. Take your position in the stand and remain until the adversarial beast encounters your position, tripping the pre-hunt emplaced Chemlight trip wires, thus alerting you to his presence. At this point you are on your own...

The buck that I shot last year did the same thing almost daily. From the way he was looking on the pics and the time, I'm pretty sure he could hear my truck when I pulled up, and I park several hundred yards away. Last pic was always about the time I was parking. He eventually started coming in at way earlier times and became pretty inconsistent. Actually the only time he'd ever come thru in the daylight was the morning I shot him. Yours will change patterns here in the next few days as well. If you feel like you're pressuring him, back off and play if safe imo. As long as he stays in the area, there's that chance he'll screw up and show up while you're there.

 

[D. Hargrove]

If you feel like you're pressuring him, back off and play if safe imo. As long as he stays in the area, there's that chance he'll screw up and show up while you're there.

I agree with @Okie4570, just back off a bit if you think he is getting nervous and he will eventually make a mistake. Good hunting!!!

 

[retrieverman]

Follow up questions.
1. You have no game cameras to pattern movement and can only hunt morning or evening. Which do you choose and why?

2nd is actually seeking advice. My shooter buck has a tendency so far to show up at my stand between 5:00 am and 6:30 when he comes around... Right when I normally would be walking in. What would you do? Come in late, don't come in until his pattern changes, say screw him and go for a doe and meat in the freezer, or something else?

If I had no cameras and only one time to hunt, I would hunt evenings. I’ve killed deer in the morning (a lot of deer), but all my big bucks have been on evening hunts.

On the second part, I agree with Okie4570.

 

[Deer Slayer]

If all else fails, set the trip wires on the claymores....... pop a cold one and enjoy the sunset. You will know when he comes in. He will be skinned when you get there.

 

[Jeff405]

I would hunt the Morning because I like to get up early and it fits into my family schedual better.

 

[SnowCamo]

My spots are usually better in the morning as well. Mid morning actually, 9-10am.

 

[dennishoddy]

Most of my wall hangers have been shot when hunters have left the stand.
Cruisers during pre rut, rut, or post rut while they are still stupid.
My spot that I don't have anymore was in the middle of a quarter section with zero cover like any trees, etc.
Some brush and high grass along a creek and that was it. Nobody in their right mind would put a stand there, but each side was wooded. The cruisers used that creek and brush as a method to move to the other wooded areas in search of love with a doe.
Four wall hangers with the biggest being 158 3/8" came from that stand/area. One made B&C, but deducts took it out.
During Rut, never leave the stand unless you have to.
I don't believe there is a time better than others during that period.
Early Archery, I have pics of does all times of the day. Bucks always nocturnal unless they are yearlings.
Muzzle Loader, see some bucks on the first weekend come out closer to daylight and as the week progresses, they come out more in the light as its pre-rut.
Scraping, and sparring with the young bucks.
The time period between MZ and Gun season, I can't tell you.
I'm trout fishing in Missouri for the 30th year in a row during that time for the Brown Trout spawning run. My second love.
Run up to gun season, the bucks disappear. They have does sequestered in the timber, or grass areas, and OSA hunters lament the rut is over early because they don't see any bucks.
Depending on the doe vs buck ratio, you may or may not see cruising bucks at this time. If your population is skewed to lots of does, the bucks don't have to travel much to find the next doe.
If the ratio is closer to the optimum of 1 to 1, bucks will be cruising everywhere looking for the next score.
So with that in mind, pick your time to go.
I will say this, and I don't have the pic any more because of a crash, but the biggest buck I have ever seen in the wild came across my game cam at 1pm on a Wednesday during early bow season. One time deal, never seen again.