What is your morning hunt routine?

[CarolinaWren]

Aight y’all, how do you approach morning hunts? What time do you get up, when do you aim to be in the woods if ground hunting, or when do you like to get to your stand? Public or private land? Flash light or no flashlight? What do you bring with you? Let’s hear your strategy.

 

[Kev]

I got up Saturday AM at 5:38. First I drank a cup of coffee. Then I got in the truck and pulled through the gate. Then I walked to my stand with no flashlight. It was just a few minutes before legal shooting light when I got settled.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

If I'm stand hunting and know where I'm going I like to get up in time to drink a little coffee and get my business done and be in the stand about 30 minutes before shooting light. I always use a flash light. They're way more effective at keeping you from getting shot at dusk and dawn than a orange vest is. And I've walked right by enough deer coon hunting to know it doesn't bother them.

If I'm still hunting I want to be at my starting place about shooting light.

 

[RipperIII]

I get up at 4, have a cup or 3 of coffee jump in the truck, turn on O'Neill and head to Indian springs. An hour and 2o minutes later, open the gate, park, gear up, check wind conditions, choose hunt location, eat a pbj...then head to my spot.
I used to get in my stand about an hour before first light if I was using my climber, about 30 mins before first light if I was using my ladderstand or pop up...but I got busted way too many times...Now i start walking at first light so that by the time i get to my spot, i can see...if i see deer, i freeze till they are gone...i rarely if ever get busted now and the thermals have started to rise lifting my scent as opposed to me sitting there for a half hour or so with my scent sinking to the ground.

As far as what take with me:
Bleat/grunt call
Drink
Snack
Binocs sometimes depending on the spot I'm hunting
Knife
Dip

 

[Waddams]

For me, it's situational. If the moon's been bright all night and it's been cool, especially if the day will warm up a lot, I'll usually not bother with getting in before daylight. I see deer so rarely under those circumstances I don't bother, I think they're up all night feeding and they just bed down when the sun comes up. I enjoy coffee and breakfast at camp, then head in and hope to catch one when it's up for a mid-morning leg stretching and snack.

If it's been moonless or raining all night, especially if the rain is gonna let up at sun up, then I'm out early in rain gear, hoping the rain has 'em hunkered down and ready to head to food when the rain lets up. Depends on how intense the rain is, how dark it is or isn't, overnight, etc.

Also, depends on situationally just how motiviated I am. There are times that bed at camp is mighty comfy, especially with the wife's warm body next to me when she's there!

I see way more deer in the afternoon and evening, not sure why, but it's a think for me. I'm not a guy that can sit all day in one spot. My back starts to ache and I need to get up and move. I either do a few hours here or there, then go back to camp, or still hunt/scout my way through areas looking for potential bedding and food together, with sign in between them, and then sit on it to see if they're around that day.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Get up early enough to be in the stand at least 1/2 hr before legal shooting light AFTER a 2 hr drive. This usually means up at 4am but now closer to 3am.

I use a super bright flashlight to make the 400 yd walk to my stand. I don’t worry too much about the light or the noise I make.

My own private land.

I bring everything I need to quarter the deer on site. Game bags, rubber gloves, 2 knives, 65 qt cooler in the vehicle pre filled with ice. I get ice free from work.

Large lunch that serves as my only meal until dark.

Game taking device (firearm or bow), Glock 21, ammo.

I have a field kit with first aid, bug spray, TP, rope, compass, chap stick, multi tool, water, ear muffs, thermacell, head lamp, Mophie, Grinds, peanuts, etc. Other random stuff.

 

[BASS1FUN]

If I’m hunting close to a bedding area then I’m in a tree an hour before legal shooting , I hunt public land so I always have a headlamp, (had a hunter walk in the other day and it was like he had a light saber walking through the woods)On check in hunts I take enough snacks and drinks to sit all day if needed but I always take enough to last to at least midday and I put my clothes on when I get to where I’m going to park at

 

[dang]

I’ve got a math formula for getting up.
Legal light (30 min before sunrise) - walk in time (usually 30min to an hour) - driving time (usually 30 min to an hour) - setup time (about 30 min) - 1 hour. I always round everything up for buffer. That usually is enough to get me up the tree and settled an hour plus before legal. I will wake up 30 minutes before that and get dressed, fill my thermos with a pot of coffee and two nalgenes with water. As for what I take with me it’s not much. I drink coffee in the morning and water the rest of the day. I always have a jetboil and 1 mountain house freeze dried meal in my pack for lunch and that pretty much gets me through an all day sit. I walk in without a light when possible but I usually can’t see we’ll enough to do that. White light, nothin fancy…when you’re walking that early the deer seem to be less spooky. I’ve walked past them plenty and they just look at you as you pass by as long as you don’t stop. Public land here.

 

[mallardsx2]

I stay in bed while my wife makes the coffee and gets ready. Then I get up and get ready in 2 minutes and I am ready to go.....Trust me, it's better that way. lol

 

[bfriendly]

For real or intentions? I get up way early and drink coffee & water….pound the water! Then I take a big dump(hopefully) then I mess around trying to figure out where to go!!
Then I usually make minor, and unnecessary adjustments to something…..always something. I mess around so long, the sun is already lighting up the sky so no light needed….usually what happens!

Last week at deer camp, it was the same routine but the messing around was nominal so I was in a stand or up a tree in the saddle before shooting light….love walking in with a red light!

 

[rugerfan]

My morning routine is I try to get up so that I can get to where I am going to be setting up 30 to 45 minutes before legal shooting light. Stop at the store on the way for (2) 20 oz bottles of Mountain Dew ( my coffee) , a couple packs of crackers, some little debbie snacks, 2 packs of smokes and if possible a steak or sausage biscuit. Then head to the woods, park the truck, get dressed in my outer wear at the truck, attach back pack to tree stand, put stand on my back, grab the gun, turn on the head lamp and start hiking.

I usually am good for an all day sit.

Somedays (depending on the weather and moon phase), I won't get there until after daylight has broken, with every intention of hunting the mid morning to evening time frame.

 

[Sixes]

Wake up, ponder about what's hurting the most (usually knees or back) , pee, brush my teeth, overdress and get hot, check my cameras, discuss who is hunting where, either eat a pack of Toastchee crackers or put them in my bag. Pack a couple of dews and maybe a honeybun or Big Texas cinnamon roll. Grab my rifle or bow and start the hunt.

Go to the stand varying from 30 minutes before daybreak to 15 minutes after, I'm usually there about breaking light. Never use a light unless I am hunting in the woods.

Climb up, get comfortable, pass 99% of the deer I see; hunt/nap/text/surf the net until 11-1130, climb down and eat a sandwich or breakfast.

This time of the year, I get back in the stand early afternoon, hunt until dark, pass up 99.5% of the deer I see, text/surf the net until dark, walk out, go to camp, drink a couple of beers, eat supper, drink a few more beers or a liquor drink by the fire. Brush teeth again, go to bed and ponder the day's events and what is hurting the most (usually my back or knees). Check my cameras and try to sleep while constantly thinking about the buck{s} that I want to kill on the next hunt.

Rinse and repeat for the next day

 

[elfiii]

Wake up, get dressed quick, then step off the 100 yards down to the one holer. TCB, come back to the cabin, coffee, grab my gear and weapon, out the door and I'm walking in to wherever I'm going to hunt just before first legal hunting light.

Gun/Bow, safety harness, knives, Binocs, bottle of water, flashlight, hunk of rope. Everything you need, nothing you don't.

Less is more.

 

[BeerThirty]

We stay in a cabin on our hunting property. Legal shooting hours are generally 6:30am. I try to wake up at 4:30 and get us (me and my 2 oldest sons) out the door by 5:15. There is not much time to waste in the morning, so we try to reheat some provisions and get a hot cup of coffee or hot cocoa in us. Then we have roughly a 30-minute hike to our stand. We all pack a day bag that includes everything we need: water, snacks/lunch, ropes, dry socks, other gear, etc... We each carry a hiking stick as well, because one-half mile of our jot goes through a marsh full of calf-high mud/water and it helps our balance. And you don't want to fall into the mud/water in sub-freezing temps before your hunt even starts! Some mornings we need a flashlight, others we don't, depending on the moon. Once we get to the stand, I usually put out my doe estrus. Then we climb up in. Usually take a layer or two off because we're sweating to death. We open up the shooting windows. Get all of our gears/guns situated and in place. Turn on the Mr. Heater. Then we usually just sit/stand for 5 minutes just to cool off and let the sweat evaporate. I will normally use my bleet just to try and cover up some of the noise we made coming in... Once we are cooled, we put our heavy coats and hats back on, sit in our chairs and hunt.

 

[doenightmare]

My morning routine these days is sleeping in.

 

[ribber]

Try to be settled at my spot by daylight. Always use flashlight walking in because I don't want to step on a snake. Always build in an extra 10-15 minutes in case I have to take a dump, which happens frequently lol. A cup of coffee and walking in the woods early morning is as good as a laxative for me! Bleat can, grunt, gloves, and striking paper stays in my hunting jacket at all times.

 

[44magpastor]

Fun thread. I stay on the property I hunt. Here is my routine:

Up early, maybe 5:30. Drink coffee and talk with my dad, who is 84, in his living room. Decide which stand to hunt, look at trail camera pics, and reminiscence with dad.

TCB.

I refuse to eat, before I hunt, or I'll be TCB again, about 8:00 am.

Try to be on stand as it is getting light.

I take very little to the stand.
1. Rifle
2. Flashlight
3. Knife
4. Thermo cell if hot
5. Jacket if cold.

Everything else is in my truck if I need it, or at the house. I dont use grunt calls, scents, rattle bags, etc. No rocks to throw at those who do, just never seen them work, in 38 years of deer hunting

 

[RipperIII]

Fun thread. I stay on the property I hunt. Here is my routine:

Up early, maybe 5:30. Drink coffee and talk with my dad, who is 84, in his living room. Decide which stand to hunt, look at trail camera pics, and reminiscence with dad.

TCB.

I refuse to eat, before I hunt, or I'll be TCB again, about 8:00 am.

Try to be on stand as it is getting light.

I take very little to the stand.
1. Rifle
2. Flashlight
3. Knife
4. Thermo cell if hot
5. Jacket if cold.

Everything else is in my truck if I need it, or at the house. I dont use grunt calls, scents, rattle bags, etc. No rocks to throw at those who do, just never seen them work, in 38 years of deer hunting

as far as calls go...many is the time that i ve called blind and a few minutes later a deer shows up...never really sure if it was because of the call or just happenstance...however, i have called to bucks in view and almost always had an immediate response.
last week i called 2 bucks right into my lap with the doe bleat...and when i say right into my lap i mean literally...i was sitting on the ground and both bucks crossed a creek and walked up to less than 6 feet with the only thing separating us being the 8-10" diameter tree that i was sitting behind, so i am a believer now.

 

[fireman32]

Wake up about a hour before daylight. Drink a glass of water then get the coffee going. Drink coffee, take care of some paperwork then walk out the door and over to one of my stands. Generally set and ready before shooting light, typically no flashlight since I have a small place I’ve hunted for years. Pass a lot of the deer I see, always waiting on a big Ol doe or legal buck. Gun or bow and sometimes a grunt tube.
I move a little sooner if my boys are hunting and we go to our little place a half mile from the house.

 

[Havana Dude]

I just feel successful to be in the stand before I can cleanly scope anything. I’ve killed a many a deer having been late getting in, or sitting longer than planned. I hunt a small piece of woods, and carry enough crap in my back pack to stay the weekend. I just hunt, and am over the “deadlines” of proper times. It bites me in the can sometimes, but I typically never run out of venison for the year.