When Leaving Camp?

[Hunterguy]

Just wondering if most hunters after scouting and finding an area with sign, do you like to leave camp and be there by first light or do you wait for shooting light before travelling to your spot. Do you find a differance in your success rate.

[xcaribooer]

I have tried both and it doesent seem to matter for me.Most critters I have shot were mid day.an exception would be some pretty good luck at last lite for deer.
If you leave your camp at first lite you probally have a fair chance of seeing something on the road on the way to your spot.

[sneg]

It depends. I want to be in area where I most likely to shoot animal before shooting light. I have a spot to which I walk along deer trail. I can see deer on the trail or on my spot. So , I start walk along the trail just with shooting ligth and sneak to my spot. At another location it is difficult to actually sneak to spot without making noise. So I would try to be there well before shooting light and let things settle down before i can shoot.

[Rock Doctor]

Early in the season, I usually hit the trail before first light (can't see my hand in front of my face sometimes), and when the "morning rush" is over I head back to camp for breakfast. Later in the season, I don't think there is as much advantage to an early start.

Just my 2 bits
RD

[Mr. Dean]

I typically hunt deer in the earlier part of the deer season. In most instances I let the spot dictate what time to be there and run the course of the day accordingly scouting new terrain. As a rule, I don't do evening hunts for big game but wiil scout and hunt birds/rabbits.

I leave when it's dark and come back when its dark.

[tomahawk]

Just wondering if most hunters after scouting and finding an area with sign, do you like to leave camp and be there by first light or do you wait for shooting light before travelling to your spot. Do you find a differance in your success rate.

Our camp is set up near the area with sign and we walk from the tent each day, no driving or travelling invloved.

[GoatGuy]

Depends on what, when and where you're hunting.

I think the accepted idea is that you're hunting at first light. Sometimes it's a 2 hour hike in the dark to get into hunting country, sometimes your hunting as soon as you leave the wall tent.

[One Shot]

I have taken game at all hours of the day. Mind you the envoronment or terrain may have something to do with it a bit. I camp away from where I am to hunt that way camp associated noise doesn't disturb the game in the area of our hunt. Some game do not like changes in their environment, can make them nervous and may move on. If driving to an area we will leave the vehicle some distance before the area and then walk in so that the vehicle and noise associated getting it together doesn't alert game. We hunt and scout at different times to see when we see the most new sign or game. We also do not continiously hunt or scout the same area as so not to pressure the game if we are walking. If we see considerable amount of sign in an area we will find a good spot for concealment and come in well before light or early or mid day and wait a few hours for things to settle down from our walk in and then wait for game to come or pass by us. It appears that there is no one technique is necessarily the best. Knowing how game moves over different terrain particularly when in fligt mode helps as well as paying attention to the winds. It is a game of chance, skill and luck.

[sawmill]

I hunt some real spooky whities and they are usually in deep bush just after good light.I spot them in early gray dawn and they are moving into heavy cover already,never see them for the rest of the day and if you try to follow them,they outrun you and head for cover in the dark next time.I`ve never seen a real good buck in the evening around here.But thats just me.I have taken 3 140+ whitetails in the last 3 years and passed on dozens smaller every year.I always worry about getting skunked,holding out for a better one.

[kebes]

I've found with deer that I like to be driving by cut blocks just as its starting to get light and hit the bush pretty quickly afterwards. That being said, early in the season I have seen all sorts of game throughout most of the day.

[moosinaround]

I like to be in my spot before the lights come on. Watching the sun come up is part of the hunting experience I enjoy. I have taken most of my game from morning hunts, but have shot 2 moose from an evening hunt.
My buddy I elk hunt with is out there before the lights come on, and hunts till it is too dark to shoot. Most of the time it is a 1/2 to 2 km walk to the truck or ATV, I always have my flashlight and headlamp with me, so dark doesn't matter. Moosin

[todbartell]

I like to be leaving camp in the dark, to be in the spot at first light, unless I am hungover

[Jetboater]

Im a go in in the dark come out in the Dark kind of person... especially with elk and Deer... typically I am where I want to start hunting an hour before light...bear country is a gittery but its just the first day of the season...sometimes I wont be in camp for 2 hrs after lite ends....

[cainer]

Ditto for arriving at hunting spot before first light and getting back to camp after dark-unless I don't know the area too well. although I have been known to sleep in occasionally.

[hunter1947]

If I find a good spot where there are lots of tracks I like getting there 2 hours before daylight ,I stay just back of the area where I will be hunting ,it might be 1k from where I have to reach the spot I want to hunt ,getting there early helps if someone else shows up ,usually they will leave when your there..

[doubled]

I leave when it's dark and come back when its dark.


X2 for me as well

[sfire436]

I wait till shooting light. I am really a stickler for it. I see no reason making abunch of racket moving into you "sweet spot" if you cannot shoot anything. I would be too afraid of spooking it on the way there and not being able to drop it.

[BCRiverBoater]

Why leave camp. Just shoot them in camp. One of our last elk was shot with the grub box doubling as a rest. :)

[sawmill]

Why leave camp. Just shoot them in camp. One of our last elk was shot with the grub box doubling as a rest. :)
It is a bit painfull but I sometimes stick a horseshoe up my ass.:eek:

[hunter1947]

Many of times I have spent the night in the front seat of my truck sleeping so there is no noise getting into a spot in he morning .

I even disconnect the batt so no lights or others come on.
It also puts me into this area by being there first.

[J_T]

Depends if I'm hunting bear, turkey, deer, elk or goat. Each is different. Each style of hunting, spot and stalk, still, treestand, or chasing them on the ground requires something different.

Treestanding deer, I like to be in my stand a 1/2 hour before light.
Elk, hunt them around the clock, there is no sleep. Move in the dark be there for daybreak.
Bears, drive and stalk.... always in daylight.

[browningboy]

It depend to me but at the beginning of the season (before frost) we tend to start before dark but after frost we just leave 15min before first light.

Curious though, as some here leave way earlier in the morning, obviously you are stumbling around with a flashlight to get there, ever run into something you didn't want to or stumble or hurt yourself??

[longhairmtnman]

There is a kind of irony to sneaking around in the dark. Just because we can't see anything, doesn't mean they can't see us! :mrgreen: I'd like to know the ratio of game that see's me, then sneaks off without me ever knowing they were there! :icon_frow I have a real problem staying in one spot for more than an hour or so. I keep thinking all the game is over the next knoll or bend. When it's really crunchy, I do try to be in my area while it's still dark, at least I will have some uncertainty on my side when I'm making noise(if I'm not winded). I've mostly used spot and stalk/still hunt methods for deer, so it's kinda gotta be light. Moose hunting seems to work for me at first light. I've been burned(too many times) by attempting moves in the dark, where I'm unable to see the game I've spooked.

[Hunterguy]

I'll just throw this one out for you guys, was told that animals can't see red, color? Some hunters that walk into their area before dark use the red colour on their lcd. headlamps, just throwing it out there.

[BCRiverBoater]

It is a bit painfull but I sometimes stick a horseshoe up my ass.:eek:

Worst part is pulling it out after it never bloody works. The nails really catch.:oops:

[thatskindafunny]

If hunting out of my tree stand in the shot gun or bow only area always try and be in my tree stand 20 minutes before shooting light. Still hunting doesn't matter as they will be where they will be.

[mrdoog]

My arrival time is greatly influenced by the length of the lineup at Timmy's.

[hunter1947]

When walking into an area in the dark ,sometimes you do push the odd animal out from in front of you.

There are lots more animals in the area that you don't push when walking in.

You are in the drivers seat when you get to the spot where you want to set up be before light arrives ,especially in a big slash..