How early/calls and rattling

[moby1]

How early in the morning does anyone get into their stands? I am usually in the stand at least an hour prior to shooting. When you are in the stand, do you wait for shooting light to throw a bleat, grunt or rattle out there? If you hear deer moving prior to light, do you throw a call out and try to keep them in the area? Sitting in one of our stands two weekends ago I could hear a few deer moving through a thicket about 30 yards to my right. A while later I could hear one wheezing about 3oo yards upwind of me. When the sun comes up there is nothing to be seen.

[DRH1175]

I don't do anything untill I can shoot. Sit still so they don't find me hoping they don"t wind be. and hope they are still around or come back once I can see. It is amazing at how well they can pin point a sound. If they came to the noise they would expect to find that deer making the sounds.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I dont do any calling before I can shoot either... I try to get into stand so that I am ready ans silent with about 20 mins before legal shooting light. Not the case this weekend.. .LOL WEnt hunting with Joel Nelson.. I was in stand silent and ready to shoot by... 10 mins to 6... LOL... had to sit an hour at 20 mins before legal shooting light!.. LOL

anyway.. if you have having that many deer go past you before legal shooting light.. you may need to move your stand closer to the bedding area and or further away from the feeding area.

[96trigger]

I don't call until legal shooting hours either. As a rule, I won't call until I can start seeing colors in the woods. Its just a personal preference.

[bigbucks]

I very seldom call in the first how of shooting light. I just like to let the deer come on their own if they're going to without giving away my location. Too much calling & they don't respond well.

[FISHINGURU]

calling before you can shoot is a waste of time...what happens is u call and they come directly to your tree and u can't shoot...then they sniff around and don't see the deer and they get nervous and stomp their foot...if they wind you they snort and your hunting is done for the day.

i like to be in my stand 30-45 minutes before u can shoot...i used to be there an hour or more before light but that gets out of hand.

[moby1]

Thanks everyone for the info. I am heading up about 3am tomorrow morning. I'm going to bow hunt for a few days prior to rifle opener. Still waiting for my first deer by bow.

Unfortunately the land I have to hunt is surrounded by other private land on all sides. I can't really move very far to get closer to bedding areas or feeding areas. Oh well, it is what it its. It's still better than going to work.

Thanks again for the tips.