I've seen it time and time again, 30 minutes after sunrise on opening morning and hunters
are still making their way up the mountain. They're late! Of course, as a hunter who would
really just like to have the entire mountain to himself, it's OK with me if they're late,
because the area they're plannig to hunt, I've already glassed. However, since I have a
"Hunting Tips" section on this site, I thought I'd share this tip, as I think it is one of
the most important. Be in your spot before light!
Big deer will rarely allow the sun to shine on them, and often head for cover as soon
as it becomes light enough to see. Being 30 or 40 minutes late getting to your canyon could be
the difference between getting the buck of a lifetime or not seeing a decent buck the entire
season.
In addition to you missing the big buck all together by being late, you also increase
your chance of spooking the big buck, or other bucks, by moving during "Primetime". That first
hour of light is, in my opinion, the best possible time to be hunting big bucks. If you're
still hiking the mountain during that time, then you can't glass as effectively and you take
the chance of deer spotting you.
Mature, old bucks become much more wary when it gets light. Don't be caught laboring
your way to the top of the hill during "Primetime".
Get a good, reliable alarm clock and flashlight and be in your hotspot before daybreak.
