Sam from Iowa asks,
Hey Bill, Does it ever make sense to enter a stand 1-2 hours after daylight to take advantage of the thermal uplift? It’s seems like the mornings can be tough during the first hour or before daylight if the wind is not perfect. Thank you for your advice!
Bill responds,
Topic: How to Hunt Morning Stands:
Sometimes it make sense to wait until first light to head to your morning stands. One obvious example is when it is very still and the deer can hear you coming from a long ways off.
Sam,
Yes, it often makes sense to enter morning stands after daylight, but maybe not two hours after. In many areas, the daytime winds will kick up shortly after the sun rises. These are not thermals, but the winds that are predicted in the weather forecast for that day. In anything other than mountain settings, these day winds will overpower any thermal winds that generally only occur when it is really still.
So, generally if it is a struggle to get into a morning stand clean, it gets much easier after first light. This is also true on really still mornings because of the noise factor.
When you come in on crunchy dry leaves, you spook nearly everything because they hear you coming from a long ways off. Let the squirrels get up and moving and the day winds start to blow a bit so the noise you make blends in. I only go into morning stands early if it is windy. Otherwise, I usually wait until first light. Good luck. (11/22/21)
