Start times for a morning stalk? What works for you?

I try to mix it up a bit.

I love being out before sunrise as it's the best time of the day in my opinion but it's not always the most productive time for deer.

I find that roe in particular are out and about in the middle of the day but have also caught reds out in the afternoon sun before.
 
A morning stalk is an eminently sensible approach to Summertime roe management if you have limited larder facilities. After all who wants to be chopping up a buck in a darkened wood at 23:00hrs and then spending time dealing with the remains at c01:00hrs when you finally get home?

K
 
See I like a morning stalk as things generally only get brighter. Evenings sometimes feel time limited for me. Obviously a mindset thing...
It gives me both the time and the excuse for a nap.
Spring roe stalking is great, each day gets you 2 full hunts but December sika hinds is purely a grind, dark out and dark back with lots of misery in between, don’t know why I keep at it😎
 
Generally speaking I like the morning stalk , but I’ve found it really depends on disturbance , one bit of ground I started shooting over ten years ago had muntys wandering about at all times of day as nobody had stalked the place before and no footpaths etc , I generally don’t like this time of year though as I get very little sleep 😂, bring on doe season !
 
I find it can vary but this year my most productive time has been mid afternoons, I have seen vastly more during this time than any other but I would say this year has been fairly unique due to the amount of public in near by woods driving them out and no pheasant shoot disturbing the ground.
 
Interesting read, surprising multitude of opinions. There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern anymore, other than the traditional approach of 'dawn & dusk'...
 
Up at 3.15 this am, on site and ready to stalk at first knockings (4.40am), quick look round the back of the truck down the track into the woods with the thermal. A muntjac followed by another muntjac walk across the track over the ditch and disappear. Go for an armed walk, lovely morning.
Get back to truck, an army of yummy mummies with their charges are getting ready for a walk, they all exchange pleasantries with the mad man with a gun. I'm almost glad I wasn't carrying a deer with several holes in it!

Why do we do it?
 
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