Preferred Hunt Start Time

What time do you prefer to start your hunt?

  • First light / Legal Shooting Time in your State

    Votes: 12 31.6%

  • 9-10am

    Votes: 18 47.4%

  • Later than 10am

    Votes: 5 13.2%

  • Whatever my schedule allows

    Votes: 3 7.9%
  • Total voters
    38
In Nebraska I like to wake those birds up at first light. Usually get a couple then hunt rest of day “death marching” looking for that .3rd bird. Usually get it in last two hours of day.

SoDak has a lot more birds but I still like starting at 10 and getting those that are late getting up or are returning after their first feeding. Can sometimes spend middle part of day death marching even in SoDak.

Interestingly, I kill very few birds the last hour of day…. I know people swear by it, but for me it is not as good as earlier in day.
 
It depends on weather/ conditions. In October it is frequently first light due to heat. In the winter it is frequently mid to late morning due to cold.
 
Last edited:
I don't hunt with people that are morning freaks. I usually get out and start hunting around 11 :00, 11:30.
 
Another big variable here is what and where you are hunting.

If you've got private land that you are certain nobody else will hunt, you have the luxury to hunt whenever.
However, there are many places that I hunt where I'm sure others may have permission as well, so I will try and be at those spots well before shooting time starts to ensure I'm the first one there. Similar when hunting public ground as well.
 
cyclonenation10 said:
Another big variable here is what and where you are hunting.

If you've got private land that you are certain nobody else will hunt, you have the luxury to hunt whenever.
However, there are many places that I hunt where I'm sure others may have permission as well, so I will try and be at those spots well before shooting time starts to ensure I'm the first one there. Similar when hunting public ground as well.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. This is exactly why I set out to find permission on private land 20 years ago. I'd get to a public spot an hour ahead and others would show up minutes before, only to just go 200 yards down and start hunting there instead.

I'm finished with that rat race. I get to a spot now and I know it hasn't been hunted since I was last there. But I understand that not everyone is in that situation either.
 
gim said:
Completely agree. This is exactly why I set out to find permission on private land 20 years ago. I'd get to a public spot an hour ahead and others would show up minutes before, only to just go 200 yards down and start hunting there instead.

I'm finished with that rat race. I get to a spot now and I know it hasn't been hunted since I was last there. But I understand that not everyone is in that situation either.
Click to expand...
Having just a handful of spots like that is priceless.

I've got dozens of different farms I can hunt, however only a fraction of those am I the only one with permission. Most often they have a few other groups or guys that hunt as well. Still beats the heck out of public land usually, but not nearly as consistent as having sole hunting rights.
 
I really doubt any of the farms I can hunt, that I have sole premission....maybe one. I would never ask for that. Heck, I do assume there are people who sneak in to my own, luckily there are neighbors to it that call me if my truck it isn't there when they see hunters. Never received any calls this past season, so that is good, people can read the signs. I have has a friend that lives close by, that has actually kick people out....a bit above and beyond expectations. He enjoys a good confrontation.
 
Last edited:
remy3424 said:
I really doubt any of the farms I can hunt, that I have sole premission....maybe one. I would never ask for that. Heck, I do assume there are people who sneak in to my own, luckily there are neighbors to it that call me if my truck it isn't there when they see hunters. Never received any calls this past season, so that is good, people can read the signs. I have has a friend that lives close by, that has actually kick people out....a bit above and beyond expectations. He enjoys a good confrontation.
Click to expand...
So you are the guy that's been hunting in front of me. Thumbs down.
 
cyclonenation10 said:
Having just a handful of spots like that is priceless.

I've got dozens of different farms I can hunt, however only a fraction of those am I the only one with permission. Most often they have a few other groups or guys that hunt as well. Still beats the heck out of public land usually, but not nearly as consistent as having sole hunting rights.
Click to expand...
Toyota, I was in this bar, talking to this guy, and he was kind of an elitist Gucci type, and he was telling me that he had sole permission on 10,000 acres of ground. Well I was thinking to myself, this guy is just a b********** and that's all there is to that but I humored him anyway.
 
Being someone who travels from out of state, i'm at the mercy of the state regs. If in SD i'm hunting shortly after 10 if in Nebraska just depends on how far i travel from base camp but try to be in the field by 8 or 830. I could see early in the year in SD where the hunting might not start until later in the afternoon because of the heat. I do have to admit I like the 10 start for SD.
 
Does anyone know the history of the 10 o'clock start in SD? I always assumed it was to give the birds a head start out of the roosts?
 
GetTothePoint said:
Does anyone know the history of the 10 o'clock start in SD? I always assumed it was to give the birds a head start out of the roosts?
Click to expand...

Always used to be noon & then would switch to 10:00 on the Sunday daylight savings time ended. Maybe 4-5 years ago, they switched it to 10:00 for the entire season.
 
When ever life gives me a time. Does not seem to matter. After years, you kinda figure out bird activity and where they hang out at different times of the day. But if given a choice, right away at legal hour. Done before noon, and a stop at a good burger joint for lunch. Then spend the rest of the time scouting places for the next trip. Asking for permission etc.
 
WDH said:
It was a 12;00 start so the farmers could get chores done, then go hunting.
Click to expand...
It was also so the resort gucci grabassers could partake all night of south dakotas finest food drink and dancers and still be able to go in the field at opening hour of noon.

Personally, I like Iowas starting at 8:30 and ending at 4:30, but Im sure that ending time wont set real well in SD.
 
reddog said:
It was also so the resort gucci grabassers could partake all night of south dakotas finest food drink and dancers and still be able to go in the field at opening hour of noon.

Personally, I like Iowas starting at 8:30 and ending at 4:30, but Im sure that ending time wont set real well in SD.
Click to expand...
Iowa 8AM start.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top