Opinions on set up and approach (Sort of Long)

[Squirrelhawker]

Far from an expert but I'm not often undecided about these things.
 
Just got a hot tip from a neighboring farmer. He has a huge corn field bordered on three sides by woods and more contiguous corn and other crops. The borders are posted but recovering a deer will be no problem. The end of this field is a good half mile from the road, making the back end nice and private for everybody on two or four legs. Sticking out from the woods on the north end and jutting into the crop field is 2 acre patch of ash, locust, golden rod, and assorted cover of varying thickness. The corn field sort of wraps around this "island"
 
Along the edges of the island and in between the corn is a huge scrape line. Primary scrape is washtub size And there were no less than 8 grooves down through it. So he's a big 10 at least. Other deer are coming to the corn too so this a good place to kill a deer in general and the big boy is just a bonus.
 
My dilemma is this. Because I know that there is a definite threshhold of how much hunting pressure this animal will tolerate, I am concerned about walking into this area in the dark and bumping into him and so I am thinking about going in late am or sticking to an evening sit.
 
I should also mention that we have put up a stand watching the main trail to the scrap line and on the other end of the "island" there is a pile of logs and cut tree stumps that is just about the best natural blind I have ever seen and a perfect spot to rattle from with someone up in the stand. Also the sign told us we bumped a big deer out of there when we parked the truck nearby.
 
What do ya'll think? Sneak in early morning? Evening? Stay all day?
Let's hear it!

[OHhunter]

I'm facing a similiar dilemma, my plan is to sneak in just after daylight.  Check the field from afar and when all is clear I'm goin to go in with my decoy and try to do some rattling.  This only if I can get the right wind on a morning when I can get out.  My plan b is to do about the same but in the evening.  I know the deer will be feeding in the field before daylight and I have no chance of making it to the fence line where my stand is with out bumping deer from the field.

[DeanoZ]

Any chance you can stick a camera in there and see when he's moving in and out of there?  Short of that, i was reading where statistically speaking most big deer are taking between 1100-1300.  I would opt for moving in late am and sit there ALL DAY until there is no more legal hunting light.  Just my opinion but if your concerned about contaminating the area I would opt to rattle yourself or at the very least put your rattler up in a tree as well...one stiff breeze and they may catch wind of him on the ground, unless the wind is in your favor.  Sounds like a great spot though...best of luck!

[JOEL]

go in with a gps and plot your course during midday .then return and go in real early like an hour before sunup.use the gps  and follow the trail exactly ,go slow you shouldnt bump anything even if you do you have lots of time before legal light for everything to calm down then be prepared to sit all day .hopefully you wont have too as they will probably return to the island for the day  to sleep off the night time food binge.if he gets up ya got em .good luck sounds like a great spot

[Squirrelhawker]

We decided to go in early Saturday afternoon. My brother in law took the tree stand watching the scrape line and I crawled into the logpile.
 
At dusk my cell phone vibrates and my brother inlaw is on there telling me to "watch my left side"  Now I had this whole thing figured by the sign the deer were leaving which was along the edge of the corn giving me a 19 to 23 yard shot. Finally I can hear her as she picks along the edge. I know I won't see her until she steps into the shooting lane but I'm not worried as at that range I can get settled in my cramped little hideout, and should have the extra second or two I need. After 15 minutes, out she pops- at 12 yards and looks right at me. I try and convince her all is well but she only half believes me. I thought she was gonna jump into the woodpile with me! Needless to say, she still walks. What is that saying about the best laid plans? [:D]