As with most other hunters, the first two mornings of deer season I am out there at the crack of dawn, but of the last 7 deer I have killed, only two were killed around 6:00 am, the others were killed around 9:00 - 9:30 am. The ones I killed later in the morning were killed between Monday and Friday when hunting pressures are lighter. I have talked to other hunters who also say that they have seen and killed more deer around 9:00 am. What are your experiences?
Posts: 598 | Location: Missouri | Registered: 16 June 2000
A lot depends on the hunting pressure. In areas of low pressure they move during their normal times. But when you have other hunters out in the woods they can show up any time as they are pushed out of their normal habits. I think I have killed deer every legal hr. of season at one time or the other during the past 33 years I have been hunting them. As curtis said when they show up in about right.
Posts: 19733 | Location: wis | Registered: 21 April 2001
Where there are a lot of hunters then dawn to 10 Am is hot. Then many hunters ride the roads or never go out in the afternoon. It seems that around 3 to 3:30 they get moving on their own.
A couple of years ago I kept track of sightings over a hunting season. They were all over the board, althouhg if you have a good field stand early and late are the classical times. Problem with late is tracking a cripple.
Posts: 36231 | Location: Laughing so hard I can barely type. | Registered: 21 April 2001
Most of the deer I have shot have been in the evening. With the biggest bucks killed in the last 5-10 minutes of day light. My photo albums look a little suspect as most of my pictures are in the dark. I have hunted a lot more evenings than mornings though, as I would go after work everyday.
Posts: 223 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 20 February 2001
Honestly speaking, well the above is damn true, but I'd have to say going up before "first light" and waiting as the deer move up to me from either feeding or being pushed by other hunters has been my best bet.
That said, I'd be willing to bet that there isn't that much difference in that number and the amount of time I put in, and the time before last light.
In the second case: That's if they haven't been spooked by heavy pressure from hunters and gone almost totally nocturnal.
I have seen deer at all times of the day, but the greatest number in the late afternoon. I have finally all but stopped getting up before dawn because I have seen fewer deer just at daybreak than at nearly any other time, certainly no more than mid-morning or mid-day. If I'm stalking I like to hit the woods mid-morning just as the other hunters are coming out on their noisy 4x4's. I slip in unnoticed and let everything get quiet again and have several hours of prime time in high pressure areas before the afternoon "rush hour" begins.
I would say that I have gotten most of my deer here in Illinois between 8 and 9 AM. Of course You need to be in the stand by 5 or 5:30 to really improve your chances, rather than showing up at 7:30. Other than that, seem to have the most luck in the evening in the last 1/2 hour of daylight.
Posts: 7776 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000
The first 2 hours of light and the last few minutes have always been best for me were there is very little hunting pressure, were there is other hunters, who knows, could come at any time.
I think that there is a direct correlation between the time spent in the field and the number of deer that you will see and kill. You have to also take into account where you are hunting as well as how heavily the place is being hunted. If I am hunting on a 160 acre lease (say in Oklahoma) for my use only...I will learn that deer (unmolested deer) can be found at almost any time of the day...I just go look for them and learn where they are...where they bed down, were they feed, where their travel paths are, where they hang out doing god knows what. If you are on heavily hunted land, all that goes out the door and you have to start relying on two things: (1) good luck and (2) an unwary deer...that is a very frustrating way to hunt! Basically, where you hunt is more important than what time of the day you hunt..at least for deer, but that holds true for a lot of other animals too...
In southern Indiana's wooded uplands, there are three times of day when deer commonly are shot: daybreak and slightly thereafter; around 9 am to 10:30 am, and dusk. I base this on personal experience and just listening to what/when/where the shooting is doing.
I'd say the early deer are shot by people who have a well-planned and scouted stand; the mid-morning deer are shot by those of us who depend on others to keep the deer moving; the evening deer vary and may be targets of opportunity.
This year, I shot my deer with a .38-40 Ruger Blackhawk at about fifty feet as he was coming directly toward me. Very easy shot.
Having hunted in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Indiana for whitetail, I have found that I kill more deer from 8:45am to 2:00pm. Last 3, one at 9:45am two around 1:45pm. I like to get to the stand 1/2 hour before daylight, stay there till 10:30, ease out for a quick break and back in by 12:30. Then again, I have killed several on the walk out and back in.
I have very few "victory" photos of deer, because most of my Montana bucks are killed at dusk. Then again I DO try to get out in the evenings after work for an hour or two. BUT most of my elk are right after dawn!
FN
Posts: 950 | Location: Cascade, Montana USA | Registered: 11 June 2000
I have hunted a lot more evenings than mornings though, as I would go after work everyday.
