Already Nocturnal

[Musky Buck]

I'm wondering, other than hoping for a doe do get them moving, why the bucks in my section have gone nocturnal. What to do ? I sat my field stand till what would be the end of normal shooting light and saw no deer, walked home and 2 hours later these same 3 bucks I was seeing earlier in the fall were in the yard eating acorns. I've been scouting this section morning and night and I know where they bed and I know no one is bow hunting/geese/pheasants or whatever, maybe this will change but it's been the pattern for a few years now and I don't want to disturb the bedding area and I'm as close as I can get to it, any theories, hope for a hot doe ? They were eating like pigs last night, I cracked the window and could hear them crunching them down, I have few if any squirrels so I'll bet a nickel at about 8 again tonight they'll be back.

[Red Miller]

MB, I have noticed over the years that more often than not, deer movements tend to line up with the peaks in the solunar table. Other factors completely aside, that may be what you (we) are seeing. We are noticing that too. The tables I am looking at are showing a peak between about 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM depending on the table (In-Fisherman and Cabelas calender). Some dont believe in them but its my observation that they can have a bearing on activity.

[Musky Buck]

Interesting Red, that would've aligned perfectly with last night and I was a bit surprised those 3 bucks were still hanging together, I watched them for about an hour, of course they didn't want to stand under the most lit up oak tree in the yard. I would guess they will disperse soon as the does come into heat which could be anytime. There are very few does in this section, maybe 20 total deer. My best guess is I'll just have to be ultra patient, put in many hours, make sure if any weather changes come to be in position, hope for a hot doe, or drive em out the last day of rifle season if they're still around which is an unknown by then. Maybe the moon phase has an effect and our weather lately might be another factor, but knowing the deer don't get any disturbances all fall it seems I should be seeing some before dark. I'll sit the stand again tonight and report again. I know some would like to see rifle season pushed back but I'm thinking people will have to make even more drives than ever to see deer especially if snow is on the ground. Time will tell.

[Red Miller]

I have seen deer at the stangest times and in the strangest places at those times. One time they came running through the yard when I was on the lawm mower in the middle of the day..moon peak..yep! Or driving into a boat launch ready to go fishing and here they come running right in between the parked rigs.

And yes the weather...They come into our feeder like clock work right before bad weather. Of course when the rut really gets going anything could happen at any time.

[Musky Buck]

It is very different from the 80's. I used to be able to drive around a bit and see many deer out in fields etc. The past 10 years lets say these same fields etc. and very few. They don't seem as comfortable as they used to and I'm not totally certain why other then getting pressured somehow. The rut will change things a bit but even then I'm seeing a 10th of the deer I used to and there's alledgedly more around now then there was then. 10 more moons and I'll find out. Good luck to all and to anyone reading please get your license now, don't wait, the gas station staffs around our state need a break, the one I talked with last night is stressed already about the low turn out thus far, she fears and is praying for H1N1 the night before season, jk, but you get the drift.

[harvey lee]

Many times the deer will change their habits due to food and pressure. The beginning of rut will also effect thier travel.

In the past years I have seen so many in the area we hunt drive around with spot lights shining deer and yes, they get very jumpy from the spot lights also.

[Bear55]

I was a bit surprised those 3 bucks were still hanging together,

You know I have noticed this before. The bucks as usual are bachelored up in the summer, its then pretty common to see them break up once their horns harden. However in the past 5-10 years I have stumbled on bachelor groups of 4 or more mature bucks in mid to late Oct. They must group up one last time to establish dominance or maybe just because they have been pressured they find safty in numbers. Or maybe its just like the locker room and they are talking about all the does they will be after.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

They must group up one last time to establish dominance or maybe just because they have been pressured they find safty in numbers. Or maybe its just like the locker room and they are talking about all the does they will be after.

I think it has to do with safety in numbers! And that they still can tollerate each other until a hot doe comes around.

I saw 2 nice bucks hanging out together the other day on the far bank of the MN River. When I pulled over and rolled the window down to check them out they bolted. Even at 300+ yds away, they wanted no part of me checkin them out.

[Svinekotelett]

Well, the deer in my area are always noctornal, so consider yourself lucky

[Musky Buck]

I like that Bear55, agreed on my trailcam last year November 2nd there were 5 bucks in the same shot, no doe around. But a few snaps later I had some of them engaged in a fight. I was surprised almost all my deer photo's were after dark, had 40 buck photo's and only 4 would've been during shooting light and this is way back in a tamarac swamp that is left alone until rifle season. With a spot light Harvey I could see tons of them, but will I ever get back to seeing them more regularly before sundown ? Maybe this weather had a bigger impact than a normal October too. Will watch the Oaks closely tonight to see if they come back, I know they walked past my stand to get to the yard, just an hour after darkness.

[perchking]

In my eyes people or pressure make deer Nocturnal.

[InTheNorthwoods]

There are many reasons that the deer are nocturnal. For one, big bucks are big for a reason, and often it is because they move mostly at night. Also, deer are naturally adept at moving at night and night/darkness offers security and a feeling of safety, and deer are survivalist creatures. Pressure, location of food, moon phase, quality of cover, etc., will all affect when they move that provides the best chance at survival (and the older deer have learned more survival techniques).

In all, I think you might be overthinking things. For example, in the case of feeding in the yard, I would guess the reason you saw 3 together was because they felt safe and they were hungry for acorns. The reason they were there after dark was because they probably didn't want to move too early because of human activity around the house, but at the same time, they were craving acorns and that happened to be the hot spot for them. Thus, they ate after dark.

[Musky Buck]

Right on. I'm still curious why they can't stage along the river about a 1/2 mile from the house before dark. Same everything last night, 3 bucks about 8:00 in the yard and saw zero from the stand. It's a perfect scenario, no dog on the farm, I live there alone, no traffic on the gravel as I'm the only house on that road and no one needs to take it. No squirrels, few raccoons or oppossums, I'm really thinking this weather has messed up their system, I have only seen 3 sunsets this month. However, maybe mornings are better as I can't get out there much to scout the AM. In the end I guess if the right buck comes by during season bingo. This rain has ruined my goose season to, they are already in the field by the time I'm off work because of the rain. Boo speaking of boo, Happy Halloween to all !

[Svinekotelett]

deer are noctural to begin with

[Musky Buck]

True enough, but in the 80's and 90's something was different because you could drive around and literally count hundreds of deer and a large % of bucks out on the run before dark. I drive the same route today and see very few over the past 10 years. Same route, same fields, same everything except the deer aren't out much. I'm blaming the weather this month.

[InTheNorthwoods]

True enough, but in the 80's and 90's something was different because you could drive around and literally count hundreds of deer and a large % of bucks out on the run before dark. I drive the same route today and see very few over the past 10 years. Same route, same fields, same everything except the deer aren't out much. I'm blaming the weather this month.

Might not be as many deer in the area either. With the liberal bag limits over the past few years I think the deer numbers have taken a representative decline in many areas. Less deer = less sightings.

[Musky Buck]

True enough. I wonder how the baiters did bow hunting this year. On my neighbors farm I found there corn piles, last year they filled every tag they had and that's when I knew something was fishy. Anyway, sure enough roughly 8 last night the bucks were back, I would think those acorns are a bit nasty as they have been wet most of this month now, but the deer keep eating them. Then they walk across the gravel into standing corn seems to be there route and then they cross again and walk through the soybeans heading back to the bedding ground. They're on a nice pattern except for the hour of the day they are walking it. 1 week to deer camp gang, Happy Halloween !

[Svinekotelett]

Maybe most of the deer Are dead?

[WhiskeyWoods]

Not sure if I'm sold on this but another notion to consider if you believe in the lunar phase affecting deer is thinking what time the peak is on the exact opposite side of the earth (majors and minors idea)...A guy at grouse camp was explaining his theory that if for example a peak time is 7 am then just add 6 hrs and another good time to be posting would be noon. He claims to shoot a lot of nice bucks around that time when not too many guys are even in their stands. Hunters are coming out for lunch and may push deer besides......

[analyzer]

Be careful with the spotlights guys. The regs changed this year. Last year you could use them until 10 pm, this year only 2 hours after sunset. I will miss that part of our hunting adventure. Shining with the boys was always fun, and a way to pick up down spirits after a "no deer" day. But they don't seem to come out until 830 or later where we hunt, so shining before that is less fruitful. (before anyone jumps on me, it's just to spot, and look at deer, just for entertainment).

One little tip regarding your nocturnal deer. If you get a heavy snow, be out on stand when the snow quits, whatever time of day that is. They'll feed heavy before the inclement weather, then sit through it, but when it stops, the dominant buck will make his rounds. We've had it happen a couple of times. Normally we don't get out on stand until 230 or 3pm for the evening hunt, but on two occasions we had snow that quit late morning early afternoon, and when we went out at 230, the buck had already been through : (~.

[JustLOVEit]

Most of the deers we saw this weekend was all moving thru out the day and this with no pressure at all. They weren't spooked or pushed out, just walking around doing there business..