What's your favorite time of day to hunt early season?

[Jeff13]

Just wondering what you guys think is more productive early season, mornings or evenings? Or maybe it doesn't matter. I prefer mornings just because it's cooler out, but maybe I'm missing out in the evenings. I've just always seen more deer in the mornings than evenings, but I guess there could be lots of factors that play into this question. Just wondering what you have all experienced.

[mabr]

I hardly ever hunt mornings in early season. I just hate bumping deer early. I've usually got them pretty patterned early and rely on the evening by far.

[Bear55]

Depends what you are after. Does and small bucks still move a lot in the morning and evenings in the early season.

If you are after a big buck you will rarely see one on their feet in the morning early season so I don't think its worth the trouble. You might even be tipping him off he is being hunted and do more harm that good.

[Bear55]

I hardly ever hunt mornings in early season. I just hate bumping deer early. I've usually got them pretty patterned early and rely on the evening by far.

I've had some luck going in around 8am and slipping into a stand to catch some mid-morning movement. It has worked for me on a handful of deer over the years.

[DonBo]

Seriously? You guys don't "bother" hunting mornings? Some of my best bucks have been taken on morning stands, one of the best on opening morning.

If you're only hunting field edges, then yes, stay away in the morning, but get back into the woods a ways and enjoy some great action before lunch as well.

[Finlander]

I like hunting mronings when I know I can get into my stand without bumpng deer when the weather is just right like after a rain storm, otherwise I most likely will be waterfowl hunting the mornings and bowhunt the evenings.

[Stratosman]

Like DonBo said, depends on the setup and the area you hunt.. if you have to bump deer on the way to the stand in the morning then it's not worth it.. but if you have staging areas then it can be awesome.. water hole is a great early season morning spot! Plus, mornings are ALOT cooler than the afternoons!... I have stands for both and will be using them!

[bigbucks]

Yep, lot of morning deer early in the year. Definitely a much smaller list of stands that work for mornings though. If you have to cross a hayfield, it's usually not a good thing.

[sticknstring]

I primarily only hunt evenings early season. Once that sun hits the horizon, it's on baby! 16 days!

[Bear55]

Seriously? You guys don't "bother" hunting mornings? Some of my best bucks have been taken on morning stands, one of the best on opening morning.

If you're only hunting field edges, then yes, stay away in the morning, but get back into the woods a ways and enjoy some great action before lunch as well.

Ahhh DonBo we do this every year I think. Here is my take on EARLY SEASON buck hunting. Yes mornings are great later in the fall but how many people shoot nice bucks in the morning during early season? It is extremely rare and very few have done it. That is not to say its impossible just that the odds are much lower. A lot of times walking in the dark to your best buck hunting area will only educate him that he is being hunted. I like to hunt inside the bedding areas, what I generally hear is deer coming back to bed an hour+ before first light. It is just hard to kill a buck when he beds down that early. Heck a lot of the time they are bedded down before first light during the rut too. Many of my late Oct and early Nov hunts are setup inside or next to bedding areas, again the same thing lots of traffic and hour or so before first light and not much afterwards. I do catch them on their feet sometimes but far more often the are safely bedded.

[DonBo]

Ahhhhh Bear. I think very few people shoot big bucks (or anything for that matter) in the morning early in the season is because so few people actually get out of bed. Most would rather wait for "better" times later in the season.

I'm only speaking from personal experience here, but I've had much better luck in the mornings (especially on bigger deer) than evening sits ALL season long. Guess it all depends on what type of areas you're fortune enough to be able to hunt.

[gurkster]

Evenings for me, but mostly because they fit into my schedule better than mornings.

[maddowg1192000]

all day. hunt one stand early in the morning the quick bite to eat and off to the next stand around 10 to try and get a late morning buck

[surewood]

Based on my cameras all my bucks are moving in the morning. No fields up here though. I'll pull my cards on my cams September 9th and base my decision on that.

[goblueM]

So far all my bucks are moving between 8:30 PM and Midnight, with one random sighting of two big ones together at 2 PM (new moon).

Got a lot of doe pics between 7 AM and 2 PM though.

[Bear55]

Based on my cameras all my bucks are moving in the morning. No fields up here though. I'll pull my cards on my cams September 9th and base my decision on that.

But that is summer movement, hard horns they are different animals. If someone can show me a lot of morning daylight pics after opening day and also show me a pile of nice bucks they shot I in the morning early season I am all ears and want to learn more.

[BuckmasterG]

Evenings for me, but mostly because they fit into my schedule better than mornings.

+1 Well said.

[surewood]

Bear, That's why I'm waiting to see what pics I have come September. I couldn't agree with you more. Total different deer after the velvet drops.

[Hoyt4]

Mornings have been my best luck for early season bucks. Shot my bigger and older bucks in the Sept. mornings.This is not just a couple times. I seam to see or had chances almost every year on an older buck early season. Any time to be in the woods without burning up a stand is a good time to be in the woods. Going to be a long two weeks till opener.

[Bear55]

Mornings have been my best luck for early season bucks. Shot my bigger and older bucks in the Sept. mornings.This is not just a couple times. I seam to see or had chances almost every year on an older buck early season. Any time to be in the woods without burning up a stand is a good time to be in the woods. Going to be a long two weeks till opener.

So Hoyt what are you doing to consistantly get on these bucks early season am? Can you post up some pics of the deer you have shot? How often do you see them on their feet in the am the first two weeks? Again I'm not sayings its impossible just that the odds are much lower in the morning than they are in the evenings. I love early season for bucks, just not in the am.

[Finlander]

Can't hunt the mornings, the Boogey Man is out there waiting for me!

[Bear55]

Hey guys hopefully I don't sound too argumentative, just trying to learn. I will say I do know a couple guys who are just your average joe's (hunting pressured and public land) and they put down a nice bucks every single season with the bow. They almost never enter the woods early season am. I told them they were crazy at first but they convinced me you are probably just educating deer that they are being hunted.

[DonBo]

Here's a cra ppy photo of a nice public land 12 pt taken on opening morning a few years back. Notice the bug suit. This was far from any agriculture, that may be the key to morning bucks.

[Jason_Gundersen]

Here's a cra ppy photo of a nice public land 12 pt taken on opening morning a few years back. Notice the bug suit. This was far from any agriculture, that may be the key to morning bucks.

I would agree that the key is having deer that need to travel a decent area from bedding to feeding areas... At least in MY area that we hunt there are only a few primary feeding areas which are located closely to bedding areas(some places less than 100 yds)... I am lucky to be able to hunt over food plots all season long because of that... I would never be able to "comfortably" hunt over 95% of my stands without fear of bumping deer in the morning... I don't start to hunt mornings on my property til mid late october but like I said thats just my instance.

On the other hand we hunt another 40 that is located in transition between feeding and bedding that funnels most deer in the area through there(even early season) and I will sit there if I want to fill a doe tag... However I don't see mature bucks there until the pre-rut starts when they start patrolling...I'd rather not educate the deer in the area to my presence til the time is right

[sticknstring]

It's Mitch Rompola!

Nick buck Don!