Morning or Evening

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I think a lot has to do with the ground you are hunting. Where I hunt, I see most of the deer come in from the valley in the morning and climb the hills following the thermals. I have shot deer at all different hours depending on the rut and hunting pressure . I prefer the morning.... As mentioned earlier, deer pattern us as we try to pattern them. A wise hunter once said, They are out there, They don't go to the Holiday Inn.
 
I hunt both times. Cornfield (this year) in the morning. Then on another farm over a hayfield and just inside a oak woods on another farm in the evening.
The latest I have ever killed a deer in the morning is around 11am. In the evening keep alert going in. I've killed them walking in both times.
 
Whichever one I get the opportunity to hunt. Doesn't matter to me. I never checked, but feel I am somewhere in the neighborhood of 50/50 between morning hunt success and evening hunt success.
 
Mornings usually, but will hunt afternoons also. Around me, there is a lot of hunting pressure, you have to learn to use others movement to your advantage. Usually, if I can sit longer If I dont see much activity through daybreak, when everyone else comes out for lunch, done for the day or regroup for afternoon plans, that movement will push around a lot of deer. Most of my deer are taken right at twilight (either way) or right about lunch when everyone else cant sit anymore. I rarely do all day, but if I hunt mornings, its often about a 3/4 day. Sitting that extra hour or 2 has proven worthwhile more often than not. Plus it helps you to see local activity, corridors and movement firsthand
 
Just kind of curious. Any preference to hunt in the morning or evening? Most deer hunters I've known prefer mornings. I've always preferred evenings. Of all the deer I've shot only two were in the morning hunt. There's just something I really like about the twilight. What say the members.
Interesting question. I've seen my biggest deer just before losing all usable light. I've shot EVERY deer I've ever shot nearly before 10 am. I'm sure I'm no anomaly. I much prefer the feel of an evening hunt but in reality mornings have always been the most productive. I guess it depends on what you're after...meat or a trophy.
 
Opening day of regular firearms season (scheduled to hit the rut in Missouri), sounds like the Russkies invading Ukraine. Truly, most in the woods are not "hunters", they just blunder around and shoot at stuff. If foul weather, about 10 A.M. they're gone. So, generally, I let them spook all critters on surrounding farms and the deer bed down on my place before I sally forth.

Except for the rut, the same deer go on the same paths to feed, then come back to the same places to bed down - every day. Put out a few trail cameras, check times, pick a spot. They'll be there.

If I want to see bucks, I set up close to where does bed down and, unless spooked, the does lie down around dawn and get up shortly before sunset. Most feed at night, get a drink, snooze.
 

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