Morning Buck Sightings

[BryanOney]

I have been seeing a fair number of bucks in the evenings. Have not been able to hunt mornings due to work. May be able to hunt Sat morning. Is anyone seeing bucks moving much in the morning yet. Thanks

[galamb]

My experience has been exactly the opposite - according to my trail cams bucks are only active (where I'm set up) in the morning.

Since they are not "chasing" yet I think a lot of when you see them will be due to where they are bedding or feeding.

A buck will generally leave his bedding area near last light and make his way to his feeding area, hang around for a bit and then wander back to the "bedroom" when the sun starts coming up.

So depending on where you are set up in his path will greatly determine when you will see them - at least in the early season/pre-rut.

[BryanOney]

GAlamb, what time range are you getting your buck pics in the morning. Are they right at daylight or later like the bucks are beginning to travel some looking for does in the morning. Thanks

[galamb]

I'm seeing them up until about 30-45 minutes after morning twilight - so no more than about 15 minutes after "actual" sunrise.

I see them feeding and then "bugging out" just after the sun comes up.

As of Saturday past I have no indication that they are interested in anything more than getting a bit to eat and then going to bed

I am set-up at (probably) the far edge of their night time range. Camera's back along their main travel routes show them at different stages coming to/returning from my set-up.

I am hunting rather rugged, hilly/rocky, fairly dense hardwoods with lot's of small ponds and swamps covering the property (about 375 acres in size). I have set up a "feeding station" (salt blocks, grain, acorn/apple supplements, corn and minerals) which they do frequent.

I have had camera's out since late April trying to see if there is any pattern (yet) and the answer is no.

The bucks have never showed up in the afternoon/evening although the does are active all the time (even mid-day quite often). The bucks may show up at 2-3 am and then come in and out of the plot every hour or two until dawn - but not "every night" - might be in two mornings in a row, then nothing for 4-7 days.

I'm hoping things will change when they actually take note of the doe's (maybe starting in the next ten days or so), but for now it seems like they are "morning people".

Because of this, until I get photographic evidence to the contrary, I will restrict my hunting to the morning.

[cevans]

Huge 250lb plus 12 pointer crossed the road and sauntered in front of the wife coming back from the store at 11:15am in this rain and she has been a babbling idiot all day long about that buck. Told her to keep her mouth shut as I am chasing it and made her take me down the road less than 1/4 mile from house and he went straight up thru a rocky bluff of the steepest highest hill around for miles like a mountain goat she commented. Its a pretty isolated gravel road he crossed. But that was 11:15am and in a foggy drizzling rain as we have had about 3" of rain past 36hrs. So the big boys are starting to move around here and I will be out all day long from now on. 12 noon exactly last week (wed) the big 10 crossed the road in the same spot. I hate climbing that hill and will hang a stand on it tomorrow. Chase is on.

[DuckHunt]

I hate climbing that hill and will hang a stand on it tomorrow. Chase is on.

The things we do to chase a whitetail. There is about 150ft in elevation change from where I park my Jeep up to my tree stand. I question my motives every time I climb it and maybe every other decent. On the bright side, dragging one out isn't so bad though any attempt at using a dolly is quite comical.

DuckHunt

[cevans]

This is about a 400' elevation climb thru woods and up rocks unless I walk about a half mile on a lesser grade all up the back side. Both is a hump and will make screw-in steps, enough for 25-30' high, and stand up that hill as its a sneak climb. It will take about a hour to keep from sweating parking below. Nobody hunts that ridge either as the front has a giant rock wall with a small cave in the middle and you have to repel to it. About 10-12 yrs ago,,I ,muzzleloaded a nice 12 off the top..easy slide down for a drag tho. Great hill!