Favorite time of day to hunt?
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Favorite time of day to hunt?
Do you have a favorite time of day to hunt? I have never been a journal keeper but I think I see more deer in the evening. It seems to me that when the shadows start to creep over open areas deer start to move more predictably than at any other time of the day and it can be magical.
That said, morning is my favorite time of day to hunt. It is usually wet and I can be quiet and unseen as I walk to my stand (I never use a flashlight). My leakproof, well insulated coffee mug comes out when I get settled in my stand and I can sit and enjoy watching the world wake up. Crows and cardinals start calling, ducks fly by, raccoons head back to their dens and squirrels start to drive me nuts. And I might see a deer or turkey also!
Another reason I like mornings is if I hit a deer I have plenty of time to track it, if necessary. Where I hunt, shooting hours are from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. A deer hit in that last half hour can end up being awfully hard to find, and the risk of losing it to many factors is great.
Any time of day is a good time to hunt (I've killed deer at noon) but I enjoy mornings the most. I would love to hear your preferences.
That said, morning is my favorite time of day to hunt. It is usually wet and I can be quiet and unseen as I walk to my stand (I never use a flashlight). My leakproof, well insulated coffee mug comes out when I get settled in my stand and I can sit and enjoy watching the world wake up. Crows and cardinals start calling, ducks fly by, raccoons head back to their dens and squirrels start to drive me nuts. And I might see a deer or turkey also!
Another reason I like mornings is if I hit a deer I have plenty of time to track it, if necessary. Where I hunt, shooting hours are from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. A deer hit in that last half hour can end up being awfully hard to find, and the risk of losing it to many factors is great.
Any time of day is a good time to hunt (I've killed deer at noon) but I enjoy mornings the most. I would love to hear your preferences.
axiom
350 SE
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- Carnivorous
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Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
Afternoon hunts are the ticket for me. I have a 1.5 hour drive from my house to my stand. In order for me to slip in when it's dark I have to wak up really early. Makes for a long day. I would rather leave in the early afternoon.
A touch of frost has heightened your awareness and your heart steadily beats in anticipation. Your senses are suddenly alert to the movement on the forest floor and you realize that the moment of truth is at hand.
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I also like the morning hunt, especialy in warmer weather, if you get one you have a better chance of finding it, but in colder weather I like afternoon hunts' as well, if you can't find it right away it wont spoil over night and be wasted.
But anytime in the woods hunting is a great time.
Dave
But anytime in the woods hunting is a great time.
Dave
2010 equinox,
known as doe bow
vixenmaster custom string
swacker bhs, 2/1/4" cut 120 grn.
xx75 Easton 2219,s
firebolt arrows
S5 pads
if it ain't broke don't fix it
be safe in all you do
see ya in the woods
<-------<
known as doe bow
vixenmaster custom string
swacker bhs, 2/1/4" cut 120 grn.
xx75 Easton 2219,s
firebolt arrows
S5 pads
if it ain't broke don't fix it
be safe in all you do
see ya in the woods
<-------<
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
Morning, but I like to hunt until after Noon. I have seen more deer between 9&11 am than any other time slot. Yes, I keep a journal. I hunt mostly thick bedding areas
It’s not the way you rock, it’s the way that you roll!
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Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I like the mornin's, i get up early 2am to 4am most of the time. If'en i hunt afternoons n shoot one, i had best get my girls on it right then or the Yotes will get to it quicly here. You dare not leave one all nite. You will have a skeleton waitin on you
- Carnivorous
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Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
Afternoon hunts demand perfect shot placement. My area is loaded with coyotes as well. If I don't have a good kill shot I won't shoot.
A touch of frost has heightened your awareness and your heart steadily beats in anticipation. Your senses are suddenly alert to the movement on the forest floor and you realize that the moment of truth is at hand.
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Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I like mornings for all of the same reasons stated above, but work and life generally have me hunting evenings. I have killed a lot of deer in that last hour or so of light. And I too also like tracking in the daytime better than at night. Bought the Primos bloodtrailing light after using my buddies earlier this season. If you can see red...it really does make it pop ALOT better. But still, the key is go slow and be diligent ....and be confident. Even if it's not a perfect shot, there's a good chance it's fatal and the sign will be on the ground. Trail just might be longer is all.
Keith
Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths; where the good way is,
and walk in it and find rest for your souls. - Jer 6:16
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<{{{><
Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths; where the good way is,
and walk in it and find rest for your souls. - Jer 6:16
Micro 335 & 355
deerboyarchery.wixsite.com/trinitystrings
[email protected]
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Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
Y'all are going to think I'm sappy, but I love morning hunts. I get in stand early, usually an hour anyway before legal time, and I love the quiet, and getting to se and hear the world come to life! I feel the evening hunts are sad, as the day all comes to an end.
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I prefer morning hunts for all the same reasons. I tend to be in the stand about 2 hours before shootable light. It's quiet, cool and damp but last year all three of the deer I killed were in the evening and tracked in the dark. Fortunately none of them went very far. Most nights it's not cold enough here for me want to leave one out all night
Charles
Excalibur Grizzly
Excalibur Grizzly
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
More like happy, than sappy, !flightattendant100 wrote:Y'all are going to think I'm sappy, but I love morning hunts. I get in stand early, usually an hour anyway before legal time, and I love the quiet, and getting to se and hear the world come to life! I feel the evening hunts are sad, as the day all comes to an end.
Dave
2010 equinox,
known as doe bow
vixenmaster custom string
swacker bhs, 2/1/4" cut 120 grn.
xx75 Easton 2219,s
firebolt arrows
S5 pads
if it ain't broke don't fix it
be safe in all you do
see ya in the woods
<-------<
known as doe bow
vixenmaster custom string
swacker bhs, 2/1/4" cut 120 grn.
xx75 Easton 2219,s
firebolt arrows
S5 pads
if it ain't broke don't fix it
be safe in all you do
see ya in the woods
<-------<
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I do love having the world wake up around you and the birds and animals don't even know you are there!! I just love being in the woods!! Leaving Saturday for a 7-day hunt.....I am having a hard time focusing on work Will be in the woods when all hell breaks loose here in the States next Wednesday. If Trump wins Soros and his gang of paid hoodlums will riot in the streets!!
Micro 335 - Vixenmaster String, Diablo, Slick Trick 150
M380 - Hawke XB30 Pro, Vixenmaster String, Quill, VPA 150 / FOC
M380 - Hawke XB30 Pro, Vixenmaster String, Quill, VPA 150 / FOC
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
flightattendant100 wrote:Y'all are going to think I'm sappy, but I love morning hunts. I get in stand early, usually an hour anyway before legal time, and I love the quiet, and getting to se and hear the world come to life! I feel the evening hunts are sad, as the day all comes to an end.
.....Paul, you brought me to
Anthony
In a tough situation and wonder where God is; ...the Teacher is always quiet during the test.
Anthony
A360 (l'Assassino)
AXE 340
Scorpyd DS (w/AeroCrank AD)
GRZ2
G1-NM335(On loan)
ZS,Ex
Spits
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Anthony
A360 (l'Assassino)
AXE 340
Scorpyd DS (w/AeroCrank AD)
GRZ2
G1-NM335(On loan)
ZS,Ex
Spits
Vixenmaster Strings
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I do keep very detailed journals, have for over 20 years now - time/temp/wind/other notes - what I saw etc.
Better than 75% of my deer have been taken in the morning before 9 am (with first legal light being about 6:30'ish, at least through the early bow and rifle season in my area) - and most of them were "well after" sunrise with the majority having come in about the time I started thinking that getting down and getting some breakfast was a good idea.
Having said that, I'm getting kinda old and lazy and over the past half dozen years I have found it more difficult to get up early enough to get out and then into the stand before the sun comes up.
So now, my favourite time to hunt is in the evening. It does however restrict my hunting somewhat. Because of where I hunt and because I can't always get out the next morning to track/recover, there is shots that I "pass up" because I am not positive (or as positive as you can be) of a recovery. Something that I rarely worried about in the morning when you know you have all day to try and recover.
Better than 75% of my deer have been taken in the morning before 9 am (with first legal light being about 6:30'ish, at least through the early bow and rifle season in my area) - and most of them were "well after" sunrise with the majority having come in about the time I started thinking that getting down and getting some breakfast was a good idea.
Having said that, I'm getting kinda old and lazy and over the past half dozen years I have found it more difficult to get up early enough to get out and then into the stand before the sun comes up.
So now, my favourite time to hunt is in the evening. It does however restrict my hunting somewhat. Because of where I hunt and because I can't always get out the next morning to track/recover, there is shots that I "pass up" because I am not positive (or as positive as you can be) of a recovery. Something that I rarely worried about in the morning when you know you have all day to try and recover.
Graham
Micro 340TD, 17" Gold Tip Ballistics (180 gr inserts) - 125 gr Iron Will/VPA/TOTA (504 grains total/21.6% FOC) @ 301 FPS
Micro 340TD, 17" Gold Tip Ballistics (180 gr inserts) - 125 gr Iron Will/VPA/TOTA (504 grains total/21.6% FOC) @ 301 FPS
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
....yes mornings seem to be the most productive.....however, with an hour drive to hunt...it means we usually are up around 2:30 to leave around 3:30-4:00...
....finding it harder and harder as one gets older....I do like the afternoons for all of what was mentioned above...If I leave work early and venture out for 2-3 hrs...I find I don't want to shoot something when it would probably be the best time for movement....right at last light...because I am there by myself and the thought of tracking and all that goes with it in the dark is not my favorite....
....so out of the mornings and the afternoons...morning would be the best....
.... boy this really does have me longing to retire and moving to Pennsytucky!
Anthony
....finding it harder and harder as one gets older....I do like the afternoons for all of what was mentioned above...If I leave work early and venture out for 2-3 hrs...I find I don't want to shoot something when it would probably be the best time for movement....right at last light...because I am there by myself and the thought of tracking and all that goes with it in the dark is not my favorite....
....so out of the mornings and the afternoons...morning would be the best....
.... boy this really does have me longing to retire and moving to Pennsytucky!
Anthony
In a tough situation and wonder where God is; ...the Teacher is always quiet during the test.
Anthony
A360 (l'Assassino)
AXE 340
Scorpyd DS (w/AeroCrank AD)
GRZ2
G1-NM335(On loan)
ZS,Ex
Spits
Vixenmaster Strings
Anthony
A360 (l'Assassino)
AXE 340
Scorpyd DS (w/AeroCrank AD)
GRZ2
G1-NM335(On loan)
ZS,Ex
Spits
Vixenmaster Strings
Re: Favorite time of day to hunt?
I've seen more deer in the late afternoon to dusk. I think the worst sighting was on my first hunt with my father. We were walking side by in a densely wooded area, but we were on a path that was still lit as the sun was making its way down to the horizon. I heard a rustling to my fathers left and slowly grab his arm, being a seasoned hunter he knew right away to stop. We both stopped and 3 does were 10 yrds from us. All I could do was stare at them, we managed to sneak up them so well that they froze and my Dad was blocking their view of me. I couldn't do anything because he was also in the way of my shot and after about 10, that felt like and hour, they darted into the brush. All we could do was laugh, I've walked up on more deer then I wish to admit to lol!
Last edited by taz3 on Wed Nov 02, 2016 4:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Phoenix Crossbow
Outdoors and Cars
I'd rather be hunting
Outdoors and Cars
I'd rather be hunting