Early season morning hunts

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


hunter10
500 Club
Posts: 1218
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:24 pm
Status: Offline

Early season morning hunts

Unread postby hunter10 » Tue Sep 29, 2015 2:18 am

Knowing mature bucks most often bed before light early season it makes hunting mornings less productive but by the looks of work for the next while it's my only chance to hunt.. Besides waiting for cold fronts etc is there an area you focus on the most in this situation. Bed to feed, bed hunt even tho chances are low or hunt near the field edges

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


User avatar
MOBIGBUCKS
Posts: 3027
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:21 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Tue Sep 29, 2015 2:27 am

Pretty tough in my experiences. if it's your only time to hunt, you might get out and observe from a distance. If your not seeing anything, i'd wait until they start moving better in the prerut before diving in.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby headgear » Tue Sep 29, 2015 2:49 am

I'd say in most cases wait until evening unless you have evidence suggesting they are moving late. Most of the time you are just going to do more harm than good hunting these bedding areas. However I will say I have seen some evidence that opening day or weekend might give you an opportunity to catch them on their feet in the morning but you would still need the right circumstances to make it work.
User avatar
Stanley
Honorary Moderator
Posts: 18734
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:18 am
Facebook: None
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:22 am

Not all bucks bed before first light. You need to keep this in mind. Many a good buck has been killed in the morning. It is true bucks do move around less early season. If you can't hunt in the evening hunt in the morning.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
User avatar
Florida
500 Club
Posts: 996
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:20 am
Facebook: facebook.com/huntinggeardeals
Location: I'll give you 1 guess.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby Florida » Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:25 am

Stanley wrote:Not all bucks bed before first light. You need to keep this in mind. Many a good buck has been killed in the morning. It is true bucks do move around less early season. If you can't hunt in the evening hunt in the morning.


Good perspective
http://www.huntinggeardeals.com
Co-Host Down South Hunting Podcast
User avatar
PK_
500 Club
Posts: 6894
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:10 am
Location: Just Off
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:02 am

I think the 'mornings are useless' outlook that is prevelent here is a little extreme. I have seen lots of good bucks as late as 9-10am returning to bed in early season.

If you are looking purely for 4.5+ yes your odds are lower in the morning. But not as low as staying in the fartsack.

Another option is getting high on a downwind side of bedding area that can be glassed. You may see a buck at first light bed down or see one stand up late morning to stretch. You may be able to make a stalk or at least have that invaluable Intel for your first free afternoon...

You gotta get after it. Deer season only comes once a year.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
User avatar
johndeere506
500 Club
Posts: 1394
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:59 am
Location: MI
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby johndeere506 » Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:16 am

PK_ wrote:I think the 'mornings are useless' outlook that is prevelent here is a little extreme. I have seen lots of good bucks as late as 9-10am returning to bed in early season.

If you are looking purely for 4.5+ yes your odds are lower in the morning. But not as low as staying in the fartsack.

Another option is getting high on a downwind side of bedding area that can be glassed. You may see a buck at first light bed down or see one stand up late morning to stretch. You may be able to make a stalk or at least have that invaluable Intel for your first free afternoon...

You gotta get after it. Deer season only comes once a year.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


I like your thinking PK.

I just checked my cams yesterday mid day, and one of my 2 target bucks was on his feet by the cam from 7:45 to 8:15am. So were some doe, and smaller bucks. He's a 130-140? 10point, and its about 100 yards from the bed I "believe" he's using. I cant hunt where he beds. I placed a cell cam nearby, and Ill see if he starts showing in daylight a few times before I go in.

However, on public land, or a lower impact stand I would take a chance and hit a spot in the morning. Ive seen enough activity randomly scattered through early season mornings to know that it can happen in daylight even early on.

Only thing holding me back is that this is private land, and Id hate to blow the woods out walking in one morning.
User avatar
whitetailassasin
Posts: 3404
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:34 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Tue Sep 29, 2015 8:06 am

Another thing to remember is this, beds farther away from the feed sources may produce early morning success. These bucks feel secure inside the marshes and cattails and many times I've witnessed them arriving back to bed with a little daylight shooting light. And even have seen them get up for drinks or to reposition. Try and target some of these and intercept on the j hook going into bed. It's worth a try. But pre rut and rut will be your best time IMO.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
deereload
Posts: 150
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 2:37 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby deereload » Tue Sep 29, 2015 12:43 pm

there is no such thing as a wasted morning ! do you know here he beds ? do you know where he feeds ? you cannot set up at a field edge 2 hours before legal light as they are still in those fields - what i do is set up farther away from the feeding area closer to the bed in hopes of having him come back home - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - try it - it beats sleeping
User avatar
Lockdown
Moderator
Posts: 9957
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 4:16 pm
Location: MN
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby Lockdown » Tue Sep 29, 2015 12:55 pm

I agree with PK. I killed on an October morning in 2008, and had a botched opportunity in 2011 on a buck that winded me at 15 yards before he entered my shooting lane.

I wouldn't go crazy and burn all your beds out, but definitely get out there and hunt with confidence. I keep mentioning this, but when you Are questioning something, just do it. Whether your findings are good or bad, you'll know for future hunts. Never be afraid to make a mistake.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
HoosierG5
500 Club
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:50 am
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby HoosierG5 » Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:12 pm

A lot of good bucks get killed in the mornings. All it takes is one coyote, another hunter busting something your way, wild dogs, etc...my schedule sucks. I have limited flexibility so I go when I can...I love hunting. Pretty simple to me.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: Early season morning hunts

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Sep 30, 2015 1:03 am

I have killed the majority of my better bucks in the morning as they return to their bedding areas. If I am given the chance to hunt morning or evening - I would usually opt for a morning hunt down here in Texas.

The two set ups I use I personally like the best for a morning set up are: first, I love to set up on hidden, isolated water holes. I think the deer down here like to fill up before they retire for the day. With temps often over 85 degrees, and an increase in testosterone, the bigger bucks like to hit the water on their way to their beds. In fact, most of the good bedding areas I have found for bucks are remarkably close to a good water source - usually within 200 yards or so, Second, I focus in on the downwind entry trails to bedding areas. I try to find the J Hooks I believe older bucks use and set up on the downwind side of that. I find and set these up during my post season scouting. If you can find a preferred bedding area, then it is relatively easy to identify the major or dominate wind patterns for Oct/Nov and then go look 100-150 yards down wind. If you can isolate this in a funnel so much the better. The last thing I look for is a hidden approach/exit. No spot is good if you can't get in, and or leave the tree undetected. I am usually in my tree at least an hour (sometimes 2 hours) before pink light and I very seldom bust deer getting to my spot in the AM. But I give a lot of thought to how I will get in and out undetected. I have passed over some really good spots because I couldn't get in or leave undetected. I only hunt these spots if I plan on setting all day.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot], Rhino8124 and 88 guests