Buckshot20 wrote:DaveT1963 wrote:dan wrote:Yes... They seem to make shifts as the thermals and wind kick in as the sun rises up over the trees. I generally see some changes in milkweed flow about the time they move. I usually have a hard time getting close enough though.
X2 and I will add down south, they often will move late morning and sometimes in the afternoon to more shade
I have seen this as well. About mis morning there will be a shift from the palmettoe fields to something with canopy. I'm not sure if it's the cooler temps in the shade or changes in air currents. A lot of our canopy is wetlands( that's why there isn't a pine tree on it) so it could be for a variety of reasons but movement to that canopy seems to be mid to late morning.
I have seen late morning shift quite a bit from the stand. As I have gotten better at where to hang cameras inside bedding to observe movement over long periods of time I am getting a lot of photos mid to late morning and early to mid afternoon. How far a buck will feel comfortable moving in that time period relates a lot to how secure he feels. In tight areas with lots of hunting pressure they may only move a few yards but in other areas like big woods settings with lower pressure they it seems like they may move hundreds of yards. Its something I have been noticing both in northern WI and in IA.
Why they do this seems to be related to wind switches but also comfort just like Dave T said. That's not just in the south on hot days my cameras that are parked in the coolest bedding locations consistently get deer showing up in mid afternoon but little activity outside of that time. They bed nearby till it gets too warm then slip into the cooler spot.