Starting a Hunt Mid-Morning

[sloughdog]

So life for me and the family has changed the last 3-4 years. I used to be able to get out very early in the a.m. and be set up well before dark. I’ve always preferred mornings. But now with my wife’s job change and having to get my son on the bus at 0810 my morning hunting (and evenings for that matter to get off bus) are shot for the time being. The wife and my days off aren’t the same either.
So I head out as soon as the bus motors away. My strategy for this has become still hunting/stalking to bedding areas and food/transition areas to bedding. Ive taken a few doe this way (even a turkey 2yrs ago) and have had several close encounters (50yds or so) with mature bucks. However, I’m looking for advice/strategies on being more consistent /successful doing this.
Should I be targeting different areas?
Bump n dump?

[Stingray713]

I have to hunt this schedule a bit too come November. I’ve had some good luck setting up in or just on the downwind side of doe bedding. I used to still hunt around but I like getting set up more nowadays. If a buck is chasing a doe, he’s just watching her, but she’s watching everything, got busted a couple times by ol girl before the buck made it in.

Also if you have any good thermal hubs surrounded by thick cover.
I’ve had some awesome hunts on cloudy days set up in a little bowl where thermals dump down into. Or up on a ridge with several secondary points leading up to it on sunny days.

Love the 10-2 man

[brancher147]

Doe bedding or between doe bedding or cruising areas/ rut funnels. Most my big ones have been 10-2.

[Jmitch]

I'll 2nd what's already been said. I would think all the usual rut spots would be your best bet. Terrian funnels between doe bedding, downwind side of doe bedding, maybe a primary scrape near doe bedding, basically anywhere near where the does will be atleast during rut times. I still have more kills morning or evenings but I would bet my kill percentage mid day has to be higher than the other times. If that's all you got then give it everything you got and make it happen. On the plus side you wont have to worry about entry or exit in the dark!

[sloughdog]

You guys do this pre rut also or focus on food or late summer/early fall pattens?
Late season I’m able to get out early/late and have done very well. Wasn’t too crazy about it at first but there is very few people if anyone in the woods.
Appreciate the input! I need to dial this in more and maximize the time i do get to hunt.

[MichiganMike]

mid mornings are hot from late October until mid November. Like everyone else said, Just locate near known doe bedding areas.

[Rich M]

Me too.

I had a hunt area where the larger bucks were moving between 10 and 11 am. Find a spot like that and be there.

[sloughdog]

Late October/Nov (rut) isnt the issue. It’s the early season I need to dial in. I know this is a difficult time to hunt but It is what it is for me right now. Looking back, many of my kills were mid day and later in October/November.

[szwampdonkey]

This time of day during early season would be tough. The only feasible location where you could possibly see late morning to midday activity in the early season would be near water if it’s warm. They’ll get up and drink midday in the early season but most of the browsing they do is right around their beds.

Unless you want to get aggressive and still hunt through bedding but of course you’re blowing it it for rut later on then too.

Good luck with it. I’ve had scheduling issues in the past with my wife’s work and such too.

[Deerkins]

Thick funnels between bedding, coming in from opposite feeding areas. Still, prefer to scout out areas for a solid evening sit

[sloughdog]

Thought I’d update this thread for anyone interested and anyone who maybe in my predicament in the future. I will add to it as I learn/refine my approach. Here is what I’ve learned doing this the last 2 years:

1. I tend to move too quickly and takes great concentration to slow down. I have to block out all the thoughts of “I should be doing this or that” and focus on the task at hand. Also, it’s not so much the noise I’m making that can bump a deer, but my movement. (Squirrels make a lot of noise in PA!). Use grunts, Turkey calls, brush raking, tree raking, etc to mimic deer or other wildlife to cover your sound. Use other noises to cover your sound (wind, cars, trains, rain, squirrels,etc).

2. Keep your head up constantly scanning/looking. When you stop that’s when to look at ground and pick your next steps. Also try to always stop where you have some kind of cover.

3. Binoculars are key. I was using 10x which for me is too much. Switched to 8x32 and work much better scanning thicker stuff. Now I just need to upgrade those 8x32s cause the ones I got are cheap. A bino harness too is essential.

4. Deer look different from the ground. Meaning the clues I looked for from an elevated position aren’t the same from the ground. That should have been obvious but it was something I overlooked. For instance, the shape of deers face from ground level at 50 yds in brush isn’t the same when looking from above. The black nose, white lines in snout (sometimes), eyes and general outline just doesn’t look the same. I will also add that the white inside a deers ears are like neon signs when on the ground.

5. Practice shooting from your knees and know how to get into shooting position from awkward positions.

6. Odd noises. For example, a release hitting/brushing against a quiver, bow limb, etc is bad and very unnatural sounding.

7. As preached to me in the Army and as Zach from THP says, “be comfortable being uncomfortable.” The slightest shift can ruin a lot of hard work when closing the gap on a target. Embrace the suck! Don’t focus on that stick or rock jammed into your but…it will eventually go numb.

Thats what comes to mind at the moment. Please feel free to add, comment, etc.

[Bowtech1]

10am to 2 pm can be some of the best hours to hunt especially during the rut. Set up on a nice funnel or on the downwind side of a doe bedding area and get ready

[A5BLASTER]

I do mid morning to dark hunts all season.

Heck I scored a doe tonight doing a mid afternoon to dark hunt and scored a buck in his bed sunday doing a mid morning to dark hunt that I turned into a stalk to his bed.

I would have too go back and count it all up but I'm almost positive in my whole life I have never killed a buck before 9am and the vast majority of them have come between noon and 4pm in the afternoon.

Just have to adapt your techniques and skills to the time given.