mid-day bucks during the rut

[rochester coops]

Is it me, or has anyone else seen a LOT of their big buck movement during the "off" hours in pressured areas?

[RaisedByWolves]

Pressured or non-pressured, I've always seen my biggest bucks between 10-2 during the rut. Usually just walkin' along checkin scrapes out and such

[BigHunt]

same here ...usually the first week is mouring movent then the nexttwo weeks middday then the rest of november all day

[Stanley]

Have always seen some big buck movement between 10 and 2. The thicker the heavier the cover the more movement.

[Ack]

10-2 are the magic hours during rut and pre-rut!

[PLB]

Pressured or non-pressured, I've always seen my biggest bucks between 10-2 during the rut. Usually just walkin' along checkin scrapes out and such

X2!!

[Southern Man]

Have always seen some big buck movement between 10 and 2. The thicker the heavier the cover the more movement.

I agree

[Brandon]

yes I started doing this 2 years ago, and had a couple close calls and 1 oppurtunity last season.

Many of my rut days are spent from 11-Dark. Its great to sleep in and use daylight to your advantage.

[RaisedByWolves]

Many of my rut days are spent from 11-Dark. Its great to sleep in and use daylight to your advantage.

great point, when you've been hunting for many days in a row getting up super early and hauling all your gear it gets pretty tiring.....nothing like mixing it up with a few midday sits to catch up on energy

[Stanley]

I really see no advantage of getting up before dark during the peak of the rut. Pack a lunch and get out there anytime in the morning and stay all day. Pre rut and post rut yes early morning is great.

[jclaws]

During the rut it could happen at anytime.Ive killed them at 7:00 am 1:00pm and 5:00 pm.I prefer to hunt every single chance i get from oct 25th-nov 31st.You really never know when a whopper is gonna show up.

[tim]

i agree with jclaws . i try to be out as much as possible.

[Schultzy]

During the rut it could happen at anytime.

Kind of my take on It too. For mature bucks 4.5 years old and older my best times for sightings have been 1.5 to 2 hours after light In the AM and about the same before dark In the PM during the rut. I've saw a pile of bucks In that 10:00 to 2:00 time range too. 90% of these bucks were In that 1.5 to 3.5 year old range. A few 4.5's too but not many that I can recall.

[wmihunter]

i am hunting outta state this year and am thinking of packing in just as it gets light so with minimal scouting and careful hiking way back in we should be set up 1 to 1 1/2 hours after shooting light. Hopefully, this will work good!

[jclaws]

i am hunting outta state this year and am thinking of packing in just as it gets light so with minimal scouting and careful hiking way back in we should be set up 1 to 1 1/2 hours after shooting light. Hopefully, this will work good!

I would have the arial pics and figure out a place for an evening hunt and go from there.What state are you hunting.I would think it would be tough to go into a new area and hunt on the first morning,without figuring out on the arial pics where you should be.