Morning Hunting Thoughts

[Mathewshooter]

I was having a discussion today with a friend I hunt with about morning hunting. I hunt public land and I see way more big bucks on morning hunts than afternoon hunts. After talking about it for a little while I had noticed and confirmed via my hunting journals from the past 25 years that 95% of the nice bucks I see in the AM are after 9 o'clock. I shot my 9 point this year just after 9AM. We were thinking maybe a better strategy would be to get a couple more hours sleep and go into your stand around 8AM and sit the rest of the day during November during bow season. On one hand you could sneak in quieter and not stumble and bumble around in the dark but on the other hand it sure would suck to get to your spot and spook a big buck out that was by your stand. Ive always been one who likes sneaking in under the cover of dark an hour before daylight but maybe its time to change it up. I should also add that between my trail cams and my friends the large majority of the big buck we get on them are after 9AM also. Thoughts?

[fenderbender62]

I only hunted 1 early morning all season and dint see anything.

Ive been going in around 8am so im setup and hunting by 10 or so, then sitting all day. Ive seen a lot of movement in the middle of the day, some from other hunters bumping them, others just taking a midday stroll and snack

[DaveT1963]

Mornings have always been better for me.

[dan]

During that november and late october time frame late mornings can be good. What i see is understanding where and why bucks are moving is important to success... I think your seeing more movement later in the morning cause of where your hunting. I will try and explain what I mean... I think bucks head to bed in the graylight, and even before light during the rut kind of like in early season, but I think they get there during shooting hours a lot more often during the rut phases. However, they only cat nap... They get a few hours sleep and they are back on there feet looking for does... I also feel, that most of the bucks, doing most of the midday cruising, are not the oldest bucks in the group, and when the older bucks do get worked up enough for midday cruising, they tend to stick to thicker areas, or areas with little human intrusion.

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

[cspot]

During that november and late october time frame late mornings can be good. What i see is understanding where and why bucks are moving is important to success... I think your seeing more movement later in the morning cause of where your hunting. I will try and explain what I mean... I think bucks head to bed in the graylight, and even before light during the rut kind of like in early season, but I think they get there during shooting hours a lot more often during the rut phases. However, they only cat nap... They get a few hours sleep and they are back on there feet looking for does... I also feel, that most of the bucks, doing most of the midday cruising, are not the oldest bucks in the group, and when the older bucks do get worked up enough for midday cruising, they tend to stick to thicker areas, or areas with little human intrusion.

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

Information from the PSU deer study shows it. The chart below is movements for radio collared bucks and remember this is for all bucks collared and not necessarily big bucks.

https://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/pro ... -case-buck

[Mathewshooter]

During that november and late october time frame late mornings can be good. What i see is understanding where and why bucks are moving is important to success... I think your seeing more movement later in the morning cause of where your hunting. I will try and explain what I mean... I think bucks head to bed in the graylight, and even before light during the rut kind of like in early season, but I think they get there during shooting hours a lot more often during the rut phases. However, they only cat nap... They get a few hours sleep and they are back on there feet looking for does... I also feel, that most of the bucks, doing most of the midday cruising, are not the oldest bucks in the group, and when the older bucks do get worked up enough for midday cruising, they tend to stick to thicker areas, or areas with little human intrusion.

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

I hunt bedding areas. Usually just on the edge of them. Going by that PSU chart above, this is exactly what Ive seen the past 25 years according to my hunting journals. Definitely something to think about.

[Mathewshooter]

During that november and late october time frame late mornings can be good. What i see is understanding where and why bucks are moving is important to success... I think your seeing more movement later in the morning cause of where your hunting. I will try and explain what I mean... I think bucks head to bed in the graylight, and even before light during the rut kind of like in early season, but I think they get there during shooting hours a lot more often during the rut phases. However, they only cat nap... They get a few hours sleep and they are back on there feet looking for does... I also feel, that most of the bucks, doing most of the midday cruising, are not the oldest bucks in the group, and when the older bucks do get worked up enough for midday cruising, they tend to stick to thicker areas, or areas with little human intrusion.

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

Information from the PSU deer study shows it. The chart below is movements for radio collared bucks and remember this is for all bucks collared and not necessarily big bucks.

https://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/pro ... -case-buck

Very interesting. Thanks for the chart.

[DaveT1963]

During that november and late october time frame late mornings can be good. What i see is understanding where and why bucks are moving is important to success... I think your seeing more movement later in the morning cause of where your hunting. I will try and explain what I mean... I think bucks head to bed in the graylight, and even before light during the rut kind of like in early season, but I think they get there during shooting hours a lot more often during the rut phases. However, they only cat nap... They get a few hours sleep and they are back on there feet looking for does... I also feel, that most of the bucks, doing most of the midday cruising, are not the oldest bucks in the group, and when the older bucks do get worked up enough for midday cruising, they tend to stick to thicker areas, or areas with little human intrusion.

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

Excellent post. The last buck I killed this year I observed rut movement and bedding in AM, made a 20-30 yard move and killed him as he started cruising again.

[brancher147]

I switch to late morning sets last week of october. Most big bucks I have killed or seen have been after 9 for sure. Killed 2 this year at 10 the same week and so did 2 other people I know in same area. Have killed a few right at noon too.
I have gone in later to sit through noon and had success in funnels away from bedding. I was walking in to a spot this year and killed my biggest bow buck at 10. But hunting bedding I usually go in grey light so I can sneak without a light and be quiet. Seems like I am rarely setup before grey light unless it’s early season. I can’t remember setting up in the dark any this year.

[MrT]

During that november and late october time frame late mornings can be good. What i see is understanding where and why bucks are moving is important to success... I think your seeing more movement later in the morning cause of where your hunting. I will try and explain what I mean... I think bucks head to bed in the graylight, and even before light during the rut kind of like in early season, but I think they get there during shooting hours a lot more often during the rut phases. However, they only cat nap... They get a few hours sleep and they are back on there feet looking for does... I also feel, that most of the bucks, doing most of the midday cruising, are not the oldest bucks in the group, and when the older bucks do get worked up enough for midday cruising, they tend to stick to thicker areas, or areas with little human intrusion.

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

#1 answer right here.

I'd just like to add, this line of thinking makes it so much more relaxed when going in after first light. Used to stress about that and feel like I couldn't hunt if I didn't make it out there before light. Fact is, getting those few extra hours sleep and slipping in there when you can see is usually a lot less intrusive than you bumbling in there through the dark. Not saying that doing that doesn't pay off, but if you sleep in don't sweat it. It's still not to late to go in with confidence and enioy yourself.

[moondoondude]

It sounds like it works for you, so by all means go for it. If you figure something out and have success, I'd stick to it.

Personally though, i don't think I've hunted a morning for about 7 years. My cameras tell me it is more harmful than productive. I do like the midday and early afternoon - better than late afternoon. Seasonally, i do see shifts in these times. But during hunting season particularly, cameras and personal experience have been overwhelmingly supportive of this.

If you see a pattern, make a plan based on it and hunt it.

[Mathewshooter]

Great answers from everyone....we need a like button

[SplitG2]

So my point is, if your rut set ups are in funnels, or cruising areas, late mornings are probably the way to go. But if your hunting early mornings and getting out there in the dark, better off hunting buck bedding. Personally, I do both... I start at the buck bedding then shift over to funnels an hour or so after daylight.

^^^ This^^^

I am an extremely early to the stand kinda guy for morning hunts no matter what but if you’re undecided, Dan hit the nail on the head for how to approach. Even tho I go in extremely early no matter where I’m hunting I typically do not see good movement til that 8:30-9:00am timeframe on. Most of the time the only time I get good movement during the rut within an hour of sunup is if I’m hunting bedding within close proximity of food.

But the thing with hunting the rut is you just simply never know when and where it’s gonna break loose and I’d rather be there instead of taking a chance of going in late and missing an opportunity

[EllieTheChubb]

Unless its a preset stand I will generally wait until 1st light to go in. I feel like I bumble around making noise spooking deer and putting scent everywhere while going in truly blind as you cant see fresh sign.

Most morning encounters ive had are between 830 and 10

[Rich M]

I see just enough deer at the first grey light to keep me going, then I wait until the 9-11 window when I see the majority of the deer I see at that place.

Public land down here I saw most deer between 7 am and 10 am. Evenings are notoriously slow.