Timing of daily deer movement

[mheichelbech]

I have saturated one of the small properties I hunt (42 acres) with 4 cams for spring scouting. I am seeing that there is currently a lot of daytime movement and a fair amount of mid-day movement....particularly around noon-1 pm and around 6 pm. I can see at least 2 shed bucks in my videos and they are coming and going...I had not noticed this before although I hadn't had my cams in these spots either so maybe I missed movement...not sure.

My question is, if they have areas where they feel secure enough to move throughout the day, would this likely continue if not pressured or is it more likely just seasonal?

Just as a side note....using a Browning Dark Ops...about 8 foot off the ground...I have seen no evidence that the deer have any sense of being video or photo'd. Liking this with respect to the camera.

[DaveT1963]

I have saturated one of the small properties I hunt (42 acres) with 4 cams for spring scouting. I am seeing that there is currently a lot of daytime movement and a fair amount of mid-day movement....particularly around noon-1 pm and around 6 pm. I can see at least 2 shed bucks in my videos and they are coming and going...I had not noticed this before although I hadn't had my cams in these spots either so maybe I missed movement...not sure.

My question is, if they have areas where they feel secure enough to move throughout the day, would this likely continue if not pressured or is it more likely just seasonal?

Just as a side note....using a Browning Dark Ops...about 8 foot off the ground...I have seen no evidence that the deer have any sense of being video or photo'd. Liking this with respect to the camera.

IMO - pressure may actually increase mid day movement. I don't think deer stop moving in the day as much as they restrict how far from their security they will travel. I have only seen about a doz mature bucks bedded from my tree stand. I usually hunt pretty thick and nasty stuff and just don't get to see a lot bedded. In every single case, the longest I can remember a buck staying bedded and not getting up to adjust, poop, browse, drink... was about 3 hours. Most of the time they got up and moved around a lot more then I originally thought..... but in most cases they did not venture far from what In could tell. I know when it is hot and dry in the fall here, sitting a water hole entry trail around dawn and then again between 1100 AM to 3:00 PM can be very productive.

[mheichelbech]

This property is next to a neighborhood so it may get a fair amount of foot traffic. The one thing I've yet to figure is if the movement is from field to field or confined within this particular block of woods. It appears from the video that they would be coming from another block of woods. Their are maybe 4 or 5 small areas that they could bed in but this the biggest.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[ozzz]

I have saturated one of the small properties I hunt (42 acres) with 4 cams for spring scouting. I am seeing that there is currently a lot of daytime movement and a fair amount of mid-day movement....particularly around noon-1 pm and around 6 pm. I can see at least 2 shed bucks in my videos and they are coming and going...I had not noticed this before although I hadn't had my cams in these spots either so maybe I missed movement...not sure.

My question is, if they have areas where they feel secure enough to move throughout the day, would this likely continue if not pressured or is it more likely just seasonal?

Just as a side note....using a Browning Dark Ops...about 8 foot off the ground...I have seen no evidence that the deer have any sense of being video or photo'd. Liking this with respect to the camera.

IMO - pressure may actually increase mid day movement. I don't think deer stop moving in the day as much as they restrict how far from their security they will travel. I have only seen about a doz mature bucks bedded from my tree stand. I usually hunt pretty thick and nasty stuff and just don't get to see a lot bedded. In every single case, the longest I can remember a buck staying bedded and not getting up to adjust, poop, browse, drink... was about 3 hours. Most of the time they got up and moved around a lot more then I originally thought..... but in most cases they did not venture far from what In could tell. I know when it is hot and dry in the fall here, sitting a water hole entry trail around dawn and then again between 1100 AM to 3:00 PM can be very productive.

Yes. I asked John Eberhardt about this on Sunday and he said that although mid day movement is a normal pattern for deer it is probably accentuated by pressure.

[loneranger]

I have 40 acres too. After all the hunting seasons end, I see little daylight movement . Probably due to months of pressure and the naked open fields and timber. The daylight movement really kicks in around the end of October. Deer really start putting on the feed for Winter and of coarse the Rut is approaching. This is when I start hunting. Movement peaks twards the end of Nov in my part of Southern Iowa.

[msailor]

Deer are up and on there feet multiple times a day. This is typical. Ever hunted smack dap in the middle of a prime bedding area with the perfect wind? You'll see deer ALL DAY LONG until they start their journey to the evening food source.