difference between morning and evening

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jkmartin12
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difference between morning and evening

Unread postby jkmartin12 » Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:24 am

I'm sure its on here and I feel dumb for asking it but having a hard time finding the info. What makes a location morning spot and what make a location an evening spot? I hunt hill country and know thermals play a factor but if he is in the bed then what determines when to hunt it? thanks for the help finding this info and guidance.


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Killemquietly
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby Killemquietly » Thu Jul 27, 2017 9:44 am

The old adage hunt hills in the morning (rising thermals) and bottoms in the evening (sinking thermals). Other than that if you're starting to dig the beast method of -
hunting beds-You'd need to be aware of not crossing his likely path he'll be coming in on in the morning. (if he smells you there he's gone). In the evening if you're bed hunting you can walk his trail (as he's in the bed) as long as the wind is in your favor. (not only wind direction, but also thermals as the sun sets they often swirl or reverse) Hope this helps & Good luck this season.
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby Whitetailaddict » Thu Jul 27, 2017 11:13 am

This is a tough question for a lot of people I think including myself. The problem with hunting mature bucks in the morning is a lot of times they are back in their beds prior to shooting light. Therefore a morning setup may require you to think the buck will be on his feet longer than usual and him getting back to his bed in shooting light. This situation may occur closer to the rut. Also you have to be fairly confident in how the buck will enter that bed in the morning in order to have a chance which will also require you to have an idea of where he will be coming from and not bumping him on your way to the stand. From what I've gathered for evening stands you are planning on the buck being bedded in the area already so keep the deer from seeing or smelling you and setup as close as you can in the direction you expect him to leave. I think all this takes trial and error and you'll make mistakes. Over time you'll find situation that work well for certain hunts. Dan's video on hill country is worth it to gain more knowledge on how to hunt these areas.
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<DK>
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby <DK> » Thu Jul 27, 2017 1:07 pm

Morning bed hunts are both low percentage and crazy fun! By far one of my favorite times of failure. I get off on it really... You have a few options w that setup. Either setup high and right over the bed, down wind of suspected morning j hook or in a travel corridor between bedding and food. The reason for the 3rd tactic is maybe hes not using that bed and you still catch him OR you get busted but youre far enough away from the actual bed that you can encroach closer the next hunt. Morning hunts im generally higher up the tree to beat falling unpredictable thermals. The issue w morning hunting is the wind isnt doing what it will be once the sun comes up and bucks are very very patient at scent checking a spot.

Evening hunting is great for seeing bucks in general. Early season its essential. Yes alot of people killed their biggest bucks in the AM but that varies. In general you want his wants / needs to be on his same elevation he is bedding. You then setup above a exit trail leaving the bedding, so that your scent stream is clearing the deer trail. That does not mean 30ft that means use milkweed to see where your scent stream clears his trail. If his needs or wants are not on the same elevation or he is dropping off the hill when he leaves the bed, then set loctions need to get creative and he may have to travel slightly further to get to you.
jkmartin12
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby jkmartin12 » Thu Jul 27, 2017 1:18 pm

I saw in dans dvds where he says he hunts a place in the am because he can't hunt it in the pm. I'm trying to get beast ways engraved and old methods erased so I'm just trying to understand what would be the situation for this. My success has went up a lot since I started on the top third and this is my first full season I'm going full beast on the way I hunt. Thanks for all the words of wisdom!
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Jul 27, 2017 1:38 pm

The biggest difference for me is access. Lots of spots I cannot get into because I would be spooking deer getting in for an evening hunt, burning the entire area. Happens a lot in areas with higher deer numbers. So I hunt the spot in the morning and often come in right through where deer will be bedded a couple hours later.

If you can't get into a spot w/o alerting your target its low odds. I'm not against bumping deer in the walk in either if I can do it in a safe direction. Just often it doesn't look like that will work.
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DaveT1963
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:17 am

JoeRE wrote:The biggest difference for me is access. Lots of spots I cannot get into because I would be spooking deer getting in for an evening hunt, burning the entire area. Happens a lot in areas with higher deer numbers. So I hunt the spot in the morning and often come in right through where deer will be bedded a couple hours later.

If you can't get into a spot w/o alerting your target its low odds. I'm not against bumping deer in the walk in either if I can do it in a safe direction. Just often it doesn't look like that will work.


And there it is.

I will add that there are also many great bedding areas that can't be effectively hunted in the evening. Our job is to figure out the best time, tactic and approach to killing mature bucks where/when they are most vulnerable - and despite what is often said, there is no one best time, method or process to get that done.
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Fri Jul 28, 2017 12:58 pm

Both of my nice bucks I have killed in the Am both were in swampy bottoms. Right where they j hook up to bed both within the 2 hours of daylight.

Though I have had times they came in before daylight and walked past in the dark.

Hunting low in Am is great but by time the sun hits the forest floor move uphill by 9.00 am.

My buck last year I shot 15 minutes after daylight he crossed a creek and was 40 yards from his bed.

This year I'm saving what I think are my best spots for Pm but I plan on hunting some of the spots that appear decent in Am.
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mheichelbech
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby mheichelbech » Fri Jul 28, 2017 1:11 pm

For me it has a lot to do with which part of the season as well. I simply do not see as much activity in the mornings in October as I do in the evenings. Later in the year, I tend to see better activity in the mornings and they move later In the evenings unless there is an intervening event such as moon, cold front, snow, etc.

However, a couple properties that I hunt, it's 50/50. Also I think that later in the season, with cooler temps and the need to eat, and late does in estrous, bucks are more likely to move throughout the day or at odd times. I just don't see this in early season. Arguably it could be because I don't hunt mid-day or all day early in the season but trail cam pics and talking with people around a couple farms that I hunt support this theory as well.
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Bigb
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby Bigb » Fri Jul 28, 2017 1:14 pm

X2 with Access. Once I stopped pushing the envelope to get to some spots that I felt were going to be great in the AM and hunted spots that had access that was close to perfect for my morning hunts and evening hunts got better as well. I have three new AM spots that can be hunted at least twice because the access is so good. I hunted one three days in a row (I know, very unbeast like) but every morning hunt I saw a mature buck within 50 yards, just couldnt get it done. Also passed a two 2.5 year old 130''is bucks because I knew this was a great spot. Wound up hunting there once during gun season and of course, saw 14 does and shot a 220pd doe at 8 yards with 7 other deer that were all within 20 yards. Still amazed I didnt get busted with that many eyes within 20 yards.
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby iowa whitetail » Fri Jul 28, 2017 1:28 pm

Pre rut, rut, post rut, mornings are my favorite. The biggest bucks ive seen on the ground have been on am hunts. Other than the rut season unless your going to be in the stand crazy early hes going to beat you threw or be long gone cause he caught you.
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tgreeno
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby tgreeno » Fri Jul 28, 2017 2:55 pm

For most of my areas, PM hunts are going to work out best for me. I will hunt some AM's during the pre-rut & rut. I have had some good morning hunts in Nov.

I just think there's less risk spooking deer on a PM hunt.
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Re: difference between morning and evening

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:05 am

Unfortunately for me do to access issues I need the cover of darkness to get into a stand that only has a chance in the late evening! Makes for some long early season sits, but when it works out its worth it.
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