Youre favorite time of day to deer hunt?

[Sidney Smith]

What time of day do you prefer to hunt deer? For me, Ive had the most luck, and seen the most deer in the last two hours of the day, than any other time. I prefer to hunt until it gets dark over going in before dawn, although opening day its tradition to get in before first light.

 

[flinter1977]

Same here I've seen and shot more deer the last 2 hours of day light.

 

[Ames]

The last 20 minutes of daylight. But I'll get there an hour earlier so I don't spook em when the get active.

 

[okawbow]

I‘ve shot all my best bucks in the morning. Most were mid to late morning.
i guess it depends a lot on where you hunt. I hunt thick, brushy woods where the deer go after feeding at night.

 

[Sparkitoff]

I used to be an afternoon hunter but this year switched to mornings. The reason is I have lost a blood trail in the dark twice before and its 70 degrees plus here overnight, so in the A.M. meat is ruined. I want to have time ease of finding a deer without leaving it overnight.

 

[Eterry]

I too have lost a deer due to evening hunts. I felt awful, I wasn't going to pull the trigger but did, she ran into a thick mesquite field. I had 2 lights, just didn't leave enough blood trail. The coyotes found her that night.
I'm going in the morning, and for PM hunts I've decided NOT to shoot 30 minutes before dark, so it wont happen again.

 

[Grimord]

I prefer morning hunts, and most of my deer have been taken then. Like a few of the posters, I too have lost deer shot at the end of the day and not able to recover before slap dark. Now if I am presented with a suitable deer at the end of the day I will only take the shot if it is a close, broadside shot and I aim to break both shoulders so the deer drops it its tracks. I hate dragging out a deer in the dark. Always tripping, stumbling, and getting whipped in the face by unseen branches.

 

[tenngun]

Out at false dawn back home by noon for deer
Small game any time of the day

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Harvested 1 Doe and two spikes, always at twilight. But that because I know their patterns and habits

 

[rich pierce]

In the heat of the rut when there is not much moon at night, I’ve seen more bucks looking for does in mid-morning to mid-afternoon. I have also seen more deer at dusk than morning. This season i shot a buck at end of shooting hours but he was below me as I was on a steep ridge I could not safely descend despite it being just 40 yards. So, by the time I circled around it was dark. I had to track in the dark and gut and drag in pitch dark. Thankfully only a quarter mile.
Sometimes ya got to take them when ya can.

 

[Cherrybow]

I’ve been leaning more on the late afternoon hunts this year, but there is something really special about being in the woods early and watching the sun come up and Gods creation come alive!

 

[Bob McBride]

It changes for me from prerut when the ladies are moping along together early, to rut where you’re likely to see a lone doe at her wits end with the young bucks about mid day to when the cold hits and they’re moving late. This time of year I’m out one day from 1 hr pre sunup to 9 and 10 to last light the next trying to be there when they’re moving.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I hunt from 1 hour before sunrise like to be on stand and let things settle in with daylight, until too dark to see the sites, killed deer at all times of the day. This year early muzzleloader season big 8 pt. at 3 p.m. - this year unmentionable season second day big 7 pt. at 2:30 p.m. today my Marine Corps brother nice 6 pt 3:25 p.m. Hunted a total of 6 days both seasons combined seen deer every day at all times. A lot of young bucks this year it should be a good next year also.

 

[Brian Gibbs]

Usually from 0600 to @ 1000 hrs works for me

 

[Hermit Tim]

Mid morning for me. I see them through out the day but every deer I ever killed was between 8:00 and 11:00. Except for the ones I killed with my truck. They always seem to happen late at night...

 

[deermanok]

I prefer hunting in the morning. These last two hunting seasons, I have hunted quite a few afternoons. I've learned that you really need a game plan for a late day hunt if you connect.

 

[SDSmlf]

Have shot the most deer within an hour of sunrise an hour of sunset. The largest deer, and all the ones that have visited a taxidermist, have been shot between 10am and 2pm. Just my experience.

 

[Cattman]

sun up to 10 am.

 

[azmntman]

I have shot deer and elk all hours. Now that I mostly hunt water I gotta say most all animals (where I live anyway) seem to drink from 10-2. Before when I hunted elk stalking (still hunt) I noted that elk and deer actually LOVE to graze in the rain, especially a light drizzle. A former(?) member that argued everything with everybody disagreed but I was happy to have mucho support from my forum brothers. Sucks to track but its cool and quiet!

 

[Spikebuck]

I hunt when the conditions are right for the available areas I have. During the chase phase I'll try to stay out all day. I am a believer in the Moon Phase theory so will also time my hunting jaunts to moon phase. Of course, if one is on crowded public land it's more about pressure from others and what they are doing.