Best Time of Day to Hunt?

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  • ccha8778

    Plinker
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    Oct 23, 2019
    56
    6
    The Region
    Saturday I will be going on my first deer hunt. I will be hunting on private land, so I do not anticipate too many people out there (if that matters). I'm curious the best time to go out, I've heard some say early morning, other say afternoon...

    Any thoughts are appreciated!
     

    Disgruntled0321

    Plinker
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    Nov 2, 2019
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    In a compound
    Go out and stay in the stand all day for the first several days of season. Especially if you havent had out trail cameras to be able to see the habits and routines of the deer in your area. Will you be hunting from a stand , a blind, or primarily on foot? Any way you're doing it good luck!
     
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    Pembertont

    Plinker
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    Jan 29, 2014
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    Pittsboro
    The rut is ramping up this week where I hunt in Owen / Green county area. Saturday we will head out in the dark and stay out until dark unless we bag our bucks. When the bucks are chasing does the time of day doesn’t matter. You could see them any time. When the rut isn’t driving deer movement I tend to like evening hunts better, but tracking deer in the dark can be rough, especially for newbies. Hopefully you have some experienced guys with you. Good luck!
     

    srad

    Expert
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    Mar 22, 2009
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    Elkhart/Bristol, IN
    Get to your stand, blind or spot a good 30 minutes before first legal light (i.e. a full 60 minutes before sunrise). Watch the land come alive and as stated, spend the day if you can until you get a good sense of what happens on that property. On the two parcels of private that I hunt, I've seen more deer activity in the first couple hours of the day than the last. This time of year, with breeding going on, you may see some deer moving late morning to midday as well.
     

    Hatin Since 87

    Bacon Hater
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    Mar 31, 2018
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    Mooresville
    I’ve learned different properties have movement at different times, or at least it seems that way. Like fishing. One lake might be active at sunrise, another might be better before sunset. Try to use trail cams if possible and figure out the pattern, but really if you can sit all day. I’ve seen a ton of deer get ran to me from people walking out of the woods or coming in. Besides, the peace and quiet for an entire day is my favorite part.
     

    Michigan Slim

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    Jan 19, 2014
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    Fort Wayne
    All day sitters here. Maybe a short break to go to the truck for something but not for long. I've shot a lot of deer kicked up by the neighbors over the years. Outsit them. You WILL see deer mid day.
     

    ccha8778

    Plinker
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    Oct 23, 2019
    56
    6
    The Region
    Go out and stay in the stand all day for the first several days of season. Especially if you havent had out trail cameras to be able to see the habits and routines of the deer in your area. Will you be hunting from a stand , a blind, or primarily on foot? Any way you're doing it good luck!

    I plan to hunt from a stand and ground. Will start with the stand first.
     

    Disgruntled0321

    Plinker
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    Nov 2, 2019
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    I plan to hunt from a stand and ground. Will start with the stand first.

    Make sure to take a bottle or something to "relieve" yourself in while in the stand. Use a good cover scent. I use nose jammer. It's worked pretty good for me. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/nose-jammer-field-spray
    You can find it at Walmart and several other stores. Follow the directions on the can and you'll be good to go! A trick I also use is to tie an unscented tampon or an unscented maxi pad to my boot soaked in the freshest doe in heat urine you can find to use as a scent drag. I've watched deer follow the same path I've walked directly towards me when doing this. Might sound odd but it works. I usually go get in my stand as quietly as possible about 30 to 45 minutes before first legal light and wait this way nothing sees me entering the area. Other than that all I can tell you is to stay in the stand and be patient. Try to avoid walking around as much as possible so that you dont spook the deer in your area. I wish you the best of luck this season! Be sure to keep us updated on your progress and to post pics of that huge buck that you hopefully take down
    .:ingo:
     
    Last edited:

    ccha8778

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 23, 2019
    56
    6
    The Region
    Make sure to take a bottle or something to "relieve" yourself in while in the stand. Use a good cover scent. I use nose jammer. It's worked pretty good for me. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/nose-jammer-field-spray
    You can find it at Walmart and several other stores. Follow the directions on the can and you'll be good to go! A trick I also use is to tie an unscented tampon or an unscented maxi pad to my boot soaked in the freshest doe in heat urine you can find to use as a scent drag. I've watched deer follow the same path I've walked directly towards me when doing this. Might sound odd but it works. I usually go get in my stand as quietly as possible about 30 to 45 minutes before first legal light and wait this way nothing sees me entering the area. Other than that all I can tell you is to stay in the stand and be patient. Try to avoid walking around as much as possible so that you dont spook the deer in your area. I wish you the best of luck this season! Be sure to keep us updated on your progress and to post pics of that huge buck that you hopefully take down
    .:ingo:

    Thanks for the tips. I bought some "buck urine" from amazon that had some good reviews, the exact opposite of doe urine. Does buck urine work as well?
     

    two70

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    Feb 5, 2016
    3,724
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    Johnson
    Lunch and bathroom break is my weakness. Advice for a guy that normally goes in around 1030-11?

    Carry your lunch in with you. Carry TP as well, though you may want to get an orange roll if you have trespassing neighbors or hunt on or near public land.

    There is absolutely no reason to leave the woods or carry a bottle to pee. Even when fresh human urine doesn't smell differently than any other predator's urine and within a very short time breaks down into constituent parts that are indistinguishable from any other urine.
     

    backpacker05

    Plinker
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    Nov 11, 2019
    6
    1
    Noblesville
    Deer will most likely be moving the first few hours after dawn and the first couple hours before dusk. When the rut is ramping up like it is now I sit all day. When i get lazy I sit until just before midday, walk back to the truck for a bite to eat and a nap and then go back into the stand for an afternoon/evening sit.
     

    Expat

    Pdub
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    Feb 27, 2010
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    Michiana
    Biggest buck I shot was just about the time the solunar tables said was best for wildlife movement...
    I always liked morning best. Evening, if you shoot one can be a challenge finding them. I gut shot one and I couldn't find it until the next day. By then the meat was tainted. I tried cutting way away from the gut and it still stank in the freezer.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    Jan 19, 2009
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    Hunting here is a bit different, deer don't really start moving much until after 0730 with best time 0800-0830. I go into the woods just at light so I can see without a flashlight.
     

    ccha8778

    Plinker
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    Oct 23, 2019
    56
    6
    The Region
    UPDATE: I went out yesterday around 1pm, ended up getting two deer before dusk! Not bad for my first hunt ever. Thanks everyone for the tips.
     
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