Mid-Day Rut Movement

[SigM1]

Hey guys I’m in my first couple years of whitetail hunting and I’m seeing a decent amount of deer, a few bucks here and there but nothing during mid-day. I almost always see all my movement in the evening. I have done a few all day sits at spots where I see good deer movement in the evening but nothing mid day. Just curious how many of u guys see rutting bucks midday or have actually killed them midday. Let’s see some pics too! Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LostArra]

For mid day try setting up close to doe bedding areas where the wind blows from the bedding to your stand. Seems simple in theory but like most deer hunting tactics it can be tricky in practice.


Take a good butt pad to help you stay out all day, just not necessarily in the same spot.

 

[KNASH]

Deer Hunting = The daytime pursuit of nocturnal prey.
While chasing, bucks can be anywhere at any time. But, it's their nature to travel at night, and I've found the edges of night to be most productive. That said, one spot I've hunted for 20 years rarely has bucks passing through before 9:30 am. Morning sits require the patience to stay until 10, a skill I lack. Twice recently I've shot deer within 3 minutes of my "I'm getting down at xx:xx" time.

 

[wseidel]

In 45+ years of hunting in northern Minnesota, most of my bucks were taken from 7:30 - 9:30 am. I am a solo all-day stand hunter and get into my stands at least 30-45 minutes before legal shooting light. Interestingly, I have also taken a fair number from 11 - 1:30...two of my biggest bucks, in fact. As shared in an earlier post, though bucks are primarily active at night, they cruise for does and can be on the move at any time they are not locked down with a doe. I hunt in an area that typically does not have much hunting pressure (lower deer population) and I rotate between six permanent tree stands - depending on wind, deer sign, hunches, etc. They keys for me to successful hunting include setting up in areas with known deer "traffic" (trails, scrapes, rub lines), patience/persistence (ability to stay all day), be warm and comfortable (Heater Body Suit and good food)....and great books - as I love to read while on stand. All of my stands are in the deep woods and are close range set-ups so I typically hear deer before I see them. Hope this helps...

 

[willfrye027]

Personally I have not experienced good deer movement mid day. Sure it happens but not as predictably. You have to consider how mentally and physically taxing an all day sit is. You might get one at midday, but chances are evening or morning will be when you score. If you do an all day sit, will you have energy to be back in the stand the next morning at first light?

I think it’s better to spend more total hours in the stand during prime time. I’d rather hunt 12 hours of morning and evenings than 12 hours of one all day sit.

 

[bowhuntrben]

I hunt southeast Minnesota. There is definitely mid-day movement during the rut. We’ve shot a lot of our better bucks during the middle of the day that time of year. Some of it is the rut itself and the other piece is other hunters getting out of their stand early and pushing deer. All day sits can be tough. If I don’t sit all day, I’ll try to minimize my time back at camp. I honestly see more activity during the day than the first bit of light or last bit of light. Can’t tell you how many big bucks I’ve seen go across the field while back at camp or how many I’ve chased off because I should’ve gotten to my spot earlier....

 

[Thess87]

I'm sure no doubt at the end of 50 years your will have more from the morning or evening but I also bet you’d have a good number from the mid day as well. IF your hunting the right spots for all day sits. It is taxing physically and mentally. So yeah if it’s going to keep you from hunting every other day then don’t. I have several spots that I don’t go till this time of year and I know when I go I’m there all day. Good luck! 100% chance u won’t kill from the house.

 

[WhatToHunt]

If rut activity in general is noticeably high and weather/temps seem like they'd be moving all day, I am inclined to sit all day if my schedule allows. This wasn't always the case, but more than once I was burned by not sitting all day. I can recall at least two instances where I took a break and headed out of the woods around midday, went back to my stand not long after noon/1pm and had a shooter within bow range of my stand that I spooked on my walk back in to sit for the afternoon. That stings.

 

[Rich M]

One day I seen deer at normal time in am and then several bucks between noon and 2 pm. Didn't see another deer from 2 pm thru dark.

 

[Werty]

More big bucks are killed between 10-2 than anytime. People leaving stands and going to stands. Like said above, sit down wind of a bedding area.

 

[SteepandDeep]

I don’t hunt stands but I called in and shot my best buck at 1:20

 

[FSUBowhunt]

10-11am is my favorite time to sit during the rut. Killed my largest buck ever on 11/9 at 2:30pm

 

[Ccm11]

I’ve had good luck around 1:00 pm.

 

[Artanis95]

Took the biggest whitetail I've personally ever seen alive at 11:30am. See the most deer early in the morning I see the biggest between 11am and 1pm but I think for Me it's about pressure everybody and his brothers kids are in at 3 or 4am and out by 8am.

 

[Kentucky]

When the weather is right deer move off and on all day. During rut bucks move constantly until they find doe in heat, then he moves with her. When she is bred, he is on move again.... until rut is over.

 

[mdfievet]

In KS and MO I see as many or more good bucks between 11:00 and 4:00. NOV 4TH Thru end of month. This year even more so.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[RRen]

More big bucks are killed between 10-2 than anytime. People leaving stands and going to stands. Like said above, sit down wind of a bedding area.

Yep

 

[Cedarsavage]

I think it depends a bit on where you are. Here in northern Michigan (big woods) every deer I’ve shot has been between 9:30am and 3:30pm. I hardly ever see deer at first or last light. When I lived in lower Michigan and hunted high pressure public (marsh to ag or marsh to oaks). I only occasionally saw deer in mornings, and can’t remember shooting one that wasn’t in the last hour of daylight. Most were last half hour.

 

[Haney]

I don't believe there is any magical time during the rut , at least not here in NE NY(Canada Border) . I think it's that the hunters have adapted and decided to put more hours in during the day . Some because of more time off from work at Thanksgiving time , and others because morning and night watch have not been producing and they are frustrated knowing the season will end soon so they need to put all the hours they can in the woods. I hunt river valley farm land here , 80 percent of my Whitetails have been taken on night watch . I hunt the fringes of the swamps and get them as they leave their daytime sanctuary .

 

[Blue Dudley]

10 am to 2 pm have been the best times for me.