Hunting during the day vs morning or night?

I am curious how many of you ever hunt in the afternoon? I know most hunt in the early morning or late evening. Has anybody ever had any luck going out during the day? Please post pictures if you have!

[pdfish]

Some of the biggest deer I've ever seen were out around 2PM. This time of year, they're still fairly easy to pattern and for the most part, movement will be greatest early morning and late evening. Once the rut starts though, throw the playbook out the window 'cause they'll be running around all hours of the day.

[hunt_and_fish]

I agree with pdfish. If you spend enough time looking, you will see animals during the day this time of year but typically your odds are much better in early morning or late evening. If you have the whole day to hunt then you might as well stay out there. I can't think of too many better ways to spend a day. During the rut (which differs for different species), animals are much more likely to be moving at any time of the day.

[Eager_Beaver]

i use stands in the morning and evening, but during the day im sure to check any small slough bottom i know of in hopes of jumping up some big'uns

[Bobby B.]

Hunting the afternoon is possibly the best time to hunt big Whitetail bucks during the rut. From my experience, the big boys are very active from 11:00 to 3:00 during the rut.

Before and after the rut, the first hour or so and the last hour or so are the best.

Bobby B.

[RayL42]

I have had a fair bid of luck in the afternoon during the rut. I have also noticed that on nights with a bright moon particularly if there is snow on the ground the deer will be more active later in the day 11 am to 2 pm.

This buck I shot Last year on opening rifle day at 3 pm.

[Rather Be Hunting]

Best to stay out in the woods all day long if you can, it can drag on though, I've seen many animals out in the early afternoon!
RBH

[FallAirFever]

The nicest whitetail I have seen shot was just after noon. The rut was in full swing. We had walked back to the truck for a sandwich and my buddies dad said he thought there were some deer in a grove of poplars. we went to check it out and jumped 2 deer. We sat down and did a bit of grunting and rattling. seemingly out of nowhere this buck appeared and my buddy shot him. Nice 4x5.
Sorry no pic

[Rockymtnx]

Personally I've had luck at all times of the day. Different times of the day do have their advantages while others have there disadvantages.
My first 160 class whitetail was shot at 7:45am. My second 160 deer was at 1:00pm. During the rut those big boys can be on the move at anytime of the day.
We have also shot numerous moose at mid day.
The best time I find for ducks and geese is the morning. We have had good evening shoots, but the morning ones seem to be more predictable.

Morning + You can usually catch the animals out feeding or traveling to or from their resting ground.
+ Birds are more predictable and constant in the morning
- Sometimes the big bucks are just heading back into bush from twilight feeding when legal shooting light rolls around.

Evening - Sometimes the big animals don't come out till past legal shooting time.
- If you do hit an animal and have to track it, tracking in the dark is no fun.
- Gutting an animal in the dark isn't as much fun as in the daylight.

WOW! Very nice...thanks for posting it!

Originally Posted by RayL42

I have had a fair bid of luck in the afternoon during the rut. I have also noticed that on nights with a bright moon particularly if there is snow on the ground the deer will be more active later in the day 11 am to 2 pm.

This buck I shot Last year on opening rifle day at 3 pm.

[reelhooker]

last year I shot two wt's in between 11 and 2. I find Deer move most in the first and last hours but find where they are bedding or hit water. mid day I hike trails and Glass bedding areas while I stay in a small area in the morn/eve.
the Deer are always somewhere.

[RayL42]

Steve Jansen’s deer the Alberta record was shot later in the morning not sure the exact time though. Sorry do not have a picture I have been bugging my cousin for one for a year now. There is one on the Alberta outdoorsmen home page.

[moosemad]

In my experience you can see deer anytime of day in the rut but don't forget the ugly days. Shot quite a few deer midday in the fog/rain/snow when everyone else was at the closest hotel eating brunch. Maybe they feel more comfortable in those conditions. Persistence pays off.

[Albertabowhunter]

If I was to base this question on then number of deer I have shot in the mornings compared to the number I have shot in the evenings... hmmm, I have shot more deer in the evenings but I have also hunted evenings alot more than I have mornings. Therefor I would say morning hunts have far out produced eveings if based on percentages.

[Rockymtnx]

Ok here's another persons theory. This tells you the best time of the day as per the moons position. I remember there was a guy on here last year who shot a big buck with his bow following the "Moon Guide"

www.moonguide.com

[savagewsm]

I was out scouting this weekend and found deer at 2 pm out feeding in fields. As was said you can find them at any time. Sit and wait early morning and evening then push bush or still hunt against the wind at other times.

As for the rut you can rattle and grunt all day you just never know.

Being bored in the woods is better than being busy at work

COOL...Thanks Dan!

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

Ok here's another persons theory. This tells you the best time of the day as per the moons position. I remember there was a guy on here last year who shot a big buck with his bow following the "Moon Guide"

www.moonguide.com

It looks like I am going to be spending more of my time hunting in the afternoons! Thanks Guys!

[wolfcreek]

Fields and field edges at first light, bottlenecks till 4, field edges till dark.
My best hunting is between 11:00 and 2:00 by far. In the bottlenecks especially.
Just my experience.

Bottlenecks? What the heck are those???

Originally Posted by wolfcreek

Fields and field edges at first light, bottlenecks till 4, field edges till dark.
My best hunting is between 11:00 and 2:00 by far. In the bottlenecks especially.
Just my experience.

I know how I will be spending my days next week!

[pdfish]

Bottlenecks are basically types of structure that deer use to travel that funnels them into a small area. (ie. narrow strips of trees/bush leading from big timber to big timber, or a narrow ridge top between two swamps). When I'm going over topo maps I look for ridgetops or swales and start my scouting there. When I look over arial photos, I look for an "hourglass" treed area surrounded by fields or cutblocks. Guaranteed the deer will be travelling thru the "hourglass"

So this is different then deer trails?

Originally Posted by pdfish

Bottlenecks are basically types of structure that deer use to travel that funnels them into a small area. (ie. narrow strips of trees/bush leading from big timber to big timber, or a narrow ridge top between two swamps). When I'm going over topo maps I look for ridgetops or swales and start my scouting there. When I look over arial photos, I look for an "hourglass" treed area surrounded by fields or cutblocks. Guaranteed the deer will be travelling thru the "hourglass"

[gonefishin]

Sort of. The deer trails would be in the bottle neck. If you can picture a clump of trees shaped like an hour glass (for example), the bottle neck would be the thin part in the middle, as deer will tend to use the cover if available as opposed to walking through the open country.

[Dark Wing]

I'll hunt November white tails and mulies all day, September elk in the mornings and evenings and October moose in the mornings and evenings or all day if it's cloudy out.

[gonefishin]

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