Best Time of Day To Bowhunt

[Vinny_HC]

I don't see much daytime movement where I hunt most of bowseason, so I was wondering at what times of the year do you guys hunt certain times of the day?

I.E. morning, mid-day, evening for September, October, November.

[Preux86]

I'm pretty new to bowhunting.Only bowhunting 2 years.
But in the experiences I've had. Just at sunrise bucks move around and I've seen does moving throughout the day depending on weather.in the heat they seem to bed down.
I usually bowhunt end of september to mid october. Had lots of oppertunities on does but no supplementals where I bow hunt.

[Team Anzac]

This time of year they move all day long, deer don't stop for lunch. Just saying.

[J D]

I find every area is different and it is always changing throughout the year.

My last Alberta WT rut hunt all the bucks were showing up between 10-2 for me. My partner was hunting about 3 km away and all the bucks he seen were last 3 hours of light.

In my opinion there is no correct answer the animals are just there when they are there

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Its a proven fact that deer move most early morning and late evening, moving from feeding to bedding areas...

Most true in September and October...

Once the rut is on all bets are off and they can be seen all day in the right area...

A big buck can be seen all day or night during rut and the can travel 20 miles in a day...some will travel all night and bed anywhere but are constant on the move when doggin doe's...some will go total nocturnal when pushed and bed up in the thickest crap they can find...

both doe's and bucks can be seen running across bald fields any time of the day...those doe's like to make a buck work for his loving...lol
no wonder they are run ragged during the rut...lol

Having said that if a stand/blind was set in a prime bedding areaand a waterhole the deer can be seen all day anytime during bowhunting season...

I find the hardest time is during the harvest when crops are coming off the fields it moves deer around or they move making it hard to pattern them...

But even during the rut known bedding and feeding areas are still the best bet

JMHO
Neil

[Vinny_HC]

If you can connect with moving bucks during the rut mid-day, where do you have to be to intercept them as I haven't witnessed them move that much during that time?

[J D]

Originally Posted by Vinny_HC

If you can connect with moving bucks during the rut mid-day, where do you have to be to intercept them as I haven't witnessed them move that much during that time?

I like to hunt thick crap away from crowds and by thick I mean lucky if I can see 30 yards. I have probably shot more animals mid day than any other time. Only exception would be black bear. It could just be me but I am not complaining

I always tell my hunting partners the animals move well all the hunters are having lunch

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

One thing to remember as I ststed bedding areas as that is very important...The white-tailed deer is a ruminant, which means it has a four-chambered stomach similar to that of cattle. Each chamber has a different and specific function that allows the deer to quickly eat a variety of different food, digesting it at a later time in a safe area of cover or bedding areas

When a deer eats, food is chewed just enough to swallow. Then passes down the esophagus into the stomach.

After the deer has filled its first stomach, it will lie down in a secluded place..best cover they can find to chew its cud, just as cattle do. After chewing its cud for awhile, the deer re-swallows the food, which then passes to the second portion of the stomach. The food material then passes on to the third and forth stomach sections for more digestion and absorbtion.

There have been cases known where a deer has been pushed all day and not allowed to lay down to process their food ...which makes them very ill and they just give up and wont run ...

Some bucks even wont eat so they can move more...but the doe's will and the buck will stay with the does...

Making the bedding areas most active during mid day

JMHO
Neil

[Vinny_HC]

Bedding Areas...that is a good point. One question I had about that is it seems they have muliple bedding areas that heat up at different times and on different wind diretions or sun exposure. How can you key in on just one?

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Thats why we try to pattern deer and have different stands...sometimes a stand at one area may be wrong due to wind..or because they simply use a different bedding area... because they can change pattern movement due to pressure, crop harvest etc...or they just use a couple different bedding areas...the trick is to find that perfect funnel between feeding area and all bedding for a stand...

Neil

[Vinny_HC]

Originally Posted by L.O.S.T.Arrow

Thats why we try to pattern deer and have different stands...sometimes a stand at one area may be wrong due to wind..or because they simply use a different bedding area... because they can change pattern movement due to pressure, crop harvest etc...or they just use a couple different bedding areas...the trick is to find that perfect funnel between feeding area and all bedding for a stand...

Neil

Thanks Neil.

[Baskey1414]

If you can find some nice funnels to a alfalfa field or native pasture that is surrounded by crop it's a great place to sit when harvest starts up. Deer get pressured and look for a nice place to hide out. I've noticed you get deer from all over coming through during daylight hours in the first few days of harvest.

[bull master]

Originally Posted by Baskey1414

If you can find some nice funnels to a alfalfa field or native pasture that is surrounded by crop it's a great place to sit when harvest starts up. Deer get pressured and look for a nice place to hide out. I've noticed you get deer from all over coming through during daylight hours in the first few days of harvest.

Hunt the thick stuff. Worked out great for one of my hunters. 189 gross shot at 1:30 pm

[Vinny_HC]

Originally Posted by bull master

Hunt the thick stuff. Worked out great for one of my hunters. 189 gross shot at 1:30 pm

Whoa what a monster!

What do you define as the "thick stuff". It seems everything is thick in our woods here due to lack of canopy?

[Bassett]

Elk - early morning or late evening
Whitetails - midday
Moose - morning - noon

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Originally Posted by bull master

Hunt the thick stuff. Worked out great for one of my hunters. 189 gross shot at 1:30 pm

...Alberta or Sask.?.....congrads and outstanding job to shooter and you...

Neil