Morning Deer Movement During Late Season...

[Kat]

I'm not seeing any deer at all in the mornings right now. I still have an antlerless bow tag. Is this why everyone seems to hunt afternoons during late season - because the deer aren't moving much in the mornings?

 

[Jethro]

I'm with you Kat. I've not seen any deer movement in the mornings either since gun seasons closed. I have been out with with bow & muzzleloader and see deer only in the evenings usually around 5:00 p.m. plus or minus a few minutes. My guess is that between the nice weather and the gun seasons that they are moving in the evening and feeding all night long. I don't know, just my assumption. I'm curious to hear what other people are seeing.

 

[iowachip]

now i have seen lots of morning movement

 

[chessieman]

I think it depends on the amount of hunting pressure( during shotgun season )on and around the property you are hunting.I have been seeing quite a few deer in unhunted areas.I would guess that at the end of this weekend when the weather gets cold again you might have some luck between the feeding and bedding areas in the morning.Good luck.

 

[DC]

My experience with late season is that the colder it is in the morning, the later the deer return to their daytime bedding areas. However, it is a challenge getting in to set up on them as cold generally means crunchy. I pray for horrible cold and snow during late season, then I spend an inordinate amount of time getting psyched up to go out and sit in it!

Our hunting ground is not pressured during shotgun season, yet the deer still seem to be more on edge and less willing to show during daylight hours. I think chessieman is right about more movement as it gets colder again.

There is snow in the forecast next week and snow opens up almost unlimited possibilities on where to set up using a ground blind if you have one of those white paper/nylon painter suits and a white hat/facemask. I smash the painter suits and crumple them up, prior to use, to make them as silent and pliable as possible.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[hillrunner]

have been seeing absolutely nothing in the morning, I usually have little luck with morning hunts during late season.The last few years have been real tough with the warmer weather and lack of snow. A few years back when we got hit with a real tough winter, deer could be seen feeding in the alfalfa fields from dawn til dusk. I agree with the rest, a good storm is what is needed to get the deer moving during daylight again.

 

[Kat]

Needs to get cold??? I was afraid you guys were going to say that. It was 20 degrees here this morning. To me that is cold.

Hopefully I can get her before it gets "cold."

 

[moosehunter]

Here's what we've been seeing, or not seing up here.

We have not been out in the morning but all the afternoon hunts have deer moving very late. And almost all those have been does. I think the mature bucks have bunched up. My feeling is if you see one, you will probably see others with him.

 

[muddy]

Moose, I agree on the bucks being bunched up a bit. Sunday night I had several does meander by individually and then right at dark the bucks came out, one right after the other, but in a distinct group.