Perplexed!?

[Bearcat]

I have a question for all of you out there? I heard a well-respected hunter state that he would not hunt early morning until October 25th, or in other words, pre-rut. I have been bowhunting for years and have never heard of this strategy before. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but if it's a big buck proven strategy then I would like to know why? I have hunted many times before in early Oct. in the morning and have had success. Just curious!

 

[bigbuckhunter88]

When hunting small parcels of private ground I will not hunt until that October 25th time frame unless I have one of my hitlist bucks on a pattern where I can kill him. I don't like going in blind in the early season because too much can go wrong and you can educate big deer more easily. Now don't get me wrong I am probably missing opportunities, but for me the reward is not worth the risk. I will end by saying that two years ago during the "October Lull" aka Early Muzzleloader season my brother killed our number 1 hitlist buck when it was almost 80 degrees and he was out an hour before sunset.

 

[TLHAWK]

When hunting small parcels of private ground I will not hunt until that October 25th time frame unless I have one of my hitlist bucks on a pattern where I can kill him. I don't like going in blind in the early season because too much can go wrong and you can educate big deer more easily. Now don't get me wrong I am probably missing opportunities, but for me the reward is not worth the risk. I will end by saying that two years ago during the "October Lull" aka Early Muzzleloader season my brother killed our number 1 hitlist buck when it was almost 80 degrees and he was out an hour before sunset.

Yeah, I think the majority of that was luck unfortunately though. I got extremely lucky with the majority of the crops being out by that time that year.

 

[hoosierhunter]

I avoid mornings to start as well. No need to be that close to a bedding area which is typically required if your going to beat them back to their bed in early season.

 

[buck50]

Early Season a/m

Yeah, I think the majority of that was luck unfortunately though. I got extremely lucky with the majority of the crops being out by that time that year.

Ot-12 was the exception for sure with very early corn harvest. I'm with the evening only school of thought on early season feeding patterns. Blow'm out of the fields one time in the a/m and your stand is toast. Those bucks bed much earlier at that time as well so the possibility of bushwhacking them between their bed and the feed is unlikely. Just not worth the risk. Good topic.

 

[AIRASSAULT]

I don't typically have a good buck in my area until closer to the end of Oct so I hunt only evenings until then. Also, if I hunt too many early mornings in October I'll get burnt out by not seeing much and then tend to sleep in more when it's more important to be out

 

[CurtisWalker]

I hunt when I can hunt. I usually hunt mornings on the weekends through out the whole season. I try to hunt every evening the whole year. I hunted 60 of the days last year and never saw a difference in activity. If you can get in and out undetected you should be fine. Try not to hunt the same stand more than 3 days in a row either

 

[NWBuck]

I hunt more evenings than mornings early in the season…true enough. But some places are just morning spots, and there is going to be deer movement in the morning regardless of time of year. Plus, I just enjoy being out there, so if it's a cool, crisp, early October morning, I'm likely to be out there running the risk of educating Mr. Big

NWBuck

 

[skyleralan]

I don't typically have a good buck in my area until closer to the end of Oct so I hunt only evenings until then. Also, if I hunt too many early mornings in October I'll get burnt out by not seeing much and then tend to sleep in more when it's more important to be out

That is a great point easy to start getting burned out if you aren't seeing much.

 

[MNbuckhunter]

I think that theory is to minimize the risk of bumping/educating deer. When going going to your stand in the early morning those deer could really be anywhere. In the afternoons when you head out you would be almost certain those deer are in their bedding areas.

 

[mightymouse]

I learned/re-learned the lesson opening day (October 1st for us) last year on my way to my stand in the morning darkness. Heard two bucks sparring in the dark as I crossed a field I froze and got down but they eventually blew and took off. Made it almost across the field after that and got blown again by other deer. Sat in the stand all morning kicking myself for even trying to get to that particular stand for a morning hunt that time of year. Slipped in there clean that afternoon and the following afternoon and encountered my target buck both nights and killed him the second night.

I will not hunt food or hunt our stands that require me to move through the field in the mornings this year. Just too risky. I will not give up moring hunts all together I will just choose spots more wisely.

Besides, early season it can be pretty easy to pattern deer on their evening feeding routine. No need to risk bumping deer in the mornings if you can avoid it.