RE: Why mid-day during the rut?
Like Jpot said the bucks chase does all night. Sometime after daybreak it is general thought that they will bed for a while to rest. Because of the drive to mate they tend only stay bedded a couple hours and theyget back up around middayand start seeking again. Another part of this equation is the full moon near the rut tends to allow them to seek all night with good visibility causing the same effect of hightened mid day activity.