Mornings are toughbowhuntinghere on mature bucks. Morning thermals always blow downslope for mature bucks to guide them back to their well elevated mountain beds. They are usually in their beds right at or right after daybreak during Sept- to mid Oct and in Dec. Younger bucks not the case. They fiddle fart around for an hour or so after daylight.

I have killed 2 mature bucks outside of the rut in the mornings... one in Sept 140 classand one in Oct a 160 class. Both I had a spot to set up that structure deflected the wind sideways due to a bluff in one case and a finger ridge on the other. Both spots allowed me to hunt close in proximity to the bucks path to his bed without the thermal blowing directly to him.

I will add, I dont get many opportunities to hunt mornings due to my work schedule. I think I would have a few more bucks tagged in the mornings if I had more than just weekends to hunt mornings...outside of the rut.