Been bow hunting 40+ years. Have had about as much luck in early archery season as late. I go whenever I can.
For me early archery season (mid Oct.) finds me hunting at or near food. In my case I look for a white oak acorn crop, if there is one ... and I also occasionally along the edge of a cool weather food plot. Biggest bow kill buck was on Oct. 18, 1989, on a trail leading to a food plot along whose edge there were a dozen or so white oaks that were raining acorns. I have had very limited archery luck in later season. In my opinion because of the heavy pressure put on the deer by gun hunters. I gun almost exclusively once gun season comes in anyway .... but sometimes picked up the bow (now X-Bow). See very few big guys. Most very late or very early in the day. During estrus, I hunt where I ususlly find does. That works pretty good some years. Not so good others. Last decent buck that I killed with my bow was early November of 2008. He and another good buck came into the bottom marking territory. For whatever reason they split up and this guy happened to feed along the creek bank, and came into range. I do not recall killing ever killing a buck with my bow after Christmas-ish.