Typically in early bow season you are still catching them in their summer patterns then later they move into the seek and chase phase. This is the exciting part of the year. This is when bucks are completely unpatternable but also extremely active. Where I am this extends into the very beginning of gun season. After this they go into the breeding phase. During this time they are rarely seen. Then comes the post rut. Early post rut bucks are pretty low key and resting up from a hard rut season. Between the last two phases, increased human interference, and the never ending sound of gun shots they become very low key and wary. Also remember that a mature buck with pattern a person much easier than a person will pattern him. Get away from the stands and blinds during this part of the season. It's hard being the coldest part but it can pay off big. Get around thick cover and easily accessible food sources. A small cove of grass or cut corn near thick nasty cover is killer this time of year. Standing corn and beans are even better.