Since Nov 27 when the rifle season ended, I've not seen a single thing in the woods. In your experience, how much time needs to pass before deer start coming out of their skittish nocturnal patterns? Mind you I hunt areas varying from moderate to heavy hunting pressure. My bow season ends Jan 3. When should I start refocusing my efforts hardcore again?

Jan 4th

dohcrxl,

I've shot a lot of deerin the last two weeks of Dec. and it seems that in the last week or so of season they begin to herd backupso it may be an all or nun hunt. UsuallyI will see does and yearlings in the mornings and then possibly a few bucks in the herd in the eavening. I hunt in Michigan where it can get just a little bit chilly but it has seemed to pay off in the freezer. Try to find a high volume trailwith possibly some grazing area. Believe me if you hit it right you could see 40 deer, no #$&!

PR

The last week.

I believe it depends on the weather. The colder the better. I tend to agree though, that the last 2 weeks of December are pretty good.

Like I replied to someome else's post, around here if you have not gotten a decent buck by Thanksgiving you can pretty much forget it. Now if it is just meat you're after we hunt anything green or beans and usually will see plenty of does. Good luck

I would disagree, it really matters on where you hunt. We have moderate/heavy hunting pressure around our farm during gun season. I have shot to nice 8 points(both around 125 inch) in Dec. I know one thing going out I am going to see a bunch of deer or no deer. They are all herd up and if your lucky to get a doe coming into heat again you may have a shot at a big buck. The two I shot both had a doe in heat by me. I was just lucky, but I was out in the woods.
The biggest 8 point I almost shot was in Dec, it was cold day. I had to chip the ice off my stand. I had about 25 deer coming into me, with 1 big 8 point. I had 20 mins shooting time left when they were about 30 yds out. I was hunting woods behind the barn(about 200 yds). It was dead quite out, not a sound. Yes I was sure I had him, then Dad fired up the log splitter behind the barn. The deer did not run away, but change course and walked around me and bedded down in another area, instead to the bedding area(which was in direction of the barn and my dad). If this would have happen before gone season I would be showing his mount. Instead I have a great story about "The Log Splitter Buck". This deer has walked by me twice now the last two season within ten yds and I have yet to get a good clean shot at him.

Just my thoughts, not saying I am right, but I beleive you can get a nice whitetail in the lateseason and have done so.

That is why I said "around here" because where I hunt in NC with all the gun pressure and the dog hunting pressure most decent bucks are extremely skittish by now and it is rare to see a decent buck in Dec. unless he has been bumped by something or someone[:@]

I really should have read your post better, but I guess my main point is this; you never know what could walk up to you or when.

Find a better place in Wisconsin to hunt...the deer are moving during the day time.