RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

After analyzing my graphs from 1994, which I'm trying to get up on the website, I found that it depends on what you are looking for; doe, subdominant buck or dominant buck; and which rut phase you are hunting.

Now these are just my observations, and I'd have to do a lot more digging into my 10 years of records to prove it (and I feel it would still be the same). I found that I sighted 5-10% more deer in the evening than in the morning; that subdominant bucks were sighted most often in the mornings during the pre-primary breeding/scraping phase; that dominant bucks were sighted most often in the evenings during the primary breeding phase; and that overall deer sightings were highest in the evening during the late breeding phase, which is when the temperatures were higher during the day, when food sources were limited, and when there was often cloud cover, which made the deer feel secure coming out at 1-3 in the afternoon to feed.

However, that was in my area. In your area it may be different. But, TrapperDave makes a very good point. Going in, in the morning, is tuff, because you do spook deer you can't see. Wasn't much help, was I.

Hey Huntmup,
Where are you at in MN. I'm in Wanamingo (SE).

T.R.

T.R. Michels

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

I've had all my luck with evening hunts.

Bowhunter_45

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

Seems like the vote is split or maybe a little in favor of the AM. All things considered though I still like the PM because:
1.note nearly as cold
2.Easier to set up. I make alot less noise when I can see where I am walking and can get into the stand without clanging around.
3. Its quieter in my area in the PM as the highway traffic is less. This doesn't seem to matter to the deer but it makes it easier to rattle, call etc.
4. If I do shoot something I just come back the next morning to track. We don't seem to have much problem with predators if it is just overnight and the bears have all gone to bed now anyway.

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

I seem to see more deer in the evening..at least this year anyway.

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

Evenings are always more productive for me.
I hunt in the mornings and see deer but usually
have more shot opportunities in the evenings.

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

Well if I could only hunt one I guess I would go with morning, but it is a toss up in ways, I lean towards the mornings because of the thrill I get watching the world wake up!

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

Well I could take both sides on this one.
Mornings I usually do not see much deer action but seriously one of my greatest things i love about hunting is watching the woods come alive in the mornings.
Evenings Is the time when i usually see all of my deer movement.

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

I added up my kills - 6 bucks in the mourning - about 16 in the evening and 3 in the afternoon. I see more bucks in the evening but think it is much easier to kill a stand by leaving in the dark.

If I have a good stand I always try to hunt it in the mourning first. I have jumped more deer leaving a stand in the dark than at any other time. it drives me crazy.

RE: morning vs evening, if you had to choose
 

I just like evenings just for no real reason.

brian