What are all your opinions on hunting in the early season. Do you try to hunt over food sources,on trails leading to food sources, our nearbedding areas. Is there a prefrence between hunting in the morning or the evening or all day?

For mei would probably choose to hunt on trails leading to food sources in the evening. I'm not saying i wouldn't hunt in the morning, because i would, but i feel like there isn't as much deer activity, and it's not worth spreading my scent all over. IMO

I'm thinking i will probably start a series of threads where we can all compare are strategies and taticsfor huntingdifferent times of the deer season.
Upcoming threads will be:
Hunting Strategies... October Lull
Hunting Strategies... Pre Rut
Hunting Strategies... Rut
Hunting Strategies... Post Rut

I strictly hunt the food sources in the evenings. These stand set ups seem to be the most productive for Washington's early season which takes place throughout September.

I like to leave the trail/bedding area hunting for the late season which takes place in November/December.

Well since most of my props are slim on feeding areas, I hunt bedding or travel areas. It's pretty easy to pick off does morning or evening. I don't venture too deep into core areas unless I really think I got a good buck pegged, then maybe take a shot or 2 if the wind is right. If the acorns or cherries are falling good I prefer to hunt those, sometimes I just don't have that option.

For me hunting early season , I like to sit in a stand not to far from a trail thats between a bedding and a food source in the early morning hours.

I'm with RDHunter. I usually hunt mornings just under a ridge in a spot that acts as a kind of meeting place for deer on their way back up the mountain bedding areas from the CRP fields where they feed at night.Something about the terrain there practically ensures an uphill draft inthe morning and a downhill draft in the evening, which works to my advantage.

I sometimes hunt the same spot in the evenings, waiting for them to return to the fields, but don't see as many then, so I usually hunt further up the mountain in the evening to catch them earlier in their route from their beds before dark.

I plan on hunting oaks between Bedding and CRP fields. Early morning till who knows when...lol

I sit right over a food source all year round, a 7 acre bait pile of corn.

Find the food and water , then pattern the does , bucks will come sooner or later . This works in all phases .

Food sources, summer patterns and funnels. They are pretty easy to predict come opening day if your homework has been done. Shortly after the bucks start seperating and there is a lull however one thing is still clear, bucks still eat.

I am a swamp yankee and I sure like to get on those small dry islands in the swamp in the morning. If you pick the right area the deer flock to em to bed for the day and stay dry.