As others have said, all depends on your deer patterns ... As far as preference, I like the mornings especially in the hot weather of the early seasonwith a bow.Easier to trackdeer and less skeeters.

I prefer evening hunts, because as time wears on, the hunting only gets better, finally climaxing in the last few minutes of light.

I used to think evenings were better, but part of that is because they are easier to hunt and
I went out a lot more evenings.

But based on deer sightings and experiences, I'm starting to lean to mornings. I'm really starting to
love hunting in the a.m. for a lot of reasons. I now want to be in the stand every morning I can get.

I also agree that it depends on the stand set up. Some stands aren't worth a crap for one or the other.
My morning sightings have been on stands in the woods over acorns, not on field edges, which are often
better afternoon stands.

I like evenings before the rut and mornings during. The exception is during the full moon (or bright moon)I prefer evenings during the rut.

That said I had a great morning today. Bright moon, just before the rut and had a real nice 110" deer in range for a half hour. Saw 7 deer total. That seems to be the exception in the mornings during bright moon phases here.

I have over 30 years bowhunting experience, and in my opinion mornings are best. It is cooler, generally less hunting pressure, way better situation for recovering game. I also feel that bucks move better in mornings, can't explain why just a gut feeling.

In November, around here (Wi & ILL), it's 50/50. In Oct and Dec, it's 75/25 evenings vs mornings.

There's always execptions to the rule though.

August 30th /Oct 22-25...ish...I like the evenings in and around a bedding area... Last week of Oct until Dec 1, I like my chances in the morning and evening about the same...sometimes the mornings even better...late mornings..and I place a higher emphasis on all day sits then too. December to late Decits back to evenings getting the nod on food source destinations. Only during this time of the year ifand when we get over15-18 inches of snow will I notice a considerable congregating of whitetails on preferred browse species.

I hunt the a small area (mile square) in the Sierras. Mostly manzanita and pine and oak trees. There's been a lot of pressure in the past but I've seen fewer people this year. In years past we've seen truck beds full of people with rifles. Last weekend we had 4 loud motorcycles running all the roads and trails just after sunrise. Most like a group of anti-hunters. We've had similar problems in the past. But I thought the problem was taken care of a few years ago. Seems there were some rope across a few of the faster trails. So I heard from a friend of a friend. I have a couple of kids and a hunting fool for a wife. We've been leaving the house about 3:30 and on location an hour later and sunrise at 7:15ish. Haven't seen much. But where I'm sitting on the ground in a ground blind is over looking a nice worn trail about 100 yards off the main logging road. We've been quitting about 10 to get home for our day's routine. Maybe we'll have to try Saturday evening and see what we see. There'll always be Sunday morning. I appreciate all the advise. If I get one I'll owe you all. <smile>