johnandmare

Hey all, I am in NY, Dutchess County and have been hunting after work from about 3pm until dark. The deer come out right after shooting light, and it is getting frustrating. I just got back in after sitting from 2:30 until dark, and sure enough, right when it's just too dark to shoot, out steps a deer right in my shooting lane. I am wondering if the mornings are better right now or if I should just be happy i saw the deer. Well, actually I am VERY happy I saw it, but it seems the last 3 or 4 times out, they all know when it's just the right time where you cannot get an ethical or legal shot off The lone doe I shot this year was right at that time with just enough light left. As a matter of fact, I have shot just 3 deer in the five years I have bowhunted, 2 does and a 3 pointer that is on my wall, and they were all at the 11th hour. I was sitting in my tree stand tonight thinking I should change my call name to "11th Hour Power"
Anyway, has anyone in my part of NY been successful in the morning? I have next Thursday off and I am used to getting up at 4:30am for work anyway.
THANKS!!

DeerandbearhoG

i wacked a nice doe on monday at 7:30am. I saw does today at 8 too ,im also seeing alot of miday movement and rain seems to get em up and moving too. w/ the full moon, miday is probably the best time to sit imo.

TRACKER

Although I sometimes see deer in the morning , I see more deer in the afternoon .
I no what your saying ,
I cant figure it out either , the deer seem to be coming out VERY late this year ,, Usually just minutes before sindown .
I have never observed this as bad as this year .????

turkeygirl2

Aroundm y part they are bedding down earlyi n the AM and don't seem to move until after dark...that's what I'm concluding to since I'm not seeing deer in the AM or PM when it's light...It's horrible this year

lonewolf5348

I seen this year about a doz does and (1) 4 pointer I should have got him in bow season 7 yards from my ground blind but I was not paying attention to the trail and it only took 3 min: for him to approach the blind on a blind spot corner.I passed on a few small bucks on opening day other then that so far it all I seen this year.I think the weather plays a important part as when deer start to feed i think we need some snow and some colder temperatures to get them feeding also during day light hours.
I been hunting for some 40 plus years and sorry to say it is a dying sport no one really hunts after the first weekend and the deer will not move unless ou get more guys in the woods.
I am heading up on next wed: for the last few days in rifle and go into black powder.I hope by then the snow will be on the ground deer tracks will give hunters a better idea what trails they are using to feeding lanes.
I can't tell you how any old timers i knew gave up on the sport funny back in the late 60's you would seen tons of hunters and you would see deer almost each time you are in the woods.I see to day less hunters and yep less deer.The doe tags over the years destroyed the NYS deer herds and now hunters are paying for it .The one on one doe tags over the year destroyed the deer herds

bigwhitetailbuck

Almost all of our deer that we have shot in NY have been right around 10-2.. Yesterday I shot a small doe while walking into my stand after my mid-day break at 11:50

MICHAELHUNTER

In past years I have had more luck in the morning. This year I shot both my bucks in the afternoon. (7 pointer with gun) (8 pointer with bow).

NY Bowhunter

Tuck back in the woods 50-75 yards if you can. Setup in their staging areas. Deer will hang back checking an open field and will enter under the security of darkness. Those deer that you are seeing just around end of shooting light are coming from someplace. Cut them off and don't let them come out at dark.

Steve863

I tell you, if in all my years of hunting I would have not hunted the afternoons and slept instead, it wouldn't have made much of a difference since the vast majority of deer that I have shot have been shot in the morning! Those that were shot in the afternoon were jump shot on my way to the stand between 1:00 to 2:30 in the afternoon. I could count on the fingers of one one hand the amount of deer that have given me a shot right at sundown during gun season. Earlier during bow season I have seen deer right at sundown, but during the gun season it's a different story, at least for me anyway.

buckclub

Arent NY hunters and cars killing more deer than ever? In many areas of the state many many more does need to be killed. In many areas the opposite is true. There is no one size fits all aproach.