Tektonik87

Ok where I hunt is a small 3-4 acre woods that has 2 big rows of pine evergreen trees that are about 200 yards long with a big ditch that is about 8 feet deep by 20 feet wide that runs along those pine trees. Now there is a wire fence that divides the pines and the ditch that is about 4 feet tall. I can't hardly tell if they are bedding in the ditch or not. I haven't seen anything in the mornings but I have spooked deer going into my treestand in the dark before sunrise that's located in the woods but that's about it. So would it be better in the evenings or stick with the morning hunts?

Buckhunter46755

I would hunt evenings if it were me. Wait for them to come out. But every situation is different. It appears they are already bedded down or getting ready to when you arrive in the mornings. There's not much you can do about that. Right before dark might be the drop on 'em. I hunt an area the deer cross to and from there bedding area to feed. Their movement is like clockwork. I've taken 2 does and my brother-in-law 2 does and a button buck on this little 4 acre plot. Though the deer are not actually staying on the property, just moving across it in the mornings and evenings. First and last light.

Tektonik87

Anyone else??

monoped

All kills for me this year were evening. Last years were evening. Prior year half and half. Last two years same location,between bedding area and feeding area. That said sometimes i have been patterned and when i switched same deer i had quit seeing were seen again.

the blur

I refuse to hunt after 3pm. I'm not chasing, gutting, dragging anything into the dark. But that's just me. I'm sure the hard core guys do it.

DocD

I agree, I set a time, (3PM is a little early to quit) for me it is usually sunset, where I hunt you can shoot 1/2 hour before sun rise & 1/2 hour after sunset, at sunset, (unless it is a real nice deer) I'm done.

as to your hunting AM vs PM well I have had luck both ways, I prefer the AM. during the reg season I usually hunt all day, for the Muzzleloading season I hunt mornings & afternoons, if you can, hunt both, or switch to every other, which ever way, Good Luck Doc

Buckhunter46755

To each his own of course. It's a matter of personal choice. But there's no way I'm going to miss out on hunting the best part of the afternoon. The hour before dark is when I have seen the most deer. I do agree , it may be a little easier doing everything when it is still light out.

But hey, a nice L.E.D. headlamp comes in pretty darn handy, and also shows blood to make for somewhat easier tracking.

A good old fashioned Coleman lantern makes the blood glow pretty well also.

Just my $.02

Cypress32

My deer seem to be like my dog and refuse to adapt to daylight savings lol. When it used to get dark around 6:30-7:00 I saw most of my deer. When the time changed they still came out at the same time but obviously I was already out of the stand as it was dark. Now Im seeing them more in the mornings and I use to never see them in the morning. I wish they would go back to walking in the evenings I hate waking up every day at 5am.

I wonder if it would be illegal to install stadium lighting around all my fields and just flip on the power at like 2-3am and just start shooting.

Broncazonk

With such a small area to hunt you have to find a way to get in there as quietly as you can as early as you can. (The deer that busted you will not be there an hour before daylight.)

Once you are in there, you have to be in a stand that you can't get busted in. That means it's high, very well camoflaged, and the wind is right for it.

Once you got that, you have to get there way before daylight and leave way after sunset. You have to be extremely disciplined because you can kill the entire area if you are not.

These micro-locations can be productive, but you have to stay very disciplined.

Bronc

Cypress32

Gonna have to disagree with this. Set up a trail camera and see when the deer are there. I have had deer in my food plots and feeding at my corn piles 1-2 hours before daylight according to pictures. Last year I had to be in the stand at 4AM and wait 2.5 hours till sunrise because I was spooking everything on my way in. I remember checking my cams after a morning hunt once and seeing 2 nice bucks chowing down an hour before sunrise while I was chillin in my stand waiting for the sun to come up. Of course as soon as it did they were nowhere to be seen.