Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Cougeyes on October 09, 2007, 03:51:05 PM
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Just curious on people's thoughts about hunting mid-day. Who has taken a mule deer during the general season between 11 p.m. and 3 p.m.? Is it worth sticking out all day in hopes something crosses or do most of you head back to camp until the evening hunt time rolls around? I only hunt opening weekend, and tend to stay out all day, but never see anything during 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. All the deer i've taken are morning or evening never midday.
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I think all the deer i've taken in the last few years have been in the first 3 hours of the day, there was one whitey i killed right before dark, but i'd rather be out looking for deer than sitting on the couch, so i will stay out all day.
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I was just thinking about this myself. I can't speak particularly for mule deer, but I've shot a whitey at 2pm and two other blacktails after 1pm. I've also seen muley bucks out and about at midday, but yes, generally it's better in the AM, unless you have some really blustery weather, though I hunt all day anytime I go out regardless of weather. You always have a chance.
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I have shot about 75% of my mulies during the mid-day hours, and all the rest but one during the morning. The area I hunt, the bucks are pretty much nocturnal by the modern firearm season. I'll hunt scouted areas opening morning and try to intercept the bucks between their food or water source and bedding area. After that I am kicking out bedding pockets while most hunters are in for lunch. The deer will have areas that they will head when they start getting pressured. Learn where those areas are and you will find the deer. In my opinion, preseason scouting for mule deer is only good for opening morning unless you are lucky enough to be in an area that receives minimal hunting pressure.
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The majority of whitetails I have taken have been midday to evening. The largest majority f mulies die in the first two hours of light for me.
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If I'm by myself, and weather permitting, the middle of the day is nap time. If we are doing a big push with a group it's full speed ahead with the hunt. 90% of my kills are before 10:00am.
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AM always works best for me on mulies as far as seeing more deer. But I like to spend the whole day out and about, its good exercise if nothing else. Many times I have kicked bucks out of beds midday. I guess it just depends on how much time you have to hunt, how hard you want to work for one and how bad you want a deer.
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I can only hunt 4x@2 days a pop driving into proximity the night before. That's the program until the season closes or I fill a tag. With such tight time windows it's critical to hunt all day imo. even if the day starts to get long your presence can minipulate your hunting area(ideally) which could make things happen I think. Objects in motion in space...lines will intersect. :tup:
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Hunt all day! Just switch your technique. Slow walk and stalk bedding areas with your binoculars. You may bump one out of his bed. You can hang out at camp any other time of year, or after you shoot your 12noon deer. :chuckle:
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Stay out all day. Even while taking a break you can glass areas. Deer do get up and stretch for a bit and then lie down again. You might catch that biggin standing. Then the stock is on..................
