Mid-Day Hunts

[Cabin Fever]

Do you hunt much during the mid-day (10am-2pm)? Had any luck?

I've read and heard guys saying that mid-day hunting is so great during the rut. I can honestly say that I don't recall ever seeing any deer while hunting in the mid-day, unless they were spooked by someone (still hunting). I've tried hunting the mid-day during a full moon, as I don't see any deer early morning or late afternoon, so I figure WTH... Nothing! I've sat all day in my stands during early Nov, as they say bucks will be moving all day looking for does.... Nothing! Am I the only one??

[Geno C]

i personally love to sit all day, mid day deer movment or not... i killed my 14 pnt at 10 30 in the morn and also killed plenty of deer around the 11am to 1pm time beleive it or not.

mid days can be pretty productive but you have to have the SIT in mind... sometimes its hit or miss tho but even RUT aside ive seen great deer movment in those times early in the bow season if you will beleive that.

last year first weekend of bow i shot a buck at 12:30. it would have been a buck i would have not seen had i gone in for lunch and not 5 minutes after i shot that buck i had another smaller buck come out 20 yards right on front of my stand.

[Doc]

Midday certainly can be productive. But I generally use that time to carefully move around and check out other spots to see what's going on. You can't beat in-season scouting (when done with the proper caution), for finding out what the latest feed, travel, and rut conditions are instead of finding out later what they were. What I have found is that the mid-day times are slow enough that my time is better spent updating myself on what's happening and where.

Doc

[fasteddie]

I have had fairly good luck while hunting midday . Sometimes hunters will quit at 10 am or so and when they leave , they may kick something out . Deer feed several times a day and there is midday movement . I remember reading an article in a Bowhunting Magazine called "Hunting The T's" ( ten , twelve , two & Three ) . I think it was about deer movement at those times of day .

Opening day of bow season , I will stay out all day . I may change stands due to the wind , etc , but it's an all day hunt unless I cash in  .

[biggamefish]

  Midday hunts are the way to go.  I have taken my biggest deer during that time.  I think the times to sit is from 845 till 1 or 2.  You might not see alot of deer but you do tend to see the bigger ones.

[Buckstopshere]

Most of the time during archery season, the deer do not seem to move during the middle of the day in my neck of the woods. Here in Allegany County we have a lot of people in the woods besides lots of bow hunters, from small game hunters, hikers, birders, trail runners and that is not to mention all the ATV, dirt bike and trail bike traffic in the woods. In the early morning, few (except turkey and waterfowl hunters) we have a few hours more or less to ourselves. Late afternoon, most of the joy riders are out of the woods. I think the deer become quite reluctant to come out into the fields to stage and feed unless it is private property and access limited to only hunters.

I too have tried it in the middle of the day after hearing tell that it's a great time to hunt. It may very well be in some places, but not here in my experience.

[nyslowhand]

Buckstopshere hit the nail on the head!!!

Depends on what's going on in your hunting area regarding food sources, cover, weather, intrusions, their moods, etc.

I've had mixed results, majority of which have been poor!

[ballbusta]

I usually see deer between 10 and 2 during the bow season because there is less pressure. during the gun season it is usually in the early morning and late afternoon

[5.9cummins]

Had three shooters come by my stand within half an hour of noon last year. Fist was a 10, i walked up on him tailing a doe while i was walking into my stand got inside 30 yards but couldn't knock an arrow before the doe he was tailing winded me. Second was a big wide 7pt that came in as i was climbing out of a stand to move. Managed to get back in the stand knock an arrow and had him within 25 yards but the wind started swirling and i didn't have a shot yet. Third i was setting up a tree in an inside corner where i saw two bucks dog-ing a doe the day before when i had the encounter with the 7pt. I was 15ft up in a tree pruning branches and i heard a twig snap. I stopped and looked around for a minute and didn't see anything so i went back to trimming. A minute latter i heard another twig snap - close. Just then a monster 8pt walked out of the pines within 15 yards and my bow was on the ground.

That was the first time hunting that farm. needless to say there will be no need for in season scouting or stand setups this year. I got two weeks off for the rut and i will be in the stand from sun up to sun down every day.

[nyslowhand]

Early bow season, not many deer sightings in my specific spot during mid-day.

Most often see them to & from feeding areas in early morning or late PM.

During the rut, most anytime can be productive.

[nyarcher]

on late full moon days (when the moon is high in the morning) I see most of my deer between 9am and 1pm, and on early full moon days (when the moon is high before night fall) I see most deer between noon and dark.

[Fantail]

Taking a stab into the NZ this season so I realy don't know what the deer will be up to. Play it by ear so to say, I'm sure to get a mid day run or two in. maybe because of the weather, or just get a good feeling about it and go.