10 to 2

[Localqdm]

Read about it, now thought about it. How many of you have witnessed most of your mature buck movement between the hours of 10 and 2, or particularly during the rut? I think most of my mature buck sightings do fall in this time period in the heavy pressured areas I hunt. In fact I once saw a huge buck enter a wood lot that minutes later I drove around the other side to see a hunter leaving. he had a stand right down from where that buck went in. I think they often have us pegged and pattern us.

[wdswtr]

It is definatly the well within the time frame that I see the better bucks down to camp during the bow season. I am the only one who sits all day on a regular basis there for bow. I think there are a few things that come into play with that time frame. I cannot recall the exact time but I read an article from a biologist that studied whitetail habits and the claim is a deer will not and does not sit all day long. They need water, food, and bathroom breaks. At some point in the day the deer will get up and move to fulfill those needs. And then theres the hunting pressure that might push them in the area as well. It was not until I read that article years ago that I started sitting all day and started seeing more activity during the miday than the morning atleast. And it is the time I see the better deer. I think some of it has to do with just what you said, the deer patterning the hunter. What I do most of the time is get down from my morning hunt and have another hunter at the camp go in with me to one of my stands I will sit till dark and once Im setup He will walk back out and go to camp and nap with the rest of them. I think or hope what this does is confuse any deer that might have pinpointed me coming in the woods thinking I have left and ease there suspition a little. I think out of all the seer I have shot very very few of them have come in the morning and most are mid day and on.

[fasteddie]

I recall reading an article several years ago called "Hunting The T's" . It said Ten , Twelve , Two and Three were some of the best times to see buck movement . The writer based it on his sightings .

[orvisman25]

now thats fo sho fasteddie!!!

[First-light]

Honestly the big ones I have seen have been in the morning and late afternoon. That is not to say I don't think the big boys cruise at mid day.

My percentages heavily outweigh mid-day.

[Localqdm]

Burt, just currious is your area under heavy pressure?

[biggamefish]

I have hunted area of heavy presure and area that aren't pressured at all. The whole 10 to 2 things is very repetitive throughout my jornal. It seems that in the pressured areas the deer pattern the people and move when they aren't there. which by records is after 9 till around 2. Most people aren't in the woods then and they feel comfortable to move (i guess).

In the non presured areas it seems that the deer (does and young bucks) move freely throughout the day but the big bucks move midday or just before evening unless pushed by something or someone! It also seem that they don't show untill the does start coming into heat. They are big for a reason Smart

[fasteddie]

I have shot several deer during gun season after 9:30 am when hunters got up to pee , go to their vehicle to get coffee or just to move around . A lot less hunters now .

[bubba]

When I used to hunt state land, I would plan to go into the woods around 9 am and sit till mid day. I would see more deer as people left the woods and the deer knew it. ten to noon was best for me. I think the deer pattern people more and beome less shy during those hours. Plus they naturally feed three times a day. I shot soem decent deer, but nothing I would call a monster. But I saw a ton of deer.

[gjs4]

I agree- midday does not have a lot of sighting but by far some of the biggest bucks...just read an article (somewhere???) from P&Y stats and ~60% of all entries were 4-6 pm lol.....

[Doc]

I guess it probably makes some sense that during what is normally considered the "off-hours" some deer (big and not so big) probably get booted out of their safe-havens by hunters who have gotten cold, bored, or just plain restless.

One of the things that I used to count on before the advent of all this cold-weather gear, was the hunter movement that you could count on after an hour or two went by each day. Unfortunately with the space age clothing materials it seems like that isn't quite as big a factor as it used to be. I really miss those guys that use to drive for me during gun season ..... lol.

[ejp419]

The biggest buck I ever shot was at 11:15am. Last year I went to a stand at 11am and had a 3 and a 4 pointer chasing does around me for probly an hr. Definately during rifle season I've had good stuff happen between 10 and 2.

[Lawdwaz]

All day works for me!

This shot tells a story as the time is accurate................................

[Lawdwaz]

Try that again..............

[Lawdwaz]

And, the buck I shot on opening day last year was shot at 11:15am.................................

[First-light]

Burt, just currious is your area under heavy pressure?

No not really.

[Fantail]

This 7 pointer was a 'lunch bucket' buck. Closer to 1, but I was on public land in my climber.