Do deer go completely nocturnal during late season?

[Northcountryman]

I’ve read tons of articles pertaining to this issue , and they all seem to contradict one another . Basically ,1 group believes that they can and that many do after the opener ; conversely , the opposing camp says no , that can’t because deer need to move and eat every few hours . I tend to believe both sides have baked points and that in reality , deer will stay in or near their bedding areas / sanctuary zones throughout daylight , only getting up to stretch , pee and poop and maybe snack a little bit . But this is all very close , within 100 yds of where they’re bedding maybe . This time of the season, They won’t trek out till right near sunset and will essentially stay out all night roaming and feeding . What do you think ? 

[Shoots100]

Deer become more nocturnal in their bulk feeding when pressured, but they have to be somewhere during the day.

Mostly where you and thousands of other hunters aren't.

Even during the season, we see many bucks on trail cameras at night and in the early AM that we never see during daylight hours or at all.

They don't get big from being stupid.

 

[Trial153]

What have almost four week rifle season, it’s insanely too long. After the first week day time movement grinds to a halt for the most part. And if that isn’t long enough we follow it up with a week of muzzleloader season .

So yes we have a lot of abnormal nocturnal movement. Our regular season length stresses the herd and sends them into winter with. Poor start. We can see the effects of this by our horrible fawn recruitment rates.

[Nomad]

Deer don’t “ go nocturnal “ they are nocturnal.

Theres perhaps 6-7 hunters within a mile of me on the farm ,most hunt lightly ,food sources are plentiful, outside of the rut there’s little to no reason to be on their feet much in daylight.

[Northcountryman]

16 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Deer don’t “ go nocturnal “ they are nocturnal.

Theres perhaps 6-7 hunters within a mile of me on the farm ,most hunt lightly ,food sources are plentiful, outside of the rut there’s little to no reason to be on their feet much in daylight.

Even in the off-season ? 

[DirtTime]

28 minutes ago, Northcountryman said:

Even in the off-season ? 

Yes. Deer are far more active at night all year then they are during the day. There are exceptions, but this is the general order of things.

[wolc123]

I see them as mostly nocturnal year round, but much more so after gun season opens in the southern zone.  This is due to hunting pressure, gunshots, and most of the breeding having been concluded.  There is always exceptions, but a quick look at the gun harvest thread's dates and numbers on this site, proves this to be true each season.  There is always a significant uptick in daylight activity, for a two-week period centered on Veteran's day, corresponding to the rut.  That ends right around opening day of gun, a double whammy that almost stops all daylight activity, unless the deer are pushed from cover.  The extra half hour, before and after sunrise/sunset, probably resulted in a significant increase in gun harvest this year.  I know that it enabled my only gun season kill after opening day in several years.  

Fewer daylight hours, fewer hunters, and the need to feed before winter, will soon cause another uptick in daylight activity, but it sure as hell hasn't happened yet.  The only deer that I saw all weekend was holed up in the standing corn and didn't bolt out until I got within 30 yards.   I am expecting good daylight movement during the Holiday ML season next week.  The week off should do a world of good as far as getting them deer out in the daylight again.  I still have (4) tags to fill, hungry folks to feed, plenty of powder, bullets, and primers, multiple paid days off of work in that stretch, and I can't wait for it.  This is the best thing to come along since the early antlerless season and the hour of night-time hunting.      

 

[jperch]

2 hours ago, Nomad said:

Deer don’t “ go nocturnal “ they are nocturnal.

Theres perhaps 6-7 hunters within a mile of me on the farm ,most hunt lightly ,food sources are plentiful, outside of the rut there’s little to no reason to be on their feet much in daylight.

Yes, and on top of that the days are at their shortest so it's easier for them to feed during the dark.  A lot has to do with the land/property.  We try hard not to pressure the deer too much, I am still seeing deer most days during legal shooting times.  Mostly late afternoon as they feed.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Theyd be nocturnal if they weren't all dead


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[Four Seasons]

3 hours ago, Trial153 said:

What have almost four week rifle season, it’s insanely too long. After the first week day time movement grinds to a halt for the most part. And if that isn’t long enough we follow it up with a week of muzzleloader season .

So yes we have a lot of abnormal nocturnal movement. Our regular season length stresses the herd and sends them into winter with. Poor start. We can see the effects of this by our horrible fawn recruitment rates.

Exactly. We have plenty of daytime sightings even now but we also have over 1000 acre block controlled right out the back door with very little pressure. Only a hunter or two with me on occasion and mature deer only. The best hunting in Ny state is on larger properties that the owners control themselves. Without state influence. 

[Nomad]

40 minutes ago, Four Seasons said:

Exactly. We have plenty of daytime sightings even now but we also have over 1000 acre block controlled right out the back door with very little pressure. Only a hunter or two with me on occasion and mature deer only. The best hunting in Ny state is on larger properties that the owners control themselves. Without state influence. 

Sure our farm is 3000 acres divided up among a few friends and family and many surrounding farms abide by the same hunting principles as us, no walking or driving , let young bucks walk yada yada .

it’s still first and last light that pays off . 

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, Nomad said:

Sure our farm is 3000 acres divided up among a few friends and family and many surrounding farms abide by the same hunting principles as us, no walking or driving , let young bucks walk yada yada .

it’s still first and last light that pays off . 

No doubt a deer is still a deer but we’ll managed property will have Whitetail sightings during daylight hours. A few good food sources stuck in prime spots help things along. 

[DoubleDose]

All above is true and applies.  NYS DEC manages for quantity (body count) and not quality, hence long firearms season and during rut/breeding.  Consider a deer's sense of smell for defense.  Firearms opening day the woods must STINK to them and they adjust accordingly; less stink at night.  In my experience, the first 2 days of rifle most deer are killed or adjusted their whereabouts.  From day 3 on people are complaining "where are the deer?"  Answer stated above, "not where you are".  

[LET EM GROW]

IT technically should be the opposite. You should see deer on their feet more as late season begins. They need to bulk up for winter. But this all depends on surrounding pressure. IF you hunting hard daily or your neighbors are etc.. It puts a damper on the herd movement. But in reality they should be moving more, and a lot during midday too.. Had 35 deer in one of our fields Saturday evening. and 47 in two other fields the night before..  

I dislike the term nocturnal.. Just because you cant see them does not mean anything "Nocturnal" they adjust their habits to applied pressure within their core areas, they adjust routes/routines due to available foods per season, and so on.. They will be where they are most comfortable. Being the place with the least pressure.. and they will move there throughout the day and probably travel the earlier areas after dark.. where they will be sniffing everything that doesn't quite seem normal or that wasn't there before.. and learning..     

[skully]

I would not consider a deer nocturnal at all..... There somewhere eating pretty much every few hours. Def much more active at night on there feet but there not under ground or in a hollow tree till it gets dark like a coon.....

[Northcountryman]

Do they really HAVE to eat every few hours though? They may prefer to, but doesnt mean they have to!!

[skully]

Sometimes they do sometimes they dont

[coonhunter]

For the first time in years, I bow hunted all last week. Usually the weather goes cold enough that I call it quits after regular season. I hunted three spots, with two being state land or public land, and one being private that is hunted in regular season just as bad as the public land.

I sat in a climber or a pop up 5 times in nine days, alternating spots trying to keep them as fresh as possible. I saw 7 different bucks, and at least triple that number of does and fawns. Not all came in bow range, but 3 of the bucks were in slam dunk range, and one other was at the edge of my range, but with saplings and brush, probably never would have been in danger. 

Now, when I say these spots are heavily hunted, I am talking about groups pushing the woods several times a week all regular season. There are deer there every year, so obviously, they don't kill all of them. I have just found some spots that the hunters and drivers don't hit. The deer find them and group up in these areas. 

My best advice is pay attention to cars, people, and their tracks. Then, get some maps that show terrain, trees, water. You may have to do some walking to get familiar with private property lines, but in the end, it can pay off.

 

[DoubleDose]

4 hours ago, Northcountryman said:

Do they really HAVE to eat every few hours though? They may prefer to, but doesnt mean they have to!!

Heck no.  Remember their biology, they have chambered stomachs.  The evolutionary reason for this is to feed when possible where it is safe and then bed/hide and chew their cud.

If you think about it, hunting pressure will tend to make feeding at night and bed/hide and chew their cud during the day.

Edited December 21, 2021 by DoubleDose
addition

[Hock3y24]

all pressure related, they have to eat, but if theirs food where theirs bedding, their not leaving. 

 

[46rkl]

Deer do move to feed several times a day. The frequency of feeding is dependent upon many factors, including the quality and abundance of forage. My hope is the time off before the “Holiday Hunt” will get the deer feeling a little more comfortable with daytime movement. That and some cold/snow would be much appreciated. 

[Gobbler Chaser]

On 12/19/2021 at 7:10 PM, Trial153 said:

What have almost four week rifle season, it’s insanely too long. After the first week day time movement grinds to a halt for the most part. And if that isn’t long enough we follow it up with a week of muzzleloader season .

So yes we have a lot of abnormal nocturnal movement. Our regular season length stresses the herd and sends them into winter with. Poor start. We can see the effects of this by our horrible fawn recruitment rates.

Complaining about too long a hunting season, Hmmmm?

[Gobbler Chaser]

The nights are longer. Yep they'll be more nocturnal. But with cold weather and hunting pressure easing you'll still see them during daylight. I can't believe some hear complaining the hunting season is to long, LMAO! 

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, Gobbler Chaser said:

The nights are longer. Yep they'll be more nocturnal. But with cold weather and hunting pressure easing you'll still see them during daylight. I can't believe some hear complaining the hunting season is to long, LMAO! 

They are trophy hunters and that’s what they do.   I am thankful that God made me a meat hunter and I can’t think of any state that treats my kind better than NY.

My advice to the complainers would be : pack your bags and move, if you don’t love it leave it.

[Trial153]

The nights are longer. Yep they'll be more nocturnal. But with cold weather and hunting pressure easing you'll still see them during daylight. I can't believe some hear complaining the hunting season is to long, LMAO! 

It doesn’t surprise me to see your lack of care, as I find that is Generally consistent with hunters in New York State most who can’t give two shits about deer herd.

And yes our regular season is way too long considering the hunter densities typical in New York State.