I have tried some late season bow hunting in the past but I have never even seen a deer. I was thinking about trying it again this year and was just curious if you have had more luck in the morning or evening? I think I have read before that deer are more likely to more in the evening in the winter, but I just wanted to see want you guys think.
X2. I still have my buck tag to fill. Took the week of the 17th off to try and get another shot on a buck. I'd be interested to hear what you guys have experienced.
Personally late season/post rut bucks I've had more success back around staging areas near food sources. I prefer morning hunts during early bowseason and pre rut catching them sneaking back to their beds, but havent' had much success late in the season. I tend to favor PM (or even miday) hunts later in the year. I go out both, but activity seems by far better during afternoon hunts hitting food sources again. Actually the later in the season tends to get better. After they have calmed a little after the first week of gun season they start showing themselves again (around here). Just about the time when the season ends for good lol.
I've historically hunted eveneings in the late season for the reasons stated, but just as much due the evenings being much warmer (around here anyway). I'm going to man up and try a few morning sits over then next couple weeks.
Where I hunt evening sits are kind of fruitless. Probably due to the food sources being on neighboring lands so my morning sits are more productive season long. If I could get on a good late season food source I'd hunt the heck out of evenings. About this time of year I'm usually out of the woods by 10:30am, unless its snowing then I sit all day.
I am gonna go back to my September hunting pattern, and due to the drought, I am gonna be hunting the creek beds that have trails leading to food sources. I am betting on they thirst for water and need to stay near water during drought. As for times I hunt, I hunt both based on my own opportunities. Although, now that we are in late season, I find myself taking my shotgun more, because if I don't see a lot of deer, I might just bump some roosters or rabbits
Last year I did both an saw deer pretty equally during morning and afternoon. So ill be out there every chance i get trying to fill my buck tag.
I've had my best luck in the PM during late season. Just remember that in a lot of cases, they'll move earlier in the evenings getting to the food. Its usually cold, snow covered and food is starting to get scarce, so they'll be on their feet earlier in the afternoon to get to those food sources. There area couple of exceptions however. If its unseasonably warm, deer seem to move at anytime of the day, much like early season. The other big one is a pending snow storm or big weather event moving in. If there is, especially if its slated to hit over night, get your but in a treestand ASAP for the PM hunt and bring a dragging rope.
Good info here. I've noticed more evening movement here as well. We have had a pretty warm season and they seem more concerned with food and water. Odds are if you set up between feed and beds any time is a good time. Depends alot on the weather.
I agree with the PM assessments. The deer are usually back in their beds before first light late in the season, but are up moving around mid to late afternoon. Stick to trails leading to food&water, try to get into the woods very early in the afternoon, no later than 1:30pm IMO. It's been a very rough season for me this year and I am hoping for a late season miracle myself.
Ahhh good thread! I don't have a lot of late season experience - all I have to go off is last year. I can tell you I was sitting in my stand the last weekend of bow season in January and probably saw 30 deer in the woods on a cold January morning. Had 15 doe moving together - just after these doe moved through I had a buck at about 60 yards that was very responsive to my grunt call - he ended up winding me or seeing me at 35 yards as he turned and slowly walked away. That said, if snow has been on the ground for consecutive days I've had some success seeing deer around food sources. If you still have acorns on the ground - under leaves they come in and tear the area up trying to get down to those acorns. If I had to pick - I'd still rather hunt mornings. I pretty much only get out on weekends this time of year. On Sunday afternoons my Colts are playing and that usually keeps me from the stand. Last year it wasn't a problem - they weren't worth watching. Call me fair weather - I call it smart.
Evenings are always good by a food source late season, but if you can find and sneak into a bedding area 1 or 2 before daylight you can have really good luck as well, it is a very aggressive tactic but hey its late season and you got a tag to fill just make sure you go in with perfect wind and not to often
Ok, dumb question here but what are the late season food sources? What should I be looking for when searching for late season food sources? Will they still come out into the fields or are they looking for something dropping from trees?
I say go when you can. Both have been productive for me. It is a bit warmer in the afternoons but that isn't a huge concern here in Bammerland. Of course our rut is just coming in which calls for all day sits through January.
