I've passed on a quite a few bucks this season and have yet to fill a my buck tag in NW IL. Any thoughts on best times to hunt in December? Early morning to 10ish Mid day 10 to 2 Evening 2 to sunset Any thoughts?
mid day to end of day will probably be your best bet hunting on travel corridors towards food. just make sure you have a way to get out of your stand without spooking all of the deer because they will not take much more pressure at this point.
With the way the temps are currently, it is an "all bets are off" kind of thing. It is so warm that there isn't any pattern to their movement. Now, if it cools off, the food is going to be the factor. Travel corridors would be the best place to look. If it is real cold, I'd go with mid-day to evening.
I would say mid day to evening. And FP is spot on. Looks like next week is going to be colder, and I'm planning to be on stand as much as possible. I haven't filled a single tag either after passing on some smaller bucks and does (hoping they would bring the bucks). Those free passes on does is over. Best of luck!
Late season means short evening sits for me. Extremes in temp, warm or cold, I'm out there. Let your scouting guide you but in general no mornings. Good luck!
I have hung up the bow until it gets bitter cold and a more snow. I have a acre of standing corn they are not touching much but as soon as the snow hits they usually slam it.
Its time to work and make some money. Big pushes of waterfowl are what I’m awaiting now. There may be some movement/chasing as fawns come into cycle but it’s too dang warm for my liking right now. I still have a few late season hunts in me before it’s all said and done. Everyone above is on point. I’ll be doing 2pm-dark sits when I do get out. I still have faith though. 10yrs ago I killed an absolute beast 9pt. On January 10th in a winter wheat field. I think 2 yrs before that I killed my biggest buck to date. A 152” busted up 12 pt. That had one eye and a jacked up leg. Killed him on his way to standing beans in about 6” of snow. It ain’t over yet! Just very hit n miss. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I have shot 3 of my last 4 bucks December 10 or later. Latest one was January 24th. I like mornings if you think you can sneak into the woods near the thermal cover. Seems they will browse a lot of the morning. Often, I watch them browse, bed down for an hour, get up browse again, and bed again. If the wind is wrong for one of these spots, wait till evening and get near their food source.
