I just realized something- 0840 EST has been very, very good to me. All times are below are equal to 0840 Eastern standard (non DST - some were shot before the time change, others after. Deer don't know about time, they know about daylight. Times may not be exact but are definitely within +/- 5 minutes of 0840 EST.): I killed both my bucks this season at 0840 Eastern time (10/20 @ 840 in MI and 11/2@ 740 in WI) (2017 I got skunked w/ a bow but on Nov 15 2017 I killed a doe with my rifle...at/about 840, lol) I shot and lost a nice heavy 8 at 0840 on Nov 2 or 3 2016 I killed a busted up 8 point at 0840 (correcting for daylight savings time) in 2016...Nov 5? Maybe the 7th I shot and lost a 140+ buck at exactly 0840 in MI Nov 14, 2014 at 0840 Nov 15 2014, with my rifle I let 2 bucks both 120+ walk- even though I had 2 tags I was still trying to track the big boy I had shot with bow the day prior I killed a basket 8 with my rifle at 0840 Nov. 15, 2013 I killed a 5 point with my bow at 0840 on Nov. 7 2012 all of these shots/kills came from different stands (and this year, a different state) but along the same latitude line. Where I hunt in WI is almost exactly due west of the SGA that I hunt in MI. All of these bucks were either working rub lines and/or chasing/scent checking for does. I did not include several times I remember having passed immature bucks in WI at about the same time of day. Weather conditions were mostly clear and cold, with the exceptions being the bucks shot in 2016 (light rain turned to all day soaker on the one I lost, and thick fog on the one I recovered.) That same day in the fog day I also saw the biggest-racked deer I have ever seen on the hoof chase a doe across the road appx. 15 minutes after I shot mine. Sure I have seen and killed (and admittedly missed some) bucks in the evening as well. But for some reason 0840 seems to be where it's at for me. I doubt this many encounters at this time over a period of 5+ years are a coincidence. What this means for anyone else I am not sure; guessing the further north you are from me be ready a little earlier than 0840 EST (0740 CST) or if south of me a little later than that.
The time is irrelevant as everyday in the fall gets darked sooner than the last day. But it is a cool topic. 7:11 p.m. time has many times been bear kill time! Been several times over the years I've texted a buddy at 7:10 and told em too look over " left- right" shoulder. And for some wierd circumstances, it's worked.
it's not quite irrelevant- as I said, all were shot within +/- 5 minutes of 0840. With the exception of my first buck this season in mid-October, all bucks were seen w/in a 2 week span in November (most w/in first 7 days of November.) The sun rises 1 minute later per day from November 1-15 so you're still talking appx. only an approximate 5-15 minute variance in time elapsed from sunrise until my encounters. I guess my overall point is in my experience, along that latitude bucks are very active and rutty at 0840; especially from Nov 1 - 14.
