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Early season?

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Evenings only, mainly field edges, and only hunting cold fronts. It also doesn't make any sense (to me at least) to hunt a spot that isn't showing movement during shooting hours. I'm assuming you're talking about bucks.
 

Just 1 More

Junior Member
796
0
Evenings only, mainly field edges, and only hunting cold fronts. It also doesn't make any sense (to me at least) to hunt a spot that isn't showing movement during shooting hours. I'm assuming you're talking about bucks.

Why evenings only???? I have trail cams showing bucks at one spot traveling 8:30-9am.. then another spot 4-9pm
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Early, mid, or late season I try to set up stands with easy access in AND out. Problem is I don't have many of them. If I have nothing on camera or nothing I have been glassing from a distance (which is consistently using same area), then I don't hunt that area. I don't want to blow deer out early.
 

OO2

Well-Known Member
2,566
111
In the Uplands
This year more than any I have tried to fine tune my access routes to and from each and every Stand that I have. I feel that is a very crucial piece of the puzzle that I left out in years past. Like others have said if you can make a low-risk/high-reward move in the early season go for it! If not, no sense making the deer weary of your hunting efforts.
 

Just 1 More

Junior Member
796
0
I was thinking about this last night... and every buck i've ever killed, Has been in the morning. I have yet to kill one in the evening
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
And I've never killed a deer in the morning. Any kind, buck/doe/fawn. I've had better luck waiting till 10:30 or so and sneaking into bedding area. Then shooting them when they stand up.
 

Boarhead

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
I prefer evenings early season but not everyone has that option.
Take what time you are given and just hunt smart whether it be morning or evening you never know when the one you are after will show up.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
It just depends on the area. I don't think anyone can definitively say "oh the evening is way better during early season," or "the morning is more productive." There are too many factors. A guy on one property may not be able to access it without bumping deer unless he hunts the evenings. On another property, the opposite could be true. The bottom line is, early season deer can be very predictable if they don't know they're being pursued. So hunt whichever time of day or whichever stand location keeps your impact as low as possible.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
It just depends on the area. I don't think anyone can definitively say "oh the evening is way better during early season," or "the morning is more productive." There are too many factors. A guy on one property may not be able to access it without bumping deer unless he hunts the evenings. On another property, the opposite could be true. The bottom line is, early season deer can be very predictable if they don't know they're being pursued. So hunt whichever time of day or whichever stand location keeps your impact as low as possible.

Agreed 110%
 

OhioWhiteTails

Senior Member
Supporting Member
8,482
191
Flatlands
It just depends on the area. I don't think anyone can definitively say "oh the evening is way better during early season," or "the morning is more productive." There are too many factors. A guy on one property may not be able to access it without bumping deer unless he hunts the evenings. On another property, the opposite could be true. The bottom line is, early season deer can be very predictable if they don't know they're being pursued. So hunt whichever time of day or whichever stand location keeps your impact as low as possible.

This.

Even if that means I don't get a chance to hunt in the first few weeks. Years past I would go out just to get in the woods, and while it's nice to get the first few sits in, I was doing more harm than good. Last year I hunted one day on opening weekend and then didn't hunt again until October 30th. This was the first time I sat that stand and killed my buck around 230 pm. The last few bucks I have shot have been during the hours of 11am-3pm.
 

Bigcountry40

Member
4,554
127
Green soybean fields, not very deep, not my best spots etc, I do agree with Jager, but most of my spots in the NorthWest Tundra I could push deer in the morning really really easy. in Eastern ohio I have easy access in and out spots I hunt.
 
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Creb19

Junior Member
13
13
I'm lucky enough to have one property I hunt in the mornings and one I hunt evenings. But by the time season comes in the beans are yellow where I'm at and the deer show no interest. I still hunt over the beans though because they have 3-4 scrapes along the edge.