Early or late?

[wisconsinteacher]

I have a question about how to hunt this weekend.  It is going to be on the chilly side and I am hoping to last at least 4-5 hours before freezing out.  My question is, would you go in at first light or wait an hour or two before going in and hunt more of the mid-day period?  I will be hunting near bedding areas.  Last time in this stand I saw a small buck at 9am but the time before that, I saw a buck at day break.

[Terry Green]

If I only had 4-5 hours......I'd go by the moon phase.

[JamesKerr]

I would go in at first light. The majority of the deer I have killed in my life even with a rifle have been within one or two hours from dark either morning or afternoon.

[BUCKY]

Heater Body Suit and sit dark to dark

[mwosborn]

Sit a few hours in the morning.  Go warm up.  Come back and sit a few hours until dark.  Or break it up how you see fit. Good Luck

[dhermon85]

9-2

[Mr. fingers]

Id go from first light till noon. The buck around my neck of the woods have been taken or seen from  between 7& 9:30.

[shag08]

Just go when you can and stay as long as you can. I've killed lots of deer so early I could barely see. I've also killed at least as many when it was getting so dark I could barely see.

I've also just had a few hours to spare in the middle of the day and killed deer then too...esp during the rut. Just get out there when you can and do the best you can do. I've always said, "I may not see a deer but I know I won't kill one sitting at the house." That attitude has paid off many times over the years. I just had 45 mins before black dark on Monday evening when I parked my truck...15 minute walk to my closest stand...I sat there about 5 mins and killed a pretty nice 8 point....I almost didn't even go because of the short time I had to hunt. But deer don't use a time card to punch in and use a specific area at a certain time.

[threeunder]

Originally posted by dhermon85:
9-2

This!

[KyStickbow]

I would go in in the dark and be waitin on daylight. I like to get in and let the woods settle before light. Deer movement is usually good those first couple hours of daylight...but heck this time of year deer movement has the potential to be good all day.

[Friend]

The level of risk in spooking deer in the bedding area in both your approach and exit should be considered.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

I got in my stand yesterday at 10:25am, killed my buck at 10:55am.  18f outside hadn't even gotten into my sleeping bag yet they are running all day here right now chasing does. My son got in his stand at 2:30pm yesterday killed his buck at 3:45pm chasing a doe.

My other son and I saw 3 other sets of bucks chasing does just on the way to help him get his buck out. That was 5 miles, if it's on it dosent matter what time of day if not go with what Terry says and you will see the most movement.

Tracy

[Blaino]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
If I only had 4-5 hours......I'd go by the moon phase.

I'd like to hear more on this..... I'm always interested in other hunters opinion on "huntin with the moon" as a former boss called it. That guy killed at least one dandy buck every year and only "hunted with the moon".
I get the concept of hunting mid day if it's a full moon.... are there other time of day that work with a specific phases?

[dbd870]

This time of year I'd stay out as long as you can. I plan on getting out 5-10min before shooting light, staying out 'till 10:30-11:00 taking a break and going back out at around 2:00. Of course how many deer get put down by the 2 of us will have some impact on that. Historically 7-9am has been very good to me on the opening day of firearms. I am going to bring the recurve as well in case I get an opportunity to use it.

[Bowwild]

I'm with MWOSBORN.

I'll be on stand 30 minutes before legal shooting time and stay for at least 2 hours. Then I'll return about 2 hours before legal shooting time expires that afternoon. I hunt private land that is only very lightly hunted around it. If I had other hunters around me I'd stay an extra hour and go in an hour earlier.

After some fellow in CT tried to make a bunch of money on a "Moon Guide" more than 10 years ago, the concept was debunked by researchers using thousands of data points over a long period of time. (One research project was at Bent Creek Lodge(AL) -- 35,000 hunters over a 20 year period. Weather (especially temperature) was far more influential than moon phase.

My only interest in the moon is how cool moon shadows are walking in and out some days. I know lots of folks swear by moon phases though. I love to go out under a full moon because it adds to the beauty of the morning.

If that adds to the excitement, anticipation, and confidence of the hunter that's great. My best hunting buddy notes the position and brightness of the moon but doesn't plan his hunts accordingly he is just more or less optimistic on during some moon phases than others.