Deer: Dawn or Dusk?

[jsharmon7]

Which have you had better luck hunting? Dawn or dusk? Or, about the same luck with either?

 

[woodsie57]

I recall reading that most deer are shot around 9:30 A.M.,doesn't seem right to me, but it was a DNR-type survey

 

[Dirty Steve]

Totally depends on the area and conditions for me. I have strictly morning locations and strictly evening locations and hunt them based on wind direction, food source and time of the season. Took my youngest son to one of my morning location yesterday and he killed his first deer there at 8:00 AM. (6 point, he was thrilled). Took my oldest son to my afternoon/evening location today and he proceeded to miss an 8 point at 3:30 PM. (he has killed 5 bucks previously at that location between 1 and 4).

If I had to categorize all of the times I have killed deer, (and elk, caribou and antelope), I would have to say that I have killed more in the morning and generally the biggest at mid day.

Dirty Steve

 

[bushcf]

I've always been in the woods before daybreak, and it is typical to have one bagged between 7-9am.

 

[hammer24]

I think I've killed more deer in the evenings, but it is pretty close. I've probably seen more deer in the mornings, but I've also passed on more deer in the mornings. Maybe knowing I have the evening hunt makes me picky in the A.M.

 

[cschwanz]

Mostly hunt mornings (just too many potential problems at night) and have had no trouble filling my freezers. The 8-9 o'clock hour area seems to be the best year in and year out

 

[wolfman]

Morning. I hate trying to track wounded deer in the dark.

 

[kyron4]

I had always prefered mornings but this year the last 30 mins of light seems to be the most deer movement.

 

[Tydeeh22]

mornings.. as the temperature rises, any scents / signals are likely to rise along with increasing temps, opposite to evenings and dropping temps.

but hell.. for all i know im blowing smoke out my bung hole.

wives tale? who knows..

 

[kirch86]

I usually see more deer in the mornings. Makes tracking them a lot easier as you know you have pleanty of daylight

 

[Hookeye]

Between 10 am and 2 pm.

 

[fullauto 45]

Last few I have killed were at 3:30 to 4:00 in the afternoon.

 

[buckhunterbb]

Morning seems to be the best in my area.

 

[FordMan08]

5:30 pm is when my avatar popped out in the field.

 

[Deet]

I usually see most of the activity between 7am and 11am. I usually harvest a deer during that time, and am leaving the woods before dusk. I hunt public land, and at 9am when the pheasant hunters start shooting, the woods become alive with activity.

 

[Mcolson181]

I've always done better in the morning, more times than not I'm out in a couple of hours.

 

[MarineOne]

I've been most successful hunting at dawn, but I'd rather hunt in the afternoon into sunset.

 

[chrisjross85]

Dawn

 

[remauto1187]

Ive taken probably 85%+ of all my deer between 7am-9am and that includes shotgun, muzzleloader and bow.

 

[BigHoss]

dawn for me