Mid-Day Rut Movement

SigM1

FNG
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
24
Hey guys I’m in my first couple years of whitetail hunting and I’m seeing a decent amount of deer, a few bucks here and there but nothing during mid-day. I almost always see all my movement in the evening. I have done a few all day sits at spots where I see good deer movement in the evening but nothing mid day. Just curious how many of u guys see rutting bucks midday or have actually killed them midday. Let’s see some pics too! Thanks


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LostArra

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
3,435
Location
Oklahoma
For mid day try setting up close to doe bedding areas where the wind blows from the bedding to your stand. Seems simple in theory but like most deer hunting tactics it can be tricky in practice.


Take a good butt pad to help you stay out all day, just not necessarily in the same spot.
 
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KNASH

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
118
Deer Hunting = The daytime pursuit of nocturnal prey.
While chasing, bucks can be anywhere at any time. But, it's their nature to travel at night, and I've found the edges of night to be most productive. That said, one spot I've hunted for 20 years rarely has bucks passing through before 9:30 am. Morning sits require the patience to stay until 10, a skill I lack. Twice recently I've shot deer within 3 minutes of my "I'm getting down at xx:xx" time.
 

wseidel

WKR
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
459
Location
Northern Minnesota
In 45+ years of hunting in northern Minnesota, most of my bucks were taken from 7:30 - 9:30 am. I am a solo all-day stand hunter and get into my stands at least 30-45 minutes before legal shooting light. Interestingly, I have also taken a fair number from 11 - 1:30...two of my biggest bucks, in fact. As shared in an earlier post, though bucks are primarily active at night, they cruise for does and can be on the move at any time they are not locked down with a doe. I hunt in an area that typically does not have much hunting pressure (lower deer population) and I rotate between six permanent tree stands - depending on wind, deer sign, hunches, etc. They keys for me to successful hunting include setting up in areas with known deer "traffic" (trails, scrapes, rub lines), patience/persistence (ability to stay all day), be warm and comfortable (Heater Body Suit and good food)....and great books - as I love to read while on stand. All of my stands are in the deep woods and are close range set-ups so I typically hear deer before I see them. Hope this helps...
 
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
2,238
Personally I have not experienced good deer movement mid day. Sure it happens but not as predictably. You have to consider how mentally and physically taxing an all day sit is. You might get one at midday, but chances are evening or morning will be when you score. If you do an all day sit, will you have energy to be back in the stand the next morning at first light?

I think it’s better to spend more total hours in the stand during prime time. I’d rather hunt 12 hours of morning and evenings than 12 hours of one all day sit.
 

bowhuntrben

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 1, 2017
Messages
242
Location
Minnesota
I hunt southeast Minnesota. There is definitely mid-day movement during the rut. We’ve shot a lot of our better bucks during the middle of the day that time of year. Some of it is the rut itself and the other piece is other hunters getting out of their stand early and pushing deer. All day sits can be tough. If I don’t sit all day, I’ll try to minimize my time back at camp. I honestly see more activity during the day than the first bit of light or last bit of light. Can’t tell you how many big bucks I’ve seen go across the field while back at camp or how many I’ve chased off because I should’ve gotten to my spot earlier....
 

Thess87

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
493
Location
Kansas
I'm sure no doubt at the end of 50 years your will have more from the morning or evening but I also bet you’d have a good number from the mid day as well. IF your hunting the right spots for all day sits. It is taxing physically and mentally. So yeah if it’s going to keep you from hunting every other day then don’t. I have several spots that I don’t go till this time of year and I know when I go I’m there all day. Good luck! 100% chance u won’t kill from the house.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
328
Location
Wisconsin
If rut activity in general is noticeably high and weather/temps seem like they'd be moving all day, I am inclined to sit all day if my schedule allows. This wasn't always the case, but more than once I was burned by not sitting all day. I can recall at least two instances where I took a break and headed out of the woods around midday, went back to my stand not long after noon/1pm and had a shooter within bow range of my stand that I spooked on my walk back in to sit for the afternoon. That stings.
 

Rich M

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
5,107
Location
Orlando
One day I seen deer at normal time in am and then several bucks between noon and 2 pm. Didn't see another deer from 2 pm thru dark.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2020
Messages
17
10-11am is my favorite time to sit during the rut. Killed my largest buck ever on 11/9 at 2:30pm
 

Artanis95

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 9, 2020
Messages
145
Took the biggest whitetail I've personally ever seen alive at 11:30am. See the most deer early in the morning I see the biggest between 11am and 1pm but I think for Me it's about pressure everybody and his brothers kids are in at 3 or 4am and out by 8am.
 

Kentucky

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Messages
604
When the weather is right deer move off and on all day. During rut bucks move constantly until they find doe in heat, then he moves with her. When she is bred, he is on move again.... until rut is over.
 

mdfievet

FNG
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
4
In KS and MO I see as many or more good bucks between 11:00 and 4:00. NOV 4TH Thru end of month. This year even more so.

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Joined
Oct 16, 2017
Messages
717
Location
Upper Michigan
I think it depends a bit on where you are. Here in northern Michigan (big woods) every deer I’ve shot has been between 9:30am and 3:30pm. I hardly ever see deer at first or last light. When I lived in lower Michigan and hunted high pressure public (marsh to ag or marsh to oaks). I only occasionally saw deer in mornings, and can’t remember shooting one that wasn’t in the last hour of daylight. Most were last half hour.
 

Haney

FNG
Joined
Jul 17, 2020
Messages
53
I don't believe there is any magical time during the rut , at least not here in NE NY(Canada Border) . I think it's that the hunters have adapted and decided to put more hours in during the day . Some because of more time off from work at Thanksgiving time , and others because morning and night watch have not been producing and they are frustrated knowing the season will end soon so they need to put all the hours they can in the woods. I hunt river valley farm land here , 80 percent of my Whitetails have been taken on night watch . I hunt the fringes of the swamps and get them as they leave their daytime sanctuary .
 
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