What time of day are most of your shots on Elk?

Joined
Nov 20, 2021
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If I can recall... Rounding to the latest half hour. Spread over first or second rifle season over the years.

One at 7:30 am, one at 2:30 pm, one at 4:30 pm, ten 5:30 pm and later.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
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Past 20 or so about an hour or two after sunrise because that’s how long it took me to get in position for a shot after spotting them… or how long it took them to get to me after finishing feeding and making a move toward bedding areas. OR about an hour or two before sundown after spotting them and getting in position for a shot after they popped out of cover to feed. So 7-9am or 4:30-6:30pm.

I missed one mid day about 4 years ago after he gave me the slip for several days and I decided to go scope out an area I thought he might be hiding out in. Only misfire I have ever had in my life. I guess even my rifle prefers mornings and evenings. Wtf!
 
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May 23, 2022
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I have shot them all times of the day but my favorite is during the morning while the morning thermals are still strong. I end up catching up to them as they get close to bedding and thermals start shifting 9-10 am.
 
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Feb 17, 2013
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I have shot them all times of the day but my favorite is during the morning while the morning thermals are still strong. I end up catching up to them as they get close to bedding and thermals start shifting 9-10 am.
I’ll definitely take mornings given a choice. Nothing like having all day to keep meat clean while quartering and packing it out the same day. The year before last we killed and packed out two bulls in one day. Spotted the second one from the trail while packing out the first one. 10 minutes from camp! A gift from God. Rode to camp, dropped loads and went back for the other one.
 

S.Clancy

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Montana
Hmmm, I think we have killed more in the evenings that mornings, but it would be 60:40 ish. My archery kills have been skewed heavily towards evenings.
 
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Apr 23, 2021
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Dallas
I'm pretty much 50/50 before 10:00 and after 5:00. I love getting a bull in the morning. It's a lot easier field dressing and packing out during daylight as opposed to dark.
 
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Jul 30, 2015
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Lenexa, KS
These are all my archery shots on elk, all in September.

first light x 2
after first light x 3
2PM
6 PM
last light x 2
 
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May 8, 2017
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One bull first light, one bull evening/last light and several bulls and cows killed between 10-2. All archery
 

Gman12

Lil-Rokslider
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Aug 27, 2020
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We hunt early archery season and have killed 70% of our bulls in the evenings. Best time has been about an hour before dark.
 

2rocky

WKR
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Jun 21, 2012
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Nor Cal
Out of 9 bulls
#1 Archery Rut late morning
#2 Rifle Rut right at Daylight
#3 Rifle Rut 1 hour after daylight Had a close call the morning before but we were late.
#4 Archery Rut Evening 30 minutes before dark, Saw first thing ion the morning and relocated him and his herd that evening
#5 Rifle Post Rut Late morning
#6 Rifle Post Rut Found bull night before killed him first thing in the next morning
#7 Rifle Late Rut Right at Daylight
#8 Rifle Late Rut First Hour of Daylight
#9 Rifle Post Rut 2 or 3 hours after Daylight , But missed a bugling bull, and passed a bull the 2 evenings before 1 hour before dark.

Of the Kills 7 early morning 1 Late morning 1 evening.
Needless to say I want to be on the mountain before first light! Evening are usually seeing where the elk are and we kill 'em the next morning.
 
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Firestone

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Feb 8, 2017
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Northwest Montana
I immediately was gonna say morning, but started thinking about it and there have been a bunch that died in the evening. Probably closer to 50/50 then I was initially thinking.
 

BAKPAKR

WKR
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May 10, 2018
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Appalachia
I usually hunt all day, and I have shot more bulls midday than early morning or late evening. However, I was consulting the gps and my watch to confirm a half before sunrise on my dad’s biggest bull.
 

BigE

Lil-Rokslider
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Apr 3, 2022
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Of the two our group had last year, one was around noon and the other was 30 minutes before sunset.
 

Scooter90254

Lil-Rokslider
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May 7, 2018
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Location
Michigan
First couple hours of daylight. The whole midday thing is made up by youtubers. Helps the rest of us know who the new guys are.
 
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Jul 20, 2022
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I always hunt 2nd season rifle....1st cow elk - last light, 1st bull - afternoon, 2nd cow - 8:30, 2nd bull 8:30. That being said, I bump a lot of animals walking around midday.
 
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