Thread: Bush stalking time of day

During daylight is the correct answer.

I've missed deer at both ends of the day,missed a few in middle of day too lol. Just before or just after big rain storm is pure gold. But as someone once told me...the deer live there 24/7 it's not like they head off on vacation each day. If you have enough light to see under bush canopy,it's a good time to be stalking around. Stinking hot summer day,find a cool gulley,freezing cold winter's day,find a warm one.

When we had many cameras up we encountered deer at all times of day and night. During hot weather early morning and late evening I would consider best but not the only time. Cooler days deer move all the time, 10 am to 2 pm showed lots of movement.
So really if your in deer country and fresh sign any time of the day you have a chance of an encounter.

In the morning and evening they seem to be out taking care of the things on their agenda. From about 10.00 - 3.00 in the middle of the day if you come across them they are mostly bedded down in areas that look too thick to go into...

I haven't shot many but they have all been between dawn and 10am or late afternoon within 1.5 hours of darkness.

The bush I usually hunt is pretty chewed out and on the edge of farmland, so for me hunting early morning or early evening when deer are moving from feeding areas to their resting areas is more productive as they’re on the move. However as it’s already been said they are always about, they don’t teleport away to another dimension during the day, they are just harder to find. I work with deer as well as hunt them and I can tell you they never truly relax, they are aware of what’s going on all the time and unlike us their noses work while they sleep, and I suspect their ears do too.

Originally Posted by hamishg

Thanks Bhess, Are you looking near the top of those spurs where they come off the ridge? Much animal movement during the day?

if you are hunting the same area time after time then when you find areas where they have bedded down a very careful stalk in with the wind right can be productive - but man you have to be very quiet - and many times the deer will be lying down and hard to see - and they are not stupid they will pick areas that have crap to get thru to find their nice little sit down sunny spot --what I used to do is spilt my area - I keep hunting mid day but slowly- when I was bush hunting I never stopped hunting - - intensely glass likely spots but very slowly - deer having had a sit down chewing cud for an hour or two they can get up and have a feed lunchtime -I would keep hunting likely areas - but I would have my top spot for evening last hour of light -