Best Times for Deer Hunting

Best Times for Deer Hunting. The northern half of the U.S. is quickly cooling down while the word on weather in the south is humid. Climate aside, the most important thing the two halves of the country share is deer season. Sometimes it’s pure accident that we roll into work late and forget weekend chores due to long naps.

As the season progresses, the best times for deer hunting will change with the weather and moon phases. We’ll likely still find ourselves sitting in the stand at first and last light, the way we’ve always done. Or maybe this year we’ll save up a little vacation time and instead hunt approaching fronts that come through on Wednesday afternoon.  

Morning: Best Times for Deer Hunting

Deer patterns are different everywhere. On one property they may stick to the woods in the morning and greenfields in the evening. Vice versa elsewhere. Once you’ve figured this out, get as close to food sources as possible in the early hours. Like humans, deer want to breakfast after a night’s sleep.

Mornings After a Full Moon

We see deer in the morning because they are moved by light. It’s time to feed. That is to say, unless the previous night was a full moon, in which case you’re only going to catch them going back to bed right at dawn and that’s an awfully small window. Sleep in when the moon is full. Deer will typically get back up to feed closer to noon.

Evening

Time of the “gentleman hunter.” He who sleeps in, cooks a big breakfast for the diehards returning to camp at midmorning, watches a little college football then saunters out to an easily accessible, comfortable shooting house. Don’t blow a gasket when he kills the biggest bucks year after year. The universe is favorable to these laid-back types.

Deer are again up on their feet and feeding in the evening. If it’s the rut, hunt where does congregate. Bucks don’t really think about food during the chase but does do. Position yourself either in a food plot or in between a bedding area and food plot.

Fronts

Hunters watch the weather religiously. There’s nothing to support this claim, but the likelihood that the most used app on any hunter’s smartphone is the Weather Channel is pretty good. Coworkers rely on us for the forecast.

If you find yourself sitting in the office on a Monday and notice a downward temperature swing on Wednesday, get sick immediately. Deer will move while it’s cold, but there will be no better time to sit stand than while the front is entering the area. Get on one of your best food plots, wind dependent, and sit as long as possible.

Cold

Once the cold has set in, deer will stay on a pretty normal pattern not unlike how they moved throughout the summer. During the summer, there’s no pressure so they do as they please. By applying cold, the herd will be forced to feed more frequently. As the rut nears, these are times when the all-day sit should at least come up for consideration. Pack a sandwich or two and a good book. Of course don’t be disappointed when your friend the “GH” sends that maddening text asking you to come help him drag out yet another wall hanger.