Traditional "best days"

[fairchaser]

Seems like most lucky dates to be in the woods are early November but for West TN, it's the first week in December when mature bucks are chasing does with little regard for danger. If temps are normal or slightly below normal and high pressure exists, all the better.

 

[tellico4x4]

Week either side of Pearl Harbor Day (12/7) for us last 20 yrs.

 

[TNTreeman]

I don't keep extensive records but my largest bucks have all been killed before or after the rut. My favorite time is late December in cold temps when most have hung it up for the season.

 

[Ridgeline300]

Yep. I always try to be in the woods November 21st. Its a perennial magical day.

My best day as well. Probably killed more older bucks on this date than any other

 

[Ski]

just got my biggest buck of the 22-23 season this morning trailing a doe

Congrats!!!

 

[knightrider]

Congrats!!!

Sorry I should've been more clear had to edit it lol best buck of the year on camera in daylight season ended here on the 8th

 

[batten_down]

I don't have the data to go off of like some of you do. But based on my experience and past successes (and failures) my absolute favorite day to be out there is Veterans Day, hands down.

Second choice would be week of Thanksgiving.

Now @BSK what else can we extrapolate from your data? I'm curious how buck movement correlates to weather. What is the preferred temperature range for peak daylight movement? 20-30°, 30-40°, etc.

Also moon phase. I'm torn on moon phase. I've got a bunch of books on it and have done a bunch of reading. In my younger years, I was overly caught up with moon phase. Was a big fan of Charles Alsheimers work. More recently, just get me a cold, crisp day in November and that's good enough for me.

 

[Ski]

I wanted the moon theories to be correct because it would make choosing hunting days easier. Using trail cam data and harvest reports I've tried finding patterns & correlations with the moon and haven't been able to do it. Whether it's phase or position I cannot consistently correlate deer activity with the moon often enough that it's predictable. Just by happenstance those moon theories prove true some of the time, just like a broken clock is right twice a day. Just my personal observations so don't take it for gospel.

 

[knightrider]

I wanted the moon theories to be correct because it would make choosing hunting days easier. Using trail cam data and harvest reports I've tried finding patterns & correlations with the moon and haven't been able to do it. Whether it's phase or position I cannot consistently correlate deer activity with the moon often enough that it's predictable. Just by happenstance those moon theories prove true some of the time, just like a broken clock is right twice a day. Just my personal observations so don't take it for gospel.

I agree, i laugh every time i see an advertisement for that huntersmoon crap dude has made a fortune fleecing poor good ole boys who think it gives em and edge! If seasons open and you have free time get in the woods, nothing beats being there every time uou can!

 

[BSK]

I don't have the data to go off of like some of you do. But based on my experience and past successes (and failures) my absolute favorite day to be out there is Veterans Day, hands down.

Second choice would be week of Thanksgiving.

Now @BSK what else can we extrapolate from your data? I'm curious how buck movement correlates to weather. What is the preferred temperature range for peak daylight movement? 20-30°, 30-40°, etc.

Also moon phase. I'm torn on moon phase. I've got a bunch of books on it and have done a bunch of reading. In my younger years, I was overly caught up with moon phase. Was a big fan of Charles Alsheimers work. More recently, just get me a cold, crisp day in November and that's good enough for me.

I've not linked my trail-camera data to weather conditions yet, but I have linked weather to hunter observations. And interestingly, there is no link that is very strong. It is primarily just trends in data, not absolutes. I don't have this year's observation and weather data run through my programs yet, but from all the previous years, the general trend is cooler is better temperature-wise (within reason - buck sightings drop off dramatically below about 15 degrees). And this trend is just a trend. Some warm days have been great days. Some cold days complete busts. But the trend is, for both morning and evening hunts, is cooler lows and cooler highs produce about twice the sighting rates as the warmest lows and highs. As for wind, the lighter the better. East winds produce the highest buck observations.

The moon is an odd one. I look at moon data a little differently than most. I've always assumed, that if the moon has an influence, it is because of the amount of light it produces at night. So I evaluate the moon by the percent of the surface that is illuminated, which is a backhanded way of looking how much light it produces. I also look at these percentages based on whether the moon is waxing or waning. As I've been able to add more and more data over the years, moon conditions (illumination and wax/waning) have basically all washed out, with one exception. There is a lull in hunter observations of bucks when the moon is waxing (getting more full) from about 50% illuminated up to 99% illuminated. But this lull is only a drop in sighting rates of about 20%. However, this lull has proven very persistent over the years, and I don't know why.

 

[megalomaniac]

Yup... more old deer killed on Nov 15th on my farms than any other day... by FAR

 

[Speedwell-Hunter]

Oh, I have Powerpoint files with hundreds of graphs of this data. Endlessly mind-boggling info. Thank goodness I do this for a living or I would probably be divorced as well!

this is fascinating data. 12 years of data is awesome. when you say you do this for a living, that is deer management?

 

[JN]

For my own property, the hot dates are Nov. 7-9 and Nov. 18-21. And if you're looking for the best post-rut date, Dec. 9-11.

Same dates I try to go by at my places. Some of the guys are convinced the rut in this area is in dec but it is not true on what I have seen from cameras and being in the woods. Majority of them also don't hunt much till rifle and I have said they are missing the best part of the season not hunting early nov.

 

[Ski]

There is a lull in hunter observations of bucks when the moon is waxing (getting more full) from about 50% illuminated up to 99% illuminated. But this lull is only a drop in sighting rates of about 20%. However, this lull has proven very persistent over the years, and I don't know why.

That is interesting to me because I've always heard old timers claim they kill their biggest bucks on a waning moon. I never put much stock in it because I've personally not noticed a difference. But your consistent average of 20% is telling. As with any "average" there are highs and lows, so it's quite plausible some hunters are actually seeing noticeable correlation between the moon and deer movement, while others like me are seeing zero correlation. I very well may be seeing the bottom factor of the average. Even with a low overall average there has to be a peak, and whoever is experiencing that peak will swear the moon has a huge effect on buck movement.

East winds produce the highest buck observations.

Agreed. It's the rarest of wind directions for our area, opposite the prevailing west winds. My theory is that it occurs so infrequently, and sporadically shifty when it does, that bucks simply do not have as many safe bedding areas to deal with it. Not as many places to hide. All their best hiding places are for westerly winds, whether it be SW or NW or straight west. Bump a buck out of bed on a west wind & he'll have a hundred other beds he can choose from. Bump him out of an east and his second and third choice options are limited.

 

[BSK]

this is fascinating data. 12 years of data is awesome. when you say you do this for a living, that is deer management?

Being a scientist focused on deer biology and management. I've been publishing scientific articles on the topic since the late 90s.

 

[BSK]

That is interesting to me because I've always heard old timers claim they kill their biggest bucks on a waning moon. I never put much stock in it because I've personally not noticed a difference. But your consistent average of 20% is telling. As with any "average" there are highs and lows, so it's quite plausible some hunters are actually seeing noticeable correlation between the moon and deer movement, while others like me are seeing zero correlation. I very well may be seeing the bottom factor of the average. Even with a low overall average there has to be a peak, and whoever is experiencing that peak will swear the moon has a huge effect on buck movement.

At almost every percentage illumination, waning outshines waxing. I assumed this was because when the moon is waxing, it is up in the sky at sunset, while a waning moon is up in the sky at first light. But I looked at this as an explanation, and it didn't hold water.

Agreed. It's the rarest of wind directions for our area, opposite the prevailing west winds. My theory is that it occurs so infrequently, and sporadically shifty when it does, that bucks simply do not have as many safe bedding areas to deal with it. Not as many places to hide. All their best hiding places are for westerly winds, whether it be SW or NW or straight west. Bump a buck out of bed on a west wind & he'll have a hundred other beds he can choose from. Bump him out of an east and his second and third choice options are limited.

You may be on to something there. And it is our rarest wind direction.

 

[JDG51]

2nd and 3rd week of November

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Agreed. It's the rarest of wind directions for our area, opposite the prevailing west winds. My theory is that it occurs so infrequently, and sporadically shifty when it does, that bucks simply do not have as many safe bedding areas to deal with it. Not as many places to hide. All their best hiding places are for westerly winds, whether it be SW or NW or straight west. Bump a buck out of bed on a west wind & he'll have a hundred other beds he can choose from. Bump him out of an east and his second and third choice options are limited.

East winds produce the highest buck observations.

I can't stand an east wind. I think the deer prefer it. Most all our stands are based on all wind directions EXCEPT an E wind. It's just the way our land lays out and neighboring properties with pines and clear cut to our west and north. That's typically when I go mobile and get in a climber, my saddle, or on the ground somewhere (even though I hate sitting on the ground).

It's funny you mention this E wind scenario. I killed our 2 biggest bucks and one other mature buck on an E wind. I don't think I've ever looked at it this way. Maybe I will learn to love an E wind now ? I need to reevaluate this. On the surface, it appears they may be taking advantage of this. And I happen to be in random spots, sometimes lucky to be picking them off. Interesting for sure.

 

[Speedwell-Hunter]

Being a scientist focused on deer biology and management. I've been publishing scientific articles on the topic since the late 90s.

Wow, you have the best job out of anyone on the forums. that is awesome!

 

[Kyboy]

I had a big 7/8 year old buck that would just show up randomly throughout the years, big 8 point with 10-11 inch brows. He hardly ever would be there two days in a row. Started tracking him when he would show up, and it was always on a east wind. Just figured that out this year, now to find where he beds on that wind and maybe tack him down next year. Just interesting that this big buck likes my farm on a east wind.