Early /Bow season and afternoons???

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I rarely see any good bucks during bow season,been at least 5 years.I vary how and where I hunt,try all sorts of different locations.Just wondering what people do that are killing/seeing good bucks during early season?

Also,even during Nov,when we are seeing chasing in the morning,I rarely if ever see any chasing in the afternoon,and rarely any good bucks in the afternoon.Any thoughts?

4 of us are hunting about 800 acres,I don't think its the pressure,as 2 of the guys don't hunt but a couple times a year.
 
Speaking on the rut/chasing in Nov, I mostly see/hear chases right at dark, just before and after legal shooting light. I've been coming down out of my stand at times and have deer blow(run) by under my stand, hearing the grunts of a buck in chase, but not being able to see them. This is not to say that I don't see most activity in the mornings, just what activity I see in the evenings is usually really late.
 
bow season food sources food sources food sources by thick bedding areas is ideal. acorns persimmons greean soy beans I see a whole lot of big deer early season but evenings seem to be the best I hunt mornings but I stay very out of the edges. as far as chasing in November If the rut is rocking I see chasing all day long. but we have food I think it makes a differences may not but we have food every where all over our farms. November I get in some crazy thick cover because it seems that the big deer chase thicket to thicket. I gun hunt just like a bow hunt I set up all my spots like I am going to bow hunt them I think that helps. in November pick a good day with a good wind and a good moon phase and sit all day 9 times out of 10 itll blow your mind how good the hunting can be in the middle of the day. 10-2. but for early bow season early morning late afternoons key in on acorns and food.
 
IMO- u got 7 maybe 10 days of bow season to see a good buck, then it's over till November. In my opinion you do better to hunt all 7 days opening week and none the rest of bow season...
 
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I'm primarily a morning hunter year round but on the afternoons I've hunted percentage wise comparing morning versus evening hunts, I've seen some great bucks just at dark....especially in early archery season.
 
I killed my 2nd biggest buck during bow season about 8 in the morning on Oct. 21st. I have also seen shot a good one right at dark early bow ( opening day ). Just depends on the spot I guess.
 
I can only think of about ten mature bucks I've seen in 23 years in early bow season.All of them were in the evenings,and focusing on white oaks.We have 20 acres of beans,and see very few deer eating them while the acorns are falling.By the time the acorns are gone,the beans are dried out,and the deer start to hit them again.Then within a couple of days,the farmer will harvest them,and then I only hunt thickets with plenty of browse.
 
I tend to see more buck movement around 10am to 12 ish then late in the afternoon. Some mornings I don't even go out on stand till 8ish, early bow season that is,
 
I killed my biggest 7 days into the season 3 years ago. I was hugging a bedding area and he only gave me the first 30 min of light and the last 30 minutes. I went in one day around lunch and all the deer I had on camera eased into the field about 45 minutes before dark. I heard a twig break behind me and then my heart started racing out of my chest. It was him! The first thing I said was oh deer lord, you gonna have to hold it together! Man oh man Trail cameras don't do them justice. He stopped at the edge of the wood line and watched the field for about 15 minutes. Aint never been that shook up ! Sorry for the story, but I sure love telling it. Still makes the hair stand up on my arms.
 
I hunt the first week of bow like it's peak rut cause that's about as long as you have before the bigger bucks get educated and change. Seen a few more in the mornings than I have the evenings. That last 30 min of light is when your gonna have the best chance at him. That's where a lot of people mess up. Their blood hungry and shoot (I will admit to it) the first thing that comes by but if you're on some good ivory his education has been handed to him as soon as he hears it.
 
Had lots of pictures of mature bucks on a food plots the first couple weeks of season last year in the mornings and afternoons. They had me patterned better than I had them though. They were there about every day following the day I hunted. This field is right on the edge of a thick, sanctuary, bedding area.
 

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