When I'm Seeing the Deer...

[Mike Belt]

Between me and my neighbor (mostly my neighbor who keeps a feeder filled) I've been watching the deer feed for the last 1 1/2 months. Early mornings I've seen 3-5 deer feeding. Late afternoons it's always 17-25 deer feeding. For what it's worth, afternoon hunting around archery opener may pay off better than morning hunting. I've always felt that you stand a better chance at a quality buck afternoon hunting during early archery season.

 

[catman529]

I killed my first deer with a bow last year on October 5 between 4 and 5 pm. And the next deer after that on the 12th was at the same time of day. They were both good sized does.

 

[Marlin308]

I definitely see more deer in the evening - especially in the early season. My problem with hunting in the evening during bow season is the dang skeeters and no seeum's. I'm not convinced deer can't smell the thermocell (since I can) so I only use it when I can't take it anymore. Not gonna ruin my scent control with Off.

It never fails the deer start piling out just when I start getting eaten alive. I'm sure I've spooked my share of good bucks swatting them away from my face and ears right before dark as my patience has faded.

 

[barkscaler]

I definitely see more deer in the evening - especially in the early season. My problem with hunting in the evening during bow season is the dang skeeters and no seeum's. I'm not convinced deer can't smell the thermocell (since I can) so I only use it when I can't take it anymore. Not gonna ruin my scent control with Off.

It never fails the deer start piling out just when I start getting eaten alive. I'm sure I've spooked my share of good bucks swatting them away from my face and ears right before dark as my patience has faded.

I too see more deer in the evenings too.Last year was the first year I used thermacell,and I seemed to get busted more times than usual,but only when there was no wind,while the thermals were dropping.I quickly learned when there was no wind to kill the thermacell.With that being said,I definiatley wouldn't go without mine.

 

[bowriter]

I started using ThermaCell the first year it was available. I used it mostly hunting in Canada for both bear and whitetails. I have used it on many occasions here when hunting on the river. It is a way of life when hunting Alabama. Conservatively speaking, I would estimate I have used it on well over 150-days.

To date, I have seen no evidence it spooks game, nor have I ever heard anyone claim it does. Can they smell it? I am sure they can. Does it spook them? Not to my knowledge. Will waving your hands at insects spook game? I am sure it will.

As for evening v morning hunting. If you are hunting an agricultural food source, afternoons are always best. If it is a woodland food source, it is about evenly split. I huntonly woodland sources and I killed nine of the 12-deer I killed last year in the morning.

However, I hunted more in the mornings than in the afternoon.

 

[102]

I agree bowriter. Last season, of the 16 deer that I killed, from late September Mid January, 10 were morning deer while 6 were evening deer. But I hunted more evenly between mornings and evenings.
And MOSTLY woodland food sources.

As far as Thermacell, I do not and have not used them.

Several of my friends do, and have not regrets.

 

[barkscaler]

If the deer smells a hunter,plus the thermacell,I would only think that they would associate the smell of thermacell with human.

 

[bowriter]

That is exactly why we use Old Spice when putting food in the bear bait buckets. of course, it does cause more rain.

 

[Super8]

Didn't see a shooter Buck but plenty of deer
Coming from bean fields early 7:30-9:00 am
and returning to bean fields evenings 6:30-7:20
Bedding near the field edges but all that will change soon

 

[deerhunter10]

I see more deer in the evenings for the most part til around juvenile season but ill still be there in the mornings!