What’s been your most productive time of day hunting mule deer? (Poll)

Founder · Oct 23, 2024

What’s been your most productive time of day when mule deer hunting, specifically in October?

Simpleton · Oct 23, 2024

Tough to pick one. As I think back about the best bucks I've killed, there are some in each of those time frames.

Smokepole · Oct 23, 2024

When the buck hits the ground and stays there!

woodturner · Oct 23, 2024

I clicked on "Mornings" as that is when I enjoy hunting deer the most. Mostly Blacktails......but a few muleys too.
Mornings is when I work the hardest at it.

Buckfever34 · Oct 23, 2024

Morning well after sunup if it’s “cool.”

First light if it’s smokin hot.

feddoc · Oct 23, 2024

Either the first or last half hour of light when I hunted southern CO.

I've only been hunting up here for 3 years. Up here it seems to be first half hour through mid day.

Lotsa pressure in CO. No pressure here.

2lumpy · Oct 23, 2024

Early and later, about equal but I honestly can’t remember. Enough during mid day that I’m still hunting, early, middle, and late.

If only allowed to hunt a half hour a day, it would be at first light.

Mallardsx2 · Oct 24, 2024

I killed my biggest bucks of my life at daylight and noon.

hossblur · Oct 24, 2024

Talked with my son's about this.

All the deer we've killed since the oldest started coming 14 years ago, have been 10-11 am.

Wild, because in my head I'd say first light is killing hour.

Not sure I've ever killed a deer late afternoon,.

Buckfever34 · Oct 24, 2024

hossblur said:
Talked with my son's about this.

All the deer we've killed since the oldest started coming 14 years ago, have been 10-11 am.

Wild, because in my head I'd say first light is killing hour.

Not sure I've ever killed a deer late afternoon,.

Hey Hoss, I'd say about the same goes for me. You turn up a lot of bucks in the first hour of good glassing light but often time you gotta wait on em to bed up before making the move. So, killin time that you posted would be about the same for me.

I've only killed a couple bucks during evening hunts.

WHT_MTNMAN · Oct 24, 2024

Mornings before and after sun up is the most productive time to see mule deer bucks. Mid day is the best time to kill them.
My experience at least.

yoteduster · Oct 24, 2024

This year in Utah's general season ( now) its been late afternoon and evening right at sundown the full moon has been putting them to bed before daybreak but the last couple of days the mornings have been getting better..but normally mornings have been the best for me..

nontypical · Oct 24, 2024

Can we pick all 5? Seems like it's pretty random to me. Since legal light here is 1/2 hour before sunrise and the same after sunset, I would eliminate those 2 because of the short time frame and have to go with after sunrise, but I've killed bucks at all hours of the day.

DaveD · Oct 24, 2024

I have taken my two best, and 8 of my top 10 mule deer in the last 30 minutes of light. I don't mind walking out in the dark so staying until I can't see has worked numerous times for me.

eelgrass · Oct 24, 2024

If it's hot and dry, blacktails are usually bedded by daybreak. (opening day excepted). Between 11am and 2pm is a good time to catch them moving. A great time to take a ride and do a little road hunting. The last hour before dark can be good too, but to answer the question most of my bucks came from a noon drive about. I'm not proud. Whatever works.

If it rains go and stay out from daylight to dark.

Nebraskahunter · Oct 24, 2024

Out of my last 8 bucks all but 2 have been killed between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm. All 8 of them were spotted in the morning with most of them having been pre-scouted. Average lab aged of 5+ years old.

woodturner · Oct 25, 2024

eelgrass said:
If it's hot and dry, blacktails are usually bedded by daybreak. (opening day excepted). Between 11am and 2pm is a good time to catch them moving. A great time to take a ride and do a little road hunting. The last hour before dark can be good too, but to answer the question most of my bucks came from a noon drive about. I'm not proud. Whatever works.

If it rains go and stay out from daylight to dark.

I have to agree with Eelgrass.......if it rains - spend all day at it.

Founder · Wednesday at 6:15 PM

Let's hear more of you! Also, we've got some good response to this topic on the Monster Muleys FB feed. Take a look here...>>>

MonsterMuleys.com

🦌 Hunters, we want to hear from you! 🌄 We’ve got a new poll up in the Mule Deer Forum on Monster Muleys asking “What’s been your most productive time of day when mule deer hunting, specifically in...

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doz · Wednesday at 8:03 PM

Founder said:
Let's hear more of you! Also, we've got some good response to this topic on the Monster Muleys FB feed. Take a look here...>>>

MonsterMuleys.com

🦌 Hunters, we want to hear from you! 🌄 We’ve got a new poll up in the Mule Deer Forum on Monster Muleys asking “What’s been your most productive time of day when mule deer hunting, specifically in...

www.facebook.com

Maybe I missed the post, but what is your opinion?

For me? I love hunting the early morning but PM deer have been more successful.

iowacity · Wednesday at 8:06 PM

Odd, thinking of hunting mule deer over the last few years, I see most of the deer in the early morning, but out of all the deer I’ve killed in the last 5 years, over half have been late afternoon or early evening.

elkassassin · Wednesday at 8:16 PM

The F'N Moon Will Screw With You And On Different Days It's Gonna Be Different!

doz · Wednesday at 8:18 PM

elkassassin said:
The F'N Moon Will Screw With You And On Different Days It's Gonna Be Different!

What about the Utard spotlighters? Does that change deer movements?

Founder · Thursday at 9:47 AM

doz said:
Maybe I missed the post, but what is your opinion?

For me? I love hunting the early morning but PM deer have been more successful.

For me, I think it's imperative that I'm where I need to be before daylight. But the most big bucks I've taken has been mornings after sun up.

I did take my biggest buck ever right at sunset. I actually was trying to shade my scope with my hand because I was looking directly into the sun.

eelgrass · Thursday at 10:01 AM

Founder said:
For me, I think it's imperative that I'm where I need to be before daylight. But the most big bucks I've taken has been mornings after sun up.

I did take my biggest buck ever right at sunset. I actually was trying to shade my scope with my hand because I was looking directly into the sun.

One morning I hiked up the mountain in the dark. I came to an old log landing and decided to wait there until it got light enough to see good. As it got lighter, two foxes came into the landing, and one was chasing the other. They made a couple circles and came right for me! When they got too close, I kicked my foot out and nailed one. They took off into the brush and started barking at me. They blew my cover big time.

elkantlers · Thursday at 11:03 AM

The big ones come out at night.

yoteduster · Thursday at 11:23 AM

Over all the years I've hunted I've killed good bucks at last light,right at sunrise,mid morning and mid day I think alot it depends on the deer ie how much pressure is on them,the weather,the moon phase,the terrain they're living in and other factors..if I know where a big buck is living I'm there before day break and stay there till dark every day..sooner or later he's going to give me a crack at him