A high percentage of deer hunters hunt only mornings and afternoons. Those are productive times to hunt, and they’re when the primary deer movements usually transpire, even during the rut. But have you ever wondered what you’re missing by skipping all-day sits in the deer woods? Tremendous bucks are annually killed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. In fact, I shot my largest whitetail ever right at noon. Yes, you could be missing big-buck encounters by leaving your stand.
The reasons hunters leave the woods before midday vary. Some have other obligations, and that’s a part of life. Some get hungry and head for the local diner for a big breakfast and piping-hot coffee. Others become cold and leave the woods to thaw out. And others simply get bored and want a break. Some of those reasons have solutions, but we’ll get to that toward the end of the article.
Now, do you think you’re ready to give all-day hunts a whirl and see what you’ve been missing? Here are some considerations to guide you. Let’s review.
Option 1: Hot Days
Since the rut is ahead of us, I feel it’s important to highlight all-day sits as they relate to the rut. But, what about the early season? Not too many bucks are killed during the middle of the day during the early season when temperatures are warm and does aren’t in estrus. However, hot and dry conditions require deer to drink.
Out west, I’ve encountered deer on water sources at noon and around mid-afternoon while hunting over secluded water sources close to bedding areas. If the wind is ideal, you’re doing no harm by climbing into the stand several hours early. You might get lucky on a midday buck, but if not, you can still take advantage of the before-dark movements.
Option 2: The Rut
Of course, the rut is naturally a great time to hunt all day. But, when is the actual rut? Well, in Whitetail Pro, you can utilize the Nationwide Rut Map to not only learn about rut dates for your specific county but also identify dates for the rut’s different stages.
Zone in on the peak-rut and waning-rut dates. These are the most productive rut phases for all-day hunts, even if conditions don’t look great. All it takes to have a buck 20 yards away is for a hot doe to do something erratic and pull a buck past you. During the waning rut, bucks are usually running around frantically in broad daylight, especially after breeding a doe. It’s a free-for-all to find another willing doe.
Option 3: Gun Days
The midday hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are commonly less productive during the pre-rut and post-rut, but as I said earlier, gun season can make midday hunting productive during the post-rut due to the hunting-pressure influx. Hunters walking in and out midday can push deer onto escape routes and right toward your setup.
States like Kansas, Iowa and Ohio have firearms seasons that unfold during the post-rut when midday movement isn’t as high as during the peak rut. Regardless, the flurry of hunter activity will displace deer and move them around. In other words, a dead morning hunt can transition to lots of deer activity around midday as hunters make pushes or simply leave the woods to warm up and have lunch. Hold tight and get ready for the movement.
Option 4: High-Percentage Days
Outside of specific times of year, certain conditions call for it, too. Open your HuntStand Pro Whitetail app and study the Whitetail Activity Forecast. If you don’t have Pro Whitetail, you can upgrade here. The Whitetail Activity Forecast provides both a table and graph depicting peak movement days and times using percentage-based activity scores. Whenever the activity score rises above 70% during the midday hours, it’s a good idea to be in the woods.
There are instances when the activity score is more or less at the same percentage throughout the day. That means the midday could be equally productive to the usual morning and afternoon missions, thereby warranting an all-dayer. There are other instances when the activity score is lower during the morning and higher during the midday.
Option 5: When You Can Stay Comfortable
Discomforts often drive hunters from the woods. Nothing is more frustrating than when your stomach is growling, your fingertips are freezing, or the need to go No. 2 strikes. Fortunately, there are some suggestions to combat the discomfort.
On a normal non-hunting day, most folks eat regular meals. To thrive during an all-day sit, I suggest having different types of snacks. Pack a sandwich or two, but also take a protein bar, some nuts, dried fruit, jerky, etc. Ration your snacks to last throughout the day.
Do you have trouble staying warm? Perhaps you’ve had poor luck with hand, foot, and body warmers? If so, take it to the next level and purchase heated socks, heated gloves or mittens, a heated vest, and heated pants. If you love to hunt and want to sit all day, but struggle to stay warm, it’s a worthwhile investment.
Rut Riot: Whitetail Rut Biology and Tactics [HuntClass]
When nature calls, have some accommodations figured out. Obviously, you’ll need toilet paper. The safest and lowest-impact option for No. 2 is to climb down, walk downwind from your stand or blind, and then do your business quickly. If the ground isn’t frozen, use a stick to dig a hole. After you finish going, use that stick to cover the hole with dirt and leaves. This will minimize scent dispersal.
As for peeing, I know guys who freshen deer scrapes with their own urine, and I have yet to hear a report of a deer spooking. There are lots of different types of pee in the woods. What’s one more? So, I usually just pee from the stand. Another option is to carry some empty water bottles. (Sorry, ladies, I know this isn’t an option for you.) If none of the above works, carefully climb down and walk downwind of the stand to make it happen.
Finally, alternate between standing and sitting. This not only helps with blood circulation but also keeps your muscles loose, too. Look around and make sure that no deer are coming. Then, safely do a series of movements that stretch the muscles and get your heart rate up. If you’re in a blind, you have a lot more latitude to make movements unseen, but the disadvantage, at least with most pop-up ground blinds, is that you cannot fully stand unless you’re shorter than the blind roof.
Even with the best-laid plan, hunting all day is no simple task. But having quality gear makes it much simpler. Whether in a blind or treestand, choose options that make those all-day marathons easier to tackle.
How to Deer Hunt Public Land During the Rut
Ladder Stand:If hunting where your stand doesn’t need to be removed at the end of the day, go for a roomy two-person ladder stand, such as Muddy’s Maxim. When you’re hunting alone, the Maxim provides enough room to move around and stretch. If you prefer a smaller option, go with the one-person Odyssey XTL, which has nicely padded armrests and a comfy seat.
Portable Stand:If hunting on public land where your gear must be removed daily, consider Hawk’s Helium XL Hang-On. It has a nicely cushioned seat and a roomy 24×30-inch platform, but it weighs only 12 pounds and won’t weigh you down as you hike to the public parcel’s deepest reaches.
Box Blind:For colder conditions on private land, you’ll do well to park Muddy’s Bull Box Blindin your favorite location for an all-day patrol. The Therma-Tek insulated walls will provide shelter from the elements, and you’ll have plenty of room to stretch to keep your blood circulating and your muscles loose. Most hunters have the option to stand or sit with the 6 ½-foot-high ceiling, and the large windows provide excellent shooting coverage.
Pop-Up Blind:Hawk’s Revealpops up in seconds and features durable 600-denier material to withstand seasons of use. No one likes to stare through a small port all day long, so the see-thru window panels are welcome attributes that enhance visibility. Large enough for up to three hunters, the Reveal is nice and roomy when hunting alone with one partner.
Blind Chair:Whether you’re hunting from a box blind or pop-up ground blind, a cheap chair will cut off circulation and make it difficult to see 360 degrees. Boost comfort and visibility with Ameristep’s 360 Silent Swivel Chairas you scan for a midday buck. The legs even telescope to level the chair on uneven ground.
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When to Skedaddle
Now, there are times in which leaving your stand is better than sitting all day, even during the rut. Let me explain. Weather is mostly predictable, but we’ve all had instances on stand in which the wind is perfect but suddenly switches to dead wrong. Sure, bucks are somewhat less attentive to danger during the rut, but they’ll still usually smell you if the wind is wrong. If not, the doe probably will. So, you can either roll the dice and use an Ozonics ozone generator, or you can pull out and head for a stand where the wind will be better.
Another time to leave the stand is when you’re hunting terrain funnels that are productive in the morning and midday but less productive during the late afternoon. Hunt them up until 2 p.m., but then get out and quickly move to a food source that does are frequenting. You’ll still be hunting virtually all day long aside from the time it takes to move to the subsequent location, but you’ll be putting yourself in a more productive afternoon setup for the final daylight hours.
As I mentioned earlier, some tremendous whitetail kills are the products of all-day hunts. Those hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., at least during the peak rut and waning rut dates, can be ultra-productive. Follow the tips outlined herein to pull off some all-day sits this season. Even if you don’t kill a noon buck, I bet you’ll be amazed by what you see. Just be sure not to get caught with your phone in your hands when that monster appears.
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