Nocturnal deer

[greatwhite]

So I always here about Nocturnal deer and there seem to be some at our stands.
Has anyone ever had luck in getting these deer to change and move closer to morning or earlier in the afternoon?
Maybe the only option is to still hunt for them in areas that you suspect they might be.

[Bowjob]

So I always here about Nocturnal deer and there seem to be some at our stands.
Has anyone ever had luck in getting these deer to change and move closer to morning or earlier in the afternoon?
Maybe the only option is to still hunt for them in areas that you suspect they might be.

we are having the same problem here, i put in a camera in some thick bush where i suspect the to be roaming possibly during the day, if i still dont get any pictures there i might move it again to the thick swamp to see if theyre lurking in there during the day thats the last possible thing i can think of. i have a bunch of pictures of bucks but only at night as well. i have a few smaller bucks during the day but only running after a doe, im also thinking maybe they just know no ones coming to see them at night and its safer to go eat then and they go retreat back into the thick swamp during the day to bed down?

[smitty55]

GW If you have an idea where the deer bed and where they feed, whether its farmers crops, or mast in the hardwoods once they're dropping, or even a bait site, then if the property allows the solution is to set up a stand along the likely travel routes from their bedding areas and catch them moving before dark. Doesn't need to be anything fancy at all, it's just a spot, but a ground blind can be handy through the seasons when the weather gets crappy. Then again, my most productive spot ever in many years of deer hunting a huge chunk of crown land north of a lake up in Renfrew county was sitting on a small folding camping stool that I carried everywhere and parked in front of this huge boulder. Turns out it happened to be maybe 50 yards from a little beaver dam on this creek that branched off a major swamp chain so it was the first crossing for well over a half mile back. Buddy called it the meat locker lol. It's all about location and understanding the topography in the end, every year up there we would travel further back and learn more territory. We were in the bush for for the whole day, my spot was a 40 minute tour back in the dark to my morning sit.
Cheers

[MikePal]

Best chance of getting a chance on a nocturnal buck, until the Rut, is to hunt way back in the bush. Catch them on a transition trail moving to/from a bed down area in the early morning or late afternoon.

[greatwhite]

It's early yet so he could change. But I will scout out where he is hanging out, I suspect the cedars, near the field.

[greatwhite]

We have not put any salt out and I was wondering if a salt and mineral licks might also help?

[gbk]

We have not put any salt out and I was wondering if a salt and mineral licks might also help?

Interesting question-general opinion is-NO,deer will not pay nearly as much attention to the salt in the fall, then in the spring.
However-only by trying you may figure out...................please keep us posted.Would be interesting to know.

[Species8472]

Bait almost always results in a significant percentage of the deer visiting becoming nocturnal. The more available the bait is the more likely it is this will happen. I.E if you put out a lot of bait and there is always food available at the bait you almost certainly turn most of your deer nocturnal. The deer know we have something to do with the bait as our scent will always be left behind every time we visit. If there is always food there they quickly figure out to only show up at night when risk is minimized.

Limit the amount of bait you use. Vary your schedule (don't always go on the same day of the week). Let the bait run out periodically. Only go out to re-bait in the pouring rain - this will reduce the scent contamination of the site. All this keeps them guessing and while no guarantee it will improve the odds of sightings during legal hours.

Also as other have said those deer are somewhere during the day. Find out where and hunt the travel corridors close to those areas.

Everyone always talks about the rut being the answer to seeing those elusive big bucks. They are not wrong strictly speaking but there are more options for big bucks than the rut. The 3 biggest bucks i have taken were all in late December. Pattern them - i.e find out their day time bedding areas and what their primary food source is. All 3 of those big bucks were ambushed close to their beds in mid afternoon. To do this you have to have boots on the ground for a significant number of hours scouting to get good intel and your setup has to be mobile (mostly i use a ghillie suit and just sit anywhere with a bit of natural cover). A few cameras and a bait pile isn't going to cut it.

I have tracked my deer kills in a database for the last 20 years (and wish i started 20 years before that) and record every detail about every success i can think of. Since i started tracking the data i have taken 69 deer (additionals and party hunting) in those 20 years and although some were on bait and some were during the rut most were neither of those. They have primarily been ambush close to bedding areas.

He doesn't post much anymore but you could try shooting Skeeter a pm for advice. Skeeter is good people and has taken more deer than anyone i know and makes me look like an amateur. His man cave has more 150 inch+ bucks than the Cabela's and Bass Pro combined. All archery and no bait (at least that i know of).