Morning sit or afternoon sit?

[DouglasR]

alright,
Tomorrow’s opening day for white tails in Illinois and just my luck work got cancelled.
It was 90deg today, it’s gonna be 90 tomorrow.(10-15deg hotter than it’s been the previous 5 days) I don’t have anything patterned, it’s public land, just looking for something for the freezer. I know they’re there because I’ve found sign and seen them while I’ve been squirrel hunting the afternoons.
If you could only do a 4hr sit would you do the morning or afternoon?

 

[WalkingBird]

I've always leaned toward afternoon sits for deer, but that's mostly because I'd use the mornings to chase ducks.

If you're going in blind, or even semi-blind, I'd choose the afternoon to go in and pick out the tree you want in the daylight while the deer are bedded and wait for magic hour. If you try to slip in blind before daylight, you may miss your spot or choose an otherwise poor spot. I'd save the mornings for spots you've already got picked out

 

[kenton]

afternoon until last week of October

 

[DouglasR]

I’ve already got a tree picked out... Been down that road before lol.
I’m leaning towards afternoon.

 

[Eric.MN]

I like the advice walkingbird said above. I would think unless you already have a exact spot picked out I would hunt the evening. Then you can slip in there in the daylight and pick the spot that you think is giving you the best chance. I’ve set up on public ground before daybreak and kicked myself for a poorly placed stand at first light.
Good luck!

 

[DouglasR]

Would you walk in through the creek bottom or take the high road and skirt the open prarie/ag fields?

 

[Eric.MN]

When I slip into my stands I try to avoid crossing their paths I anticipate them coming down. Just last week with perfect wind in my favor I had a nice mature doe cross my in rout and fallow my steps to 5 yards from my tree and looked up and give me the stink eye. Luckily she didn’t figure me out but those big brown eyes starring at you makes ya nervous

 

[Pucky Freak]

Definitely afternoon. On a warm morning they're often out of sight before shooting hours begin. Re: walking in - just try to avoid likely bedding areas. Creek beds are great to walk in if they're clear. I can rarely pull this off though because they're almost always choked with deadfalls where I hunt, so my approach would be too noisy.

 

[WildWill]

Like everyone else said afternoon is usually best till the end of October. One exception I've found is if you can catch a all night rainstorm that ends around sun up morning can be pretty good. Bumping deer is your main problem hunting the morning early season.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Afternoons for sure.

Tomorrow’s our opening day here in New York and I’m passing on going out in the morning and opting for an afternoon sit instead.

 

[Bullshot]

As years go on, I hunt the opening MONTH less and less. Too warm, too many bugs. Getting a deer when it’s 90 degrees is a fire drill, and I can’t hang the meat to age. Mid Oct and later is the best time to be in the woods. But since you didnt ask about my worldview and only asked AM or PM, I concur with the above, sit PM and enjoy the magic hour.

 

[DouglasR]

Thanks everyone for the help! Do you guys use any scents this time of year?

 

[3855WIN]

Morning temps will be much more pleasant and you won’t be blood trailing in the dark.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I use a non-estrus doe wick until the 3rd week of October. Does seem to come in and sniff it more readily than bucks; big bucks are usually not fooled and will just stay hidden during daylight until their hormones take over