MID-DAY WHITETAILS
by Ryan Walker

The cool, crisp November air leads many Michiganders into their favorite fall festivities. The final fleeting moments before the long, cold winter months set in provide a great chance to create long lasting memories. The eleventh month of the year includes hot cider, Thanksgiving, football games and drastically changing weather. Another annual November tradition is the whitetail deer-breeding season, otherwise known as the rut. Whether it be archery season during the first two weeks of November or the firearm season that follows, the rut means deer activity all day long. One time slot that can produce buck action is the middle of the day.

As the daylight hours shorten and your responsibilities increase, it allows fewer hours to place your tag on a buck. A possible alternative to hunting early mornings and evenings is to focus on late morning and early afternoon. The 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. hours normally signal a slowdown in deer movement. However, during the rut there isn’t a moment of consistent rest. A hunter needs to know what to look for in a mid-day stand location. Having a pre-hunt strategy can increase the odds more in the hunter’s favor.

Prior to pursuing your quarry, you should locate a prime ambush location. The general rule for the rut is find the does, and the bucks won’t be far behind. I have found two locations that seem to draw deer during the middle of the day. The first deer magnets are grass fields. Tall switch grass and ragweed fields provide bucks and does a place to lie down after playing mating game tag. The security of these fields provides deer a sense of safety that encourages movement. Any valleys or funnels in these areas can be used by deer as travel corridors.

Another great mid-day deer corridor is a ridge. Does seeking food or heavy cover will use ridges to get from point A to point B. The action on a ridge can be fast and furious if you’re in the right place at the right time. Whether you find mid-day bucks in a grass field or a ridge, keep in mind patience is a virtue. If you are willing to put in your time, you could experience an amazing outdoor adventure.

If sitting silently for hours around lunch is impossible for you, there is an alternative. Take your grunt tube and estrous bleat in order to drum up your own action. Soft, high-pitched grunts intended to simulate a young buck could drive a bigger buck insane with jealousy. I like to throw in a doe estrous bleat every so often to give the impression that a young buck is chasing a doe. When calling during mid-day, stay vigilant at all times. Through experience I can attest to the fact that you never know when Mr. Big may sneak in on your calling to see who is invading his personal space. It’s a blow to your ego to start another grunting sequence and realize a buck is staring at you. The white flag you see leaving may signify your last chance for the season.

Even though mid-day is often when most hunters come in for lunch or a short nap; it can also be your chance to fill your tag. Find where you think deer are spending their afternoons and establish a game plan for success. If you’re not successful, at least you got to spend more time in Michigan’s wildlife wonderland.