Middle of Night Images

[phade]

Dating back to 2019, I’ve really started to shift my perspective on middle of the night images always or almost always being discounted as a buck could be far away from daytime area use. In 2019, I couldn’t hunt the way I usually do due to my back injury so I often spent time in easy access blinds and those areas also had a lot of our cameras which I wasn’t moving around because I simply couldn’t get around.

I noticed a higher than anticipated connection to middle of night images of bucks and seeing them the next day in that vicinity. At one point during the rut, I was seeing those bucks more than 50% of the time that next day getting an overnight pic. It stood out more because I was so limited in the places I could “hunt” if you will and I spent a lot of all days in the woods, more than normal. But the same connection, albeit a lower rate, still happened during late season and the following year I saw it also happen in early season.

In the following years, I have paid attention to it and at times made moves off of it. I wish I kept formal data on this theory. I will say a few of the bucks I’ve shot since fit this connection. It’s certainly not 100% foolproof as there are plenty of situations where bucks move a lot at night. But there are scenarios where I think it’s worth looking at:

1 Early season warm weather after it has set in a few days. My guess is that bucks just won’t move as far of a distance at times once a warm spell has locked in. 

2 The busier times of the rut. Does go into estrous and a buck overnight might clue you in on being there the next day as bucks sometimes will stick around a doe or doe group in that vicinity.

3 Late season - I haven’t yet figured out any specific scenarios like warm spells or cold spells or pressure, but this portion of the season, those next day appearances seem to stick out more, mostly because older buck sightings in daytime seem rarer due to the pressure and impacts of the season to date. I’ve killed a few bucks using this data in late season.

It seems like there is a connection between an overnight pic and increased likelihood of that deer showing up in that vicinity in daytime that following day - from sun up to sun down. Beyond what we historically give credence to for an overnight image.

Latest example here: This buck is one we have sheds of, but spent no time on our ground this summer and we thought maybe he moved on or died somehow. We got one image of him in early October and then nothing again for two more weeks. He started showing about a week ago more regularly in the evenings. The earliest image we had of him was at the end of legal light one time - right around 7PM. The rest were shortly after. But no middle of night or day photos of him.

Overnight two nights ago, this buck was picked up on cam between 11-Midnight. He was in a food plot. Spent about 2-3 min in front of cam so we got 10 ish images of him to know it’s him.

Fast forward to yesterday PM and this same buck is out in an open plot in the 80 degree weather at 5:45PM a mere 50 yards from where he was picked up on cam overnight. He proceeds to spend time in the plot and move out toward ag fields well before dark. The plot’s location is close to bedding, actually tight to it. But this buck is another example of there being some relevancy to overnight images in certain scenarios (which I may or may not have right). This buck had not yet made a daylight appearance beforehand on the property based on cams and sightings. Plausible he could have somewhere but I have a lot of cameras on this spot of cover. 15 cams on about 15 acres of cover / plots and we have sat a fair amount of observation stands.

I do not write articles for rags nowadays but I’ve been thinking about tracking this more officially and maybe putting one together.

 

Edited October 23 by phade

[E J]

I think its a solid theory and you have me thinking about it. I'm going to try to see if I see similar things occurring at my place.

[grampy]

Very interesting post! We will start paying more attention to night pictures, and how they may relate to daytime sightings!! Great observation phade. I like how you are always thinking, and piecing together information. Thanks for sharing with us here!

[mowin]

I've often had a buck show up after dark, and was surprised to get another picture of him during daylight in the same location. 

My nephew got a midnight pic of a decent 8pt he was after just outside a bedding area.  Didn't think he'd see him in daylight, but 9am the next morning he showed up. Unfortunately missed. Neighbor ended up getting him opening day of rifle. 

Edited October 23 by mowin

[NYBowhunter]

Phade your observations due hold validity, I have been doing this for years and have produced two nice bucks in the last 3 seasons with this very same logic. It was 2 seasons ago we were after a buck that we had seen in daylight but  couldn't connect in the early season, he showed up on camera at night nose to the ground I believe it was day after the rifle opener. I went to that stand the very next morning, remember like it was yesterday, wind was blowing like crazy and snow was coming in sideways  and low and behold here he comes at 8am nose to the ground. If I had not gone to that stand I would have never known he was there as he passed about 75 yards away from the reveal but still within range of my rifle.  Also last year I was routinely get pics of a very wide, huge bodied 7 pointer, I stuck it out and shot him 4 days later at 8am. There's definitely something to up your odds  when I get night pics of bucks im after, it might not be the very next morning, but it has paid off if you stick it out.

[Nontypical]

I agree with everything that was said. I have had success during the early season, rut, and especially the late season harvesting mature bucks after getting night pics in the area. 

[2BuckBizCT]

Easier for me to track bucks on cam vs. sightings since I don't have a ton of shooters. That being said, if I get a buck on cam during hunting season no matter what time it is that usually means they are close and we either see it in person or get a daytime pic of it within the next day or two. It may be a different cam a few hundred yards away. I guess my point is come November, anytime pic of a good buck is a great sign for my spots.

[Robhuntandfish]

Only thing I have noticed is if I get multiple bucks on the same cam at night I generally see them also during the day. Which I always equated with possible having a hot doe in the area. As opposed to a lone buck I generally don't see them during the day if I got a night pic.   

[ZAG]

I’m hoping this theory works for me this evening!

[phade]

8 minutes ago, ZAG said:

I’m hoping this theory works for me this evening!

Hopefully. It’s not foolproof by any stretch. I feel like it’s more common during consistent stretches maybe in early season. Not so much in front changes, but hey, who knows!

[dbHunterNY]

i can agree with this. especially pre-rut. some bucks are Nomads but honestly they don't seem to survive anyway to figure that out. i do know for years we'd night before opening day they'd be shot in the morning not far from where they were spotted the night before.