Watching you with your daughter sitting there talking deer hunting sure makes me smile. My 14 year old daughter is hooked on deer hunting and i sure hope when she's your daughters age were sitting around a table talking about killable deer! Great content you guys.
Love your down to earth videos Bill! Really like how you are supporting your daughter’s passions while doing something else you love to do! I think this is just another reason the rut is so special…these big nocturnal bucks start to let their guard down!
Nailed that definition. People get way too technical with the term. We all know deer don't knock out and sleep 12 straight hours, but we have all seen fields fill up all evening and throughout the night. Nice merch. Gonna go support Jordan and get myself a sweatshirt. She should sign them. It would be cool to have when she becomes a star like dad.
Thanks Roy. I appreciate it. We may add a field to the order form asking whether or not the buyer wants the hats signed. Signing the underside of the hat bills is kind of cool. I would like that from just about anyone I bought a hat from. Have a great day.
You are spot on in your explanation. By Webster's definition, a bat is nocturnal, but aren't hunting bats. A whitetail buck learns by experience to "lay low" in daylight hours. When hunter's start leaving human scent in the woods all deer become acutely aware that are in danger, and mature whitetail bucks take it to the next level, period!! I have been bowhunting since the late 1960"s, and by our definition, many of them become nocturnal. And if a hunt doesn't learn this, and hunt accordingly, he/she is not now and never will be a top-notch mature whitetail buck hunter. Great videos and channel. Keep up the good work. Thanks from TN
Agree Derreck. Learning to understand how deer relate to everything in their world is how we can hope to stay one step ahead of them. It is the whole game really. Have a great day and thanks for the input.
I like what you said here. I have had this discussion with myself more than once. On public, I push closer to bedding. If I'm busted it's not that big a deal. On my private land I set up in safer locations. I don't want to risk pushing that buck off my property
Bill tell Jordan to link the website to the videos that will help for sure. I agree with the definition of nockturnal you use! The lull to me is more of a reaction to pressure from hunters, and location changing for breeding for the main rut, and maybe a little food changes at that time due to availability of certain foods. Just my thoughts.
Thanks Karl. Will do. I saw the lull every year on that farm in southern Iowa too, even though most of those deer never heard of (or saw) a deer hunter! I think it is related to their physiology as they prepare for the rut put in gear by rising testosterone. Also changing food sources (acorns) will affect where they travel during the day. But in areas with hunting pressure also, that shift to "nocturnal" would be even more pronounced. Have a great day.
YOU ARE THE MAN... I just met with a guy that sells redneck blinds... john in Princeton minnesota... you said he has met you and spoke highly of you and your daughter... he said you two are the nicest people....
Jeremiah, thanks for the comment. Yes, we enjoyed meeting John. He was a very nice man, and I understand, a very successful business man in that area. Hope you are doing well. Have a great day.
Great video, I think you guys did a great job of defining the difference between the scientific observations of nocturnal deer and what hunters observe as nocturnal deer. Really good information and explanation for the topic!!
I hunted Michigan for three seasons (1987-1989). Very tough hunting and I was in a pretty good area, too. I am sure there are some cooperatives now compared to none when I hunted there, but it is still a very heavily pressured state.
Great video! It’s a good subject! The movement from their bedding sure makes them look nocturnal. They likely find food near(very!) bedding and don’t hit late feeding until after dark. Hunting Close to the bedding area with perfect access/wind and low pressure. October shifts seem like a reaction to pressure causing them to find safe plots-! Thanks for another great video.
This was a very good subject about a subjective point of view which can become a sticky situation. I have a couple of examples over the last 30 yrs where I've come to a conclusion. There r nocturnal bucks & there r ghosts. One buck that happened to be every bit of 7 yrs old that lived on a nature center with no hunting. I was across the road from his bedding location for a 6 week permit only hunt. He was a B&C 14 point typical that would cross the busiest Highway in the state & would be in my area shortly after shooting time. I spotted him once late & w/o binocs I wouldn't had believed it. I would identify him as nocturnal. But closer to home with more hunting pressure was an buck of his equal. My uncle in his car is the only person I know that ever put eyes on him with the help of his headlights. Early November 1/4 mile from his house @ night. When he slowed the buck stopped & then slowly walked backwards & never turned until he was out of sight. About 3 years b4 his sighting I watched a buck in the area do the same thing to me. But he was maybe a 4 yr. old 10 point & it was October & later @ night. I would call this kind of behavior of a Ghost buck which my uncle who wasn't a hunter still calls The Hartford buck, which I don't think was ever even a whitetail. Congrats on the new Merch. 👏 It looks very nice.
Thanks Kurt. I think the fact that acorns are readily available during that same "October Lull" time also helps to keep the deer from moving much, but I still say it is mostly a biological/physiological thing brought on by increasing testosterone levels. They are just more secluded at that time than any other time of the season - not factoring in hunting pressure.
Great input. Thanks Joseph. There are some very secretive bucks out there, but I think eventually, if they live long enough, they all become killable with a bow. Have a great day.
Agree with everything you said. I think the only exceptions are huge undisturbed areas or that occasional deer with a personality that makes him less nocturnal. Cellular game cams are the big game changer to know when to strike.
Agree Nate. We have seen those bucks on the farm we had in southern Iowa. There were big areas there that never got hunted, but still most of the bucks "disappeared" from my trail cameras during the first three weeks of October. Some were still moving daylight in areas where I had cameras, but most weren't - even on that farm.
Great perspective on what defines a buck being nocturnal. Obviously we all know they're somewhere in daylight just not somewhere you can sneak in and kill them easily or without educating them. I know when I've been scouting and I hear a deer take off out of the blue he or she saw me and heard me long before I saw them. I was wondering if its possible to do a video on how you determine a bucks bedding area. I know it sounds simple but it just hit home with me this year cause I had a buck hit corn morning and evening and I knew that buck was bedded somewhere close by. I ended up killing him on Friday the 13th and its the only time I killed a buck I was actually after. Thanks for the great content Bill and Jordan.
Thanks Allen and congrats. I will give some thought to that topic. I have never tried to find a specific buck bed though I have run across a few over the years, but only a few. You can tell them usually by their size and location. Usually in a very secure location. But the size is the main thing. If it looks like they are used a lot, that spot may be worth considering as part of your hunting strategy, but I don't think I would specifically hunt a certain bed unless I was on public land or somewhere else that gets enough pressure that you need to be that aggressive. Otherwise, I would just hunt in a safer place nearby and let the rut or cold fronts get him on his feet and moving in daylight. Good luck.
Absolutely they can be pressured to be nocturnal, especially mature bucks. I watched several mature bucks over the years (just out of bow range...I was stuck in the stand all day) that bedded before sunrise and stayed there until right after shooting light. They did get up a few times and moved around in about a five to ten yard circle from their bed to browse and relieve themselves, but none of them left that intimate bedding area. That's about as nocturnal as you can get. Moral of the story is if you have the only hunting rights for a property, you have to have fool proof access to your stand and hunt the wind accordingly.
Great content. Nice job Jordan on the merch!! A couple merch ideas I think are cool are.... "Confidence Kills Big Bucks" teeshirt or "Buck in the truck 2023" hat or tee. A nocturnal big buck is likely just a buck that is winning at life because of their un-intentional lifestyle. What are your thoughts about setting up at 100 yards or less of bedding on known travel patterns of a public land nocturnal buck or on a buck that is located on a 500+ acre private plot? I get not screwing up a private land situation with limited acres , but what about close bedding set ups in multiple spots with known big bucks and taking the risks for a 1 and done set up?
Paul, thanks for the great input. I will pass that along to Jordan. Regarding public land, I would definitely take the risk there especially as you get deeper into the season. Maybe not right away unless the area gets hit hard right off the start. On very large private land, it is OK to hunt a little more aggressively too, as long as you aren't particular about which buck you shoot. Just don't get carried away, maybe just pick a couple of bedding areas. But, if you are hunting a specific buck then I would say no to that approach as the risk of bumping him and letting him know you are hunting him is too high. A big reason for that is the fact that you don't know exactly where he is bedding each day. Most bucks have multiple beds even on one ridge top. If you get it wrong you may really hurt your chances of killing him in that area at a time when he is more likely to be moving in daylight. Of course, hanging back and hunting trails into and out of the bedding area would be OK as long as you can do it without the deer knowing. Good luck.
Awesome video bill , I agree with you and would only add I think hunting pressure by going in at night early morning and bumping deer is the biggest contributing factor to October lull !!
It’s like a 1000% awesome your daughter is so interested and involved in bow hunting and learning from your years of hunting. 👍👍 IMO, deer ( and about any animal) “ become “ ? nocturnal because of some kind of pressure during their normal routine. Excess human activity teaches them these humans aren’t there during the night so they just change their patterns. I believe because of their ability to see etc etc at any hour this doesn’t effect their ability to function and survive easily. Good video and insight again. 👍👍
Tim, I appreciate the support. We are having a blast. I have seen bucks exhibit this same "nocturnal" behavior at certain ages and at certain times of the year even in areas that don't get much hunting pressure. It is possible that it is baked in from years of habit through the generations, but I think it is more than that. I think it is related to their testosterone levels rising and that causes them to become more reclusive for a few weeks right before the rut. Not all fall into this category, but the vast majority in my experience. Pressure only makes it worse. Have a great day.
Personally, I think it is both. I think it is a physiological change in the deer brought on by higher testosterone levels that causes them to be more reclusive during that time and I think it is also related to eating more acorns. But of the two, I think it is more physiological than anything because I see this reclusive behavior on poor acorn years too. Good input. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke Really good insight. I agree on both points. I tend to transition during that time to hunting acorns. I’m really enjoying your videos, they’re full of great content and years of proven knowledge!! Appreciate it!!
I don't think it is right to ban trail cameras on private land. Public land is another issue worth discussing as someone out there walking the trails is getting his/her picture taken. That is kind of awkward, I must agree. I am not sure where I stand on cell cameras. They are legal so I won't say they are wrong, but those may be more vulnerable to banning than standard trail cameras.
I once watched a buck bed down 90 yds from my stand. He stood up 4 times throughout the day but never moved more than 10 yards and only moved for a wind change and shade. He never made any movement until 15 minutes after sunset. Even being 90 yd from him I was almost too far away to kill him before end of legal.
I know it. I say for all intents and purposes, that is a nocturnal buck. He was not really vulnerable (other than sitting right on top of him) during daylight. Congrats on a great hunt and thanks for the input.
Would like to see a short video of the previous 2 deer you killed after moving. We've seen the pictures of the deer! looks like one of them is in this video?
No, unfortunately, that was during my "break". I was hunting a lease about five miles from the farm we bought and I wasn't filming those hunts. Was nice just to relax and go hunting again. By the way, it is much, much easier to kill deer when you don't have another person in the tree! Have a great day.
this is what i have learned in my years of hunting. bucks that are nocturnal on your property is because they are living somewhere else during the day. as most people will agree a mature buck may have up to a 2 miles home range, at night but not during the day. bucks may only move 100 to 200 hundreds while on their beds during the day. i have also experienced mature bucks on my property suddenly going “nocturnal” because i have spooked them off the property. after spooking i will get pictures of them at night, maybe, or maybe never see them again. sometimes they come back. not often though. just my two cents.
I think there are predictable times when they are likely to move more (farther) in daylight. Those times are right during and after a cold front passes and when the first doe comes into estrous in the buck's core area. Those are key times. Anytime during the rut when the buck is without a doe (which may not be often) he may go looking in daylight, although often this occurs at night. Occasionally, you will find them moving in daylight randomly, but those tend to be bucks that have a personality that makes them more of a daylight roamer by nature.
I agree that they are deer that are in the bedding area all day. The new cell phone cameras have shown me that. They move around a little bit, but are unhuntable. All we can do is wait for their pattern to change. Good clarification. Jordan if you want to know where the money is in this industry it's Father's that are willing to spend any amount of money to get equipment, or clothing that actually works for their daughters. My daughter and I have come out of large sporting good stores empty-handed many times because we couldn't find anything that fit her right! And Weatherby is the only rifle company I know making a woman's stock at this time. We need more women active on the industry side making gear accessible to girls and women. And men can't do that well we have proven that in the last 20 years.
@@specag31 Yea, but I don't want her to have to buy used military surplus gear because she is a girl. I would pay for her to have nice new gear she liked and was proud of. Girls I have found like clothing, and I want her to have things she likes. I spend way too much on my gear to go out and get her stuff that fits poorly, or is used. She has some Cabela's SHE gear she likes. But that's about the only company that we have found. Tell Men that they don't need Realtree or Mossy Oak gear they should just get used military clothing.
We have been talking with Code of Silence about offering a small women's line to see how that is received. Jordan can get by with their small size products, but the cut is a bit blocky for women. Good input. Have a great day.
I hunt vermin at night with Thermal optics and always see a bunch of deer. The funny part is when you are real close and they know something is there, but not what it is.
That's interesting. I always wondered if you could walk past a deer at less than 100 yards in the dark without spooking it, but I always assumed you could not. Good insight.
@@bill-winke I've had them walk past me within 10' when the wind was right and I was perfectly still. When you creep up on them they just freeze, and stare in your direction until they're spooked and slowly move away. Apparently they can't see at night ([per say), but they are very sensitive to environmental changes.
Sometimes, I’ve noticed, a strong cold front will make a mature buck move just outside of his comfort zone. Being the place where he spends most of his daylight time. Still not very likely to get a bow shot. Hence why we hunt from the fringes. Tell Jordan not to forget about us gen x people when designing hats. We like a curved brim and greys and blues. She’s going to be the face of female whitetail hunters at the pace she’s at. Enjoy it brother
Jay, that is a super good point. We have shot some really nice bucks during and right after an October cold front passes. That is the time when it seems that bucks that are otherwise not leaving their bedding areas before dark actually move sooner. As you state, it is one of the few green light opportunities on those kinds of bucks. Jordan is enjoying the process and the lifestyle, that is the main thing. We are having a blast. Have a great day.
I guess even the worst ones are killable if you guess right or somehow figure out exactly where they are bedding and can get in close enough. That is definitely the definition of the risk vs reward tradeoff.
very few deer are totaly nocturnal i had a buck that from his 4th to 7th year never got a day time pic , did not have a cam in his core area of about 20 ac . he would go out and about at least 3/4 mile at night lots of pics ,when he was 8 you would see him any time of the day. killed him at 2 pm on a food plot on halloween .
Lisa, that is very common behavior. They change a lot past age 6, in my experience. They become a lot easier to kill because they start to move over a much larger part of their range in daylight. I can give you tons of examples of that. Some younger bucks are daylight roamers, but the four and five year olds, as a group, tend to be less so. Good input.
Nocturnal to a deer hunter means that the target animal is MOSTLY active after dark. Intercepting this animal on a path to or from its "bedded" area is the goal. If you move in too close, it gets bumped. Too far away means it's too dark to kill. All deer are crepuscular. Older deer are more so.
I killed a 7.5yr old here in Pennsylvania. As a 4yr old I saw him only one time in daylight. As a 5yr old I got 2 daytime pictures of him Nov 10th n Nov 19th. Then at 6 he daylighted on those exact same days. This year he was a no show on the 10th but on the 19th he showed up n I was able to kill him
Also Bill, YOU NEED TO SPECIFY what general part of the country you are referring to. The midwest has EXTREMELY little to do with the southeast! VERY LITTLE!
Richard, for sure, terrain (in some cases) land use and ag are way different in the Midwest than the Southeast, but I have hunted the Southeast enough to know that the general behavior of the deer is the same. Where they feed and where they bed are often different due these terrain and land use factors mentioned, but their overall behavior is much the same. There are places in the Midwest where hunting pressure is very high too, so that translates well to both regions. Deer are basically the same everywhere I have hunted them (I have hunted whitetails in 16 states and four Canadian provinces), but "how" you hunt them is sometimes different depending on the terrain and land use (big timber vs ag fringe for example).
City deer are not nocturnal. I see a group of does feed every day around 3 pm. Mature Bucks that live outside city limits are most definitely nocturnal!
Richard, that has not been my experience. I have seen that as they get old, they become more daylight active. Up until age five they can be really tough, but after that (if they live that long) they become much easier.
Crepuscular. They are active or awake day and night They do most of their travel during edge of day and night mostly Nothing is 100% . Different during stages of the year
You can use whatever level you want. There is no one making anyone use any of these products. I don't use all the technology available, nor do lots of other hunters. Everyone finds the place along the spectrum from none to all that creates the most satisfaction for them.
Yes. I agree. Until you have others in your area using drones and other technology in unethical ways for hunting. That’s when I feel sorry for the bucks
Watching you with your daughter sitting there talking deer hunting sure makes me smile. My 14 year old daughter is hooked on deer hunting and i sure hope when she's your daughters age were sitting around a table talking about killable deer! Great content you guys.
Yes, I hope so too. Keep it fun and she will likely be there by your side. Have a great day.
Love your down to earth videos Bill! Really like how you are supporting your daughter’s passions while doing something else you love to do! I think this is just another reason the rut is so special…these big nocturnal bucks start to let their guard down!
Ryan, exactly. You never know what will come past in daylight when there is a hot doe in the area. Thanks for the comment and support.
Nailed that definition. People get way too technical with the term. We all know deer don't knock out and sleep 12 straight hours, but we have all seen fields fill up all evening and throughout the night. Nice merch. Gonna go support Jordan and get myself a sweatshirt. She should sign them. It would be cool to have when she becomes a star like dad.
Thanks Roy. I appreciate it. We may add a field to the order form asking whether or not the buyer wants the hats signed. Signing the underside of the hat bills is kind of cool. I would like that from just about anyone I bought a hat from. Have a great day.
You are spot on in your explanation. By Webster's definition, a bat is nocturnal, but aren't hunting bats. A whitetail buck learns by experience to "lay low" in daylight hours. When hunter's start leaving human scent in the woods all deer become acutely aware that are in danger, and mature whitetail bucks take it to the next level, period!! I have been bowhunting since the late 1960"s, and by our definition, many of them become nocturnal. And if a hunt doesn't learn this, and hunt accordingly, he/she is not now and never will be a top-notch mature whitetail buck hunter. Great videos and channel. Keep up the good work. Thanks from TN
Agree Derreck. Learning to understand how deer relate to everything in their world is how we can hope to stay one step ahead of them. It is the whole game really. Have a great day and thanks for the input.
I like what you said here. I have had this discussion with myself more than once. On public, I push closer to bedding. If I'm busted it's not that big a deal. On my private land I set up in safer locations. I don't want to risk pushing that buck off my property
Very good approach to balancing the risk vs reward tradeoff. Good input.
Bill tell Jordan to link the website to the videos that will help for sure. I agree with the definition of nockturnal you use! The lull to me is more of a reaction to pressure from hunters, and location changing for breeding for the main rut, and maybe a little food changes at that time due to availability of certain foods. Just my thoughts.
Thanks Karl. Will do. I saw the lull every year on that farm in southern Iowa too, even though most of those deer never heard of (or saw) a deer hunter! I think it is related to their physiology as they prepare for the rut put in gear by rising testosterone. Also changing food sources (acorns) will affect where they travel during the day. But in areas with hunting pressure also, that shift to "nocturnal" would be even more pronounced. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke Agreed. You also!
YOU ARE THE MAN... I just met with a guy that sells redneck blinds... john in Princeton minnesota... you said he has met you and spoke highly of you and your daughter... he said you two are the nicest people....
Jeremiah, thanks for the comment. Yes, we enjoyed meeting John. He was a very nice man, and I understand, a very successful business man in that area. Hope you are doing well. Have a great day.
Great video, I think you guys did a great job of defining the difference between the scientific observations of nocturnal deer and what hunters observe as nocturnal deer. Really good information and explanation for the topic!!
Thanks Cooper. I appreciate the support. Have a great day.
Great clarification on nocturnal and very nice job on the merch designs.
Thanks Finney. Much appreciated.
You nailed it Bill perfect example of Michigan nocturnal buck. It’s all the constant pressure. They know when it’s “ supposedly “ safe.
I hunted Michigan for three seasons (1987-1989). Very tough hunting and I was in a pretty good area, too. I am sure there are some cooperatives now compared to none when I hunted there, but it is still a very heavily pressured state.
Great video! It’s a good subject! The movement from their bedding sure makes them look nocturnal. They likely find food near(very!) bedding and don’t hit late feeding until after dark. Hunting Close to the bedding area with perfect access/wind and low pressure. October shifts seem like a reaction to pressure causing them to find safe plots-! Thanks for another great video.
This was a very good subject about a subjective point of view which can become a sticky situation. I have a couple of examples over the last 30 yrs where I've come to a conclusion. There r nocturnal bucks & there r ghosts. One buck that happened to be every bit of 7 yrs old that lived on a nature center with no hunting. I was across the road from his bedding location for a 6 week permit only hunt. He was a B&C 14 point typical that would cross the busiest Highway in the state & would be in my area shortly after shooting time. I spotted him once late & w/o binocs I wouldn't had believed it. I would identify him as nocturnal. But closer to home with more hunting pressure was an buck of his equal. My uncle in his car is the only person I know that ever put eyes on him with the help of his headlights. Early November 1/4 mile from his house @ night. When he slowed the buck stopped & then slowly walked backwards & never turned until he was out of sight. About 3 years b4 his sighting I watched a buck in the area do the same thing to me. But he was maybe a 4 yr. old 10 point & it was October & later @ night. I would call this kind of behavior of a Ghost buck which my uncle who wasn't a hunter still calls The Hartford buck, which I don't think was ever even a whitetail. Congrats on the new Merch. 👏 It looks very nice.
Thanks Kurt. I think the fact that acorns are readily available during that same "October Lull" time also helps to keep the deer from moving much, but I still say it is mostly a biological/physiological thing brought on by increasing testosterone levels. They are just more secluded at that time than any other time of the season - not factoring in hunting pressure.
Great input. Thanks Joseph. There are some very secretive bucks out there, but I think eventually, if they live long enough, they all become killable with a bow. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke Great info-! The biological drives seem pervasive-! They absolutely hunker down 👍 thanks for the reply!
awesome i been waiting for the merchandise great design !! will be ordering soon !!
Thanks Nelson. Much appreciated. Here is the direct link. Have a great day. shopbowhuntingwhitetails.com/
Great information guys! Awesome looking merchandise. 🦌
Thanks for the support Eric. Have a great day.
Agree with everything you said. I think the only exceptions are huge undisturbed areas or that occasional deer with a personality that makes him less nocturnal. Cellular game cams are the big game changer to know when to strike.
Agree Nate. We have seen those bucks on the farm we had in southern Iowa. There were big areas there that never got hunted, but still most of the bucks "disappeared" from my trail cameras during the first three weeks of October. Some were still moving daylight in areas where I had cameras, but most weren't - even on that farm.
Great perspective on what defines a buck being nocturnal. Obviously we all know they're somewhere in daylight just not somewhere you can sneak in and kill them easily or without educating them. I know when I've been scouting and I hear a deer take off out of the blue he or she saw me and heard me long before I saw them. I was wondering if its possible to do a video on how you determine a bucks bedding area. I know it sounds simple but it just hit home with me this year cause I had a buck hit corn morning and evening and I knew that buck was bedded somewhere close by. I ended up killing him on Friday the 13th and its the only time I killed a buck I was actually after. Thanks for the great content Bill and Jordan.
Thanks Allen and congrats. I will give some thought to that topic. I have never tried to find a specific buck bed though I have run across a few over the years, but only a few. You can tell them usually by their size and location. Usually in a very secure location. But the size is the main thing. If it looks like they are used a lot, that spot may be worth considering as part of your hunting strategy, but I don't think I would specifically hunt a certain bed unless I was on public land or somewhere else that gets enough pressure that you need to be that aggressive. Otherwise, I would just hunt in a safer place nearby and let the rut or cold fronts get him on his feet and moving in daylight. Good luck.
@@bill-winke Thanks for the advice Bill have a great day!
Absolutely they can be pressured to be nocturnal, especially mature bucks. I watched several mature bucks over the years (just out of bow range...I was stuck in the stand all day) that bedded before sunrise and stayed there until right after shooting light. They did get up a few times and moved around in about a five to ten yard circle from their bed to browse and relieve themselves, but none of them left that intimate bedding area. That's about as nocturnal as you can get. Moral of the story is if you have the only hunting rights for a property, you have to have fool proof access to your stand and hunt the wind accordingly.
I have seen that too, especially, as I mentioned, when I used to hunt Michigan. Good input.
Great content. Nice job Jordan on the merch!! A couple merch ideas I think are cool are.... "Confidence Kills Big Bucks" teeshirt or "Buck in the truck 2023" hat or tee. A nocturnal big buck is likely just a buck that is winning at life because of their un-intentional lifestyle. What are your thoughts about setting up at 100 yards or less of bedding on known travel patterns of a public land nocturnal buck or on a buck that is located on a 500+ acre private plot? I get not screwing up a private land situation with limited acres , but what about close bedding set ups in multiple spots with known big bucks and taking the risks for a 1 and done set up?
Paul, thanks for the great input. I will pass that along to Jordan. Regarding public land, I would definitely take the risk there especially as you get deeper into the season. Maybe not right away unless the area gets hit hard right off the start. On very large private land, it is OK to hunt a little more aggressively too, as long as you aren't particular about which buck you shoot. Just don't get carried away, maybe just pick a couple of bedding areas. But, if you are hunting a specific buck then I would say no to that approach as the risk of bumping him and letting him know you are hunting him is too high. A big reason for that is the fact that you don't know exactly where he is bedding each day. Most bucks have multiple beds even on one ridge top. If you get it wrong you may really hurt your chances of killing him in that area at a time when he is more likely to be moving in daylight. Of course, hanging back and hunting trails into and out of the bedding area would be OK as long as you can do it without the deer knowing. Good luck.
I really like the gear. Jordan did good!
Thanks George. I agree. Have a great day.
I’m so confused….😆 Great show! 👊🏻🏹
Join the club! The more I know about deer the more I realize I don't know! Have a great day.
Hi bill, really enjoying the content both of u make, is there a site we can log into to check out the merch n or buy it?
Aim True - thanks for the comment. Please check it out at shopbowhuntingwhitetails.com/ Have a great day.
Good Stuff and totally agree... Good Stuff, Keep it coming.
Thanks. We appreciate the comment and support and hope you have a great day.
Awesome video bill , I agree with you and would only add I think hunting pressure by going in at night early morning and bumping deer is the biggest contributing factor to October lull !!
And also pheasant and duck hunters out there! The deer seem to move to secluded areas and are not seen much during daylight jmo!
Thanks for the comment Brian. I appreciate it and hope you have a great weekend.
It’s like a 1000% awesome your daughter is so interested and involved in bow hunting and learning from your years of hunting. 👍👍 IMO, deer ( and about any animal) “ become “ ? nocturnal because of some kind of pressure during their normal routine. Excess human activity teaches them these humans aren’t there during the night so they just change their patterns. I believe because of their ability to see etc etc at any hour this doesn’t effect their ability to function and survive easily. Good video and insight again. 👍👍
Tim, I appreciate the support. We are having a blast. I have seen bucks exhibit this same "nocturnal" behavior at certain ages and at certain times of the year even in areas that don't get much hunting pressure. It is possible that it is baked in from years of habit through the generations, but I think it is more than that. I think it is related to their testosterone levels rising and that causes them to become more reclusive for a few weeks right before the rut. Not all fall into this category, but the vast majority in my experience. Pressure only makes it worse. Have a great day.
Great info
Thanks for the comment and support Jarrod. Have a great day.
Well said 👍 merchandise looks good 👍
Thanks Awesome Bill. Much appreciated. Have a great day.
Finally getting a chance to catch up again with your videos - and I have to get one of those sweat shirts!
Thanks ShadowDawg. We always appreciate your support and comments. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke Appreciate it Bill... Just ordered the sweatshirt - it may be spring here in Kentucky, but Fall is coming down the road - thanks again!
@@shadowdawg04 Thanks. We appreciate the order!
i like the Hat design. Dope
Thanks. We appreciate the support. Anyone interested can find Jordan's stuff at shopbowhuntingwhitetails.com/ Have a great day.
Do you got a link to buy your marchandise?
Thanks for asking. Here is the direct link. Have a great day. shopbowhuntingwhitetails.com/
Thanks I kept trying to get on it and it wouldn't work. Link works.. thanks
Just put my order in thanks again
@@briditt2812 Thanks. We really appreciate it.
The October-lull --- is it a thing or is just them changing food sources?
Personally, I think it is both. I think it is a physiological change in the deer brought on by higher testosterone levels that causes them to be more reclusive during that time and I think it is also related to eating more acorns. But of the two, I think it is more physiological than anything because I see this reclusive behavior on poor acorn years too. Good input. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke Really good insight. I agree on both points. I tend to transition during that time to hunting acorns. I’m really enjoying your videos, they’re full of great content and years of proven knowledge!! Appreciate it!!
With the advent of the movement from States banning trial cams, what are you thinking on this ? The Michigan DNR is asking questions on this subject
I don't think it is right to ban trail cameras on private land. Public land is another issue worth discussing as someone out there walking the trails is getting his/her picture taken. That is kind of awkward, I must agree. I am not sure where I stand on cell cameras. They are legal so I won't say they are wrong, but those may be more vulnerable to banning than standard trail cameras.
I once watched a buck bed down 90 yds from my stand. He stood up 4 times throughout the day but never moved more than 10 yards and only moved for a wind change and shade. He never made any movement until 15 minutes after sunset. Even being 90 yd from him I was almost too far away to kill him before end of legal.
I know it. I say for all intents and purposes, that is a nocturnal buck. He was not really vulnerable (other than sitting right on top of him) during daylight. Congrats on a great hunt and thanks for the input.
Would like to see a short video of the previous 2 deer you killed after moving. We've seen the pictures of the deer! looks like one of them is in this video?
No, unfortunately, that was during my "break". I was hunting a lease about five miles from the farm we bought and I wasn't filming those hunts. Was nice just to relax and go hunting again. By the way, it is much, much easier to kill deer when you don't have another person in the tree! Have a great day.
I was implying a video of you holding the racks and showing the deer off. I think all we've seen are pictures :) have a good day!
@@garrett1188 Ah, gotcha. I will do that. They were great bucks and the hunts were equally great memories. Thanks.
this is what i have learned in my years of hunting. bucks that are nocturnal on your property is because they are living somewhere else during the day. as most people will agree a mature buck may have up to a 2 miles home range, at night but not during the day. bucks may only move 100 to 200 hundreds while on their beds during the day. i have also experienced mature bucks on my property suddenly going “nocturnal” because i have spooked them off the property. after spooking i will get pictures of them at night, maybe, or maybe never see them again. sometimes they come back. not often though. just my two cents.
Very good points. Thanks for the input and comment. Have a great 4th of July.
I certainly agree, they’re not killable or as killable during those times. Someone is finding them when they do move. Is it just dumb luck?
I think there are predictable times when they are likely to move more (farther) in daylight. Those times are right during and after a cold front passes and when the first doe comes into estrous in the buck's core area. Those are key times. Anytime during the rut when the buck is without a doe (which may not be often) he may go looking in daylight, although often this occurs at night. Occasionally, you will find them moving in daylight randomly, but those tend to be bucks that have a personality that makes them more of a daylight roamer by nature.
I agree that they are deer that are in the bedding area all day. The new cell phone cameras have shown me that. They move around a little bit, but are unhuntable. All we can do is wait for their pattern to change. Good clarification.
Jordan if you want to know where the money is in this industry it's Father's that are willing to spend any amount of money to get equipment, or clothing that actually works for their daughters. My daughter and I have come out of large sporting good stores empty-handed many times because we couldn't find anything that fit her right! And Weatherby is the only rifle company I know making a woman's stock at this time.
We need more women active on the industry side making gear accessible to girls and women. And men can't do that well we have proven that in the last 20 years.
Hmm,where do females congregate in camo then someone takes the used clothing back then auctions lots to wholesalers? Oh, yeah, the military.
@@specag31 Yea, but I don't want her to have to buy used military surplus gear because she is a girl. I would pay for her to have nice new gear she liked and was proud of. Girls I have found like clothing, and I want her to have things she likes. I spend way too much on my gear to go out and get her stuff that fits poorly, or is used. She has some Cabela's SHE gear she likes. But that's about the only company that we have found. Tell Men that they don't need Realtree or Mossy Oak gear they should just get used military clothing.
We have been talking with Code of Silence about offering a small women's line to see how that is received. Jordan can get by with their small size products, but the cut is a bit blocky for women. Good input. Have a great day.
I agree with your definition of nocturnal for sure. Makes sense .... and remember to always...( ___ ) !!
Thanks Gary. We need to get that ending down pat so there is no mental anguish or tension!
I hunt vermin at night with Thermal optics and always see a bunch of deer. The funny part is when you are real close and they know something is there, but not what it is.
That's interesting. I always wondered if you could walk past a deer at less than 100 yards in the dark without spooking it, but I always assumed you could not. Good insight.
@@bill-winke I've had them walk past me within 10' when the wind was right and I was perfectly still. When you creep up on them they just freeze, and stare in your direction until they're spooked and slowly move away. Apparently they can't see at night ([per say), but they are very sensitive to environmental changes.
Sometimes, I’ve noticed, a strong cold front will make a mature buck move just outside of his comfort zone. Being the place where he spends most of his daylight time. Still not very likely to get a bow shot. Hence why we hunt from the fringes.
Tell Jordan not to forget about us gen x people when designing hats. We like a curved brim and greys and blues. She’s going to be the face of female whitetail hunters at the pace she’s at. Enjoy it brother
Jay, that is a super good point. We have shot some really nice bucks during and right after an October cold front passes. That is the time when it seems that bucks that are otherwise not leaving their bedding areas before dark actually move sooner. As you state, it is one of the few green light opportunities on those kinds of bucks. Jordan is enjoying the process and the lifestyle, that is the main thing. We are having a blast. Have a great day.
Nocturnal yes, sort of...un-killable..no...never. Semantics really. Just depends on how you choose to hunt them. I like the risk/reward tag. 👍
I guess even the worst ones are killable if you guess right or somehow figure out exactly where they are bedding and can get in close enough. That is definitely the definition of the risk vs reward tradeoff.
very few deer are totaly nocturnal i had a buck that from his 4th to 7th year never got a day time pic , did not have a cam in his core area of about 20 ac . he would go out and about at least 3/4 mile at night lots of pics ,when he was 8 you would see him any time of the day. killed him at 2 pm on a food plot on halloween .
Lisa, that is very common behavior. They change a lot past age 6, in my experience. They become a lot easier to kill because they start to move over a much larger part of their range in daylight. I can give you tons of examples of that. Some younger bucks are daylight roamers, but the four and five year olds, as a group, tend to be less so. Good input.
I feel like most (in CT anyways) deer are vampires LOL
I hear you Ralph. Good luck and have a great day.
Nocturnal to a deer hunter means that the target animal is MOSTLY active after dark. Intercepting this animal on a path to or from its "bedded" area is the goal.
If you move in too close, it gets bumped. Too far away means it's too dark to kill.
All deer are crepuscular. Older deer are more so.
Good input Richard. Thanks for that. Have a great day.
Can I buy if I shoot Mathews?
Everyone is welcome!
I killed a 7.5yr old here in Pennsylvania. As a 4yr old I saw him only one time in daylight. As a 5yr old I got 2 daytime pictures of him Nov 10th n Nov 19th. Then at 6 he daylighted on those exact same days. This year he was a no show on the 10th but on the 19th he showed up n I was able to kill him
Congrats Trevor. That is awesome. Have a great day.
Yes
They are
Thanks for the input. Have a great day.
Also Bill, YOU NEED TO SPECIFY what general part of the country you are referring to. The midwest has EXTREMELY little to do with the southeast! VERY LITTLE!
Richard, for sure, terrain (in some cases) land use and ag are way different in the Midwest than the Southeast, but I have hunted the Southeast enough to know that the general behavior of the deer is the same. Where they feed and where they bed are often different due these terrain and land use factors mentioned, but their overall behavior is much the same. There are places in the Midwest where hunting pressure is very high too, so that translates well to both regions. Deer are basically the same everywhere I have hunted them (I have hunted whitetails in 16 states and four Canadian provinces), but "how" you hunt them is sometimes different depending on the terrain and land use (big timber vs ag fringe for example).
City deer are not nocturnal. I see a group of does feed every day around 3 pm. Mature Bucks that live outside city limits are most definitely nocturnal!
Good input. Thanks Aaron. I really appreciate the comment and the support.
If the older mature bucks didn't breed we'd RARELY kill them!
Richard, that has not been my experience. I have seen that as they get old, they become more daylight active. Up until age five they can be really tough, but after that (if they live that long) they become much easier.
grammer mistake. Should have been........"if a hunter doesn't learn this"....
Got it.
Crepuscular.
They are active or awake day and night
They do most of their travel during edge of day and night mostly
Nothing is 100% . Different during stages of the year
Way too much technology used hunting deer. It’s not hunting anymore
You can use whatever level you want. There is no one making anyone use any of these products. I don't use all the technology available, nor do lots of other hunters. Everyone finds the place along the spectrum from none to all that creates the most satisfaction for them.
Yes. I agree. Until you have others in your area using drones and other technology in unethical ways for hunting. That’s when I feel sorry for the bucks