HUNT TRANSITION ROUTES
I rarely hunt food sources, morning or evening. Regardless of the time of day, my favorite place to hunt prior to the rut is the transition route between a buck's bedding area and food source. Over the years this strategy has earned me a fair share of the big bucks I've taken both morning and evening.

When bucks show the first sign of interest in does, switch from hunting buck transition routes to those of does. Setting up near the hub where more than one trail crisscrosses will significantly improve the chances of being within range, no matter which trail a buck uses.

MIDDAY STRATEGY
Some hunters believe that deer only eat twice a day, but that's simply not true. I've watched them on countless occasions bed down, then rise every hour or so to browse.

In fact, I've killed a fair number of bucks in the middle of the morning or afternoon while they munched on acorns. One of the most recent was an eight-point buck four seasons back.

The timber I was hunting was mostly oak. There were pin oak, red oak, burr oak, shingle oak and white oaks. Although the deer ate all kinds of acorns, when the whites and reds started dropping their nuts, I could bank on where the deer would be.

The author took this buck prior to the rut by patterning his movements through rub sign and occasional sightings.

I moved in with a stand one afternoon and hunted it right away. I had opportunities that afternoon, but not the big eight-point I'd seen pre-season.

The next morning at about 8:30, the eight-point jumped the fence and began milling around for acorns. At 25 paces, I put an arrow through the boiler room!

When deer seemed to have evaporated and standing corn is nearby, chances are they're hiding out there. If you've never killed a buck from the ground, it's a rush like no other. The midday lull is a great time to hone your spot and stalk skills by sneaking through the cornrows.

FIELD EDGES
Field edge stands are among the most popular of all early season stands. Rightfully so, because a large percentage of deer taken in the first few days come from the edges of staple foods like, corn, soybeans, sorghum, milo and alfalfa.

In most cases, deer loiter along the field edge in staging areas, sometimes for only a few minutes and other times for an hour or more before entering a field. The high browse line makes a staging area easy to spot, even from a distance. Because of the amount of traffic in the area, the soil is normally compacted and often void of vegetation.

If bucks are spending time there too, chances are you'll find rubs around the perimeter. Those who have hunted staging areas before already know that they're fragile and require a low impact approach. This means keeping a safe distance in the morning. Bump a deer or two entering in the dark and you'll lose your early season advantage.

Because deer are normally bedded farther off the field midday, it's easier to approach these stands undetected in the afternoon, therefore that's the best time to hunt them too!

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