Where Do Deer Go During The Day?

Hunters can attest to how hard it is to trail and spot deer during the day, but where do deer go during the day? Deer tend to be nocturnal; it’s in their nature, and hence, they hide and sleep during the day. When heading to the woods to hunt deer, time is an integral determinant for the possibility of success. You can’t afford to take this lightly. 

Deer hunting has its perks and for hunters, finding the right time to hunt is challenging. When you take to the woods to hunt, there are stipulated times for deer hunting. This is most common with public conservancies and some private ranches. Researchers identified the best time during the day when studying deer behavior precisely the easiest time to spot them.

Since hunting during the day is most comfortable, it’s imperative to understand deer behavior. Where they go during the day and why they behave in this manner.

Where Do Deer Go During The Day?

Being crepuscular mammals, they’re most active at night. Therefore, they’ll bed in the grooves, tall grass, or thick vegetation areas during the day. They usually come out from time to time in the daytime, but it can be impossible to spot them. It’s considering they are masters when it comes to camouflaging and hiding, made possible by their fur.

Deer hide purposely, and it’s somehow their nature since it aids in their safety. Even though they have heightened senses, they’re susceptible creatures. Consequently, the reason it’s impossible to find them in the day time. At times you’ll spot a whole herd during the day while other times, it’s impossible to see even one.

When Are Deer Most Active: Daytime or Nighttime?

Since deer are too vulnerable to their living environment, they tend to be most active at night. They habitually come out of hiding from the evening. And if you want to hunt deer, it’s the time you’ll find them in plenty roaming in search of food. They feed mostly at night, and the feeding and movement are meant to keep their bodies warm.

Sometimes, they do sleep at night, but they usually fall half asleep. Nonetheless, during the day, there are time intervals when deer can be spotted. The easiest time to spot them is when the sun is setting down. Ordinarily, from 4 pm to 10 pm, they come out from hiding to nourish their paunches.  Then early in the morning from 4 am to 8 am. The latest time to sight them is 10 am.

It’s rare, but it’s possible to find one or two in the vicinity. From10 am they go back to hiding for most of the day. Therefore, the deer is most active at night.

When are Deer Most Active during the Day?

The Rut

Deer are active at dusk, nightfall, and dawn. But there are times in the year when you can spot both bucks and does during the day. If there is a time when you’re assured of spotting deer, it’s during this period. It’s because they come out in large numbers and mostly the mature deer.

Hence, as long as you have good tailing and spotting skills, hunting one is easier.

The rut refers to the deer mating season. This starts from October to January. Research suggests that at this period, deer are very active during the day, even though secretly. When bucks are searching for mates, they depict themselves, which leaves them exposed to predators. At this time, bucks also fight amongst themselves for territory, both living and mating.

It leaves them defenseless, and hunters exploit this most to take down a deer or two.

What Makes Deer Hide During The Day?

During the day, deer activities are limited, and some few theories explain why.

To Hide from Predators

For every animal, safety from predators is paramount. Deer are prey to many predators, and it’s in their nature to stay hidden to avoid a predator spotting them. Even at night, if deer will bed, it’s commonly irregular. And they sleep with their hearing and smell senses alert just in case of an invasion by a predator.

Since during the day, there are more predators, they keep off sight. When they are wandering during the day, it’s deep in the wood or where they can remain concealed. Hence, the primary reason why they hide is to keep away from predators. Also, it’s deer’s nature to be active at night and hide during the day.

Digest Food

This is a secondary reason. Since deer will feed starting dusk to early morning, during the day, they will hunker down. It’s because they chew cud, they need to lie down for their food to digest properly. It’s not different from how cows digest their food.

How to Find Deer during the Day

Finding deer, particularly during the day, proves to be hard. You have to be good, with enough experience and knowledge to spot deer at day time. However, with the right information on finding deer during the day, it’s possible to take one down. First, deer territory will have a gamey scent, which is usually not hard to identify.

When in the woods following those trails, your eyes and nose should be very alert. If you happen to smell the deer scent, know their habitat is nearby. Also, if you happen to spot one deer, know the herd is around. They’ll lie down, wake up, take a stroll, urinate, and go back to bedding during the day.

These are instances when you’ll spot one, and it’s a matter of browsing the woods carefully looking to spot others. Also, following the deer hunting specified period will provide you with an opportunity to find one. But all this requires patience and awareness if you want a chance to shoot yourself a bulk or cow.

Final Verdict

The debate on where deer goes during the day keeps circling, and there is no decisive answer. It doesn’t come as a surprise that you can’t find deer walking around at day time. They are always bedding at this time and hardly expose themselves to any lurking danger. Since they are nocturnal and crepuscular mammals, you have a good bet of finding them from dusk.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t find them during the day. You only have to plan your deer hunting voyage at the time they’re spotted most.