"Once while I was manning a check station in Fincastle, someone brought in a live spotted fawn on the opening day of the regular gun season," Steffen recalled. "Happenings such as this are more common in states to the south of us."

Steffen explained that does recycle about every 28 days until they are bred; bucks in the population continue to exhibit rutting behavior as long as receptive does are available. As an aside, the biologist noted that this is one undesirable outcome of deer birth control programs that use immuno-contraception techniques -- the does just keep recycling -- meanwhile keeping every buck in the area on edge for extended periods.

Given the spotty nature of rutting activity late in the season, food is likely to occupy more and more of a buck's time. However, hunting around food sources shouldn't be viewed as a sure thing either. As an adaptation for winter survival, deer actually reduce their metabolic rate, activity and food consumption as the season grows colder. Less deer movement makes it more difficult for hunters to find deer, even at food sources. Deer also begin to shift their food items from acorns to grasses and browse during the early winter.

WHEN TO HUNT: MORNING, MIDDAY, OR EVENING?
Steffen also offers his perspective on when to hunt during the late muzzleloader season.

"My experience is that late afternoon is the best time to hunt, but that happens to be the time when I have hunted the most now," he said. "Studies on deer movements indicate that most daylight feeding occurs late in the afternoon with another activity peak early in the morning. However, we also know that midday can be an activity period."

My unscientific thoughts are that I prefer the time between 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. at this time of year with the period between 3:30 p.m. and dark ranked second. I have largely given up hunting in the morning because of the cold and the lack of deer sightings. Yet, I have several friends who have smoked early-morning bucks and does.

The exception to the rule is when a major cold front is about to come through western Virginia. If, for example, the forecast is for snow or much colder temperatures, I will head for the woods, no matter what time of day it is. The biggest buck I have ever seen during this period -- a massive 12-pointer -- was moving across a Botetourt County pasture at 4 p.m., a few hours before a major winter snow storm was to smash into the area. The buck was one of a dozen whitetails that I saw crowd into the pasture that evening.

KILL A DOE OR WAIT FOR A BUCK?
Should Old Dominion late-season smokepolers take a doe or hope for a buck to show up later?