Morning hunts on public land are about catching deer returning to bed. That means your entry has to be clean and early. If your access route crosses the same trails deer use to filter back into cover, you will push them deeper before you ever climb the stand. The best morning setups are usually tight to bedding with a wind that allows deer to approach without scenting you.
Evening hunts focus on deer rising and staging before feeding. Pressure often keeps daylight movement close to cover, with deer easing toward food only when they feel safe. The best evening setups are typically along the first transition edge rather than the destination food source. That puts you where deer move before dark without forcing them to expose themselves.
Choose morning hunts when you can access from a quiet angle and set up without crossing bedding routes. Choose evening hunts when you can stay out of the bedding cover and let deer rise naturally. On public land, the right time of day is the one that matches your access, wind, and pressure. When those align, either time can produce consistent daylight encounters.
On public land, the details that seem small add up fast. Mark the conditions you saw, how deer reacted, and how other hunters used the area. Those notes let you build a repeatable plan instead of relying on luck. If a spot produced but access was marginal, adjust your route next time. The goal is to learn faster than the pressure changes, and to stack small improvements over the season. That mindset keeps you ahead of the average hunter and in sync with how deer adapt.