It's funny you asked this. The other night I asked this question to myself while sitting in a tree. I sat there counting big deer I've killed and big deer encounters for the last 22 years since I moved to Montana. I'm right at almost 50/50 total. . However some of those were early season. The Sept and Oct bucks were mostly in the evening because they are easier to pattern. The Nov bucks were all killed after Nov 11 and before Nov 26. Nov 11, Nov 13 I have multiple big bucks on those days. 2 of my all time best were killed on the 13th. (1 in AM and 1 in PM) 18th and 19th were good days. 21st and the 22nd also had multiple big buck kills as well as multiple encounters. As far as AM or PM? During the rut, for me the AM has the slight edge. I obviously hunt both but I much prefer the AM because they can come in at anytime. In the PM for me, it's been the last magic hour. AI also counted the people that have hunted w/ me over the years. AM has the advantage 4 big bucks to 1. I haven't been much of a mid-day bowhunter until recently. I realize now that I missed out. I have one 11:45AM and have had several encounter mid days that didn't result in a kill. 3 years ago I was hunting on the edge of 3 doe bedding areas. I had a big 9pt that showed up at 11:55 AM checking does. He harassed those does for 3 1/2 hours. He was between 35 yds and 50yds thirteen times! I was being patient for the perfect 20 yd shot that I "knew" was going to come. It never did. Anyway, I didn't get it done but it was an amazing day. I sat dawn to dark. I saw 16 bucks total. 30-40 deer total. I Never went more than 15 minutes looking at a deer. Never more than 30 minutes looking at a buck. I saw 3 shooters. It was Nov. 22 and I had action all day. I shooter in the AM, 1 in the mid-day, and 1 in the PM.