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October lull...

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Every year (for me anyways) it seems that the first 2 weeks of the bow season are good I always get a doe right away to pack the freezer and taste fresh back-straps off the grill but come Oct 1st thru the end of the 3rd week of Oct the deer seem to bug out on me. It burns me out on good spots that I have great deercam pics from and show awesome sign. Now come the end of the 3rd week of Oct (or so) I start shaking just thinking about what's gonna happen. Is it me or does any1 else see this happen...
 
Your not alone, same here,the dreaded October Lull,which seems to take place like clockwork every year.I think the bucks become more reclusive due to their bodys going through a change right now.And coupled with the sudden surge of human activity in the woods,which really seems to make them hole up.I know the bigger bucks in our area are extremely skitish right now,have'nt seen a shooter on stand yet.I say this because,you can spotlight them and soon as the light hits them,they freak out and take off.So with all that,I believe their pretty much nocturnal,and won't start moving until they get that urge,as the does come closer to coming in heat.
 
PAHunter, ever wonder if the actual spotlighting of the deer at night is what has made them into a bundle of nerves, how can that be less intrusive then walking all over the woods, it's just as unnatural to them.
Here Oct. is by far the best time to see lots of bucks and big bucks, I'm glad most people haven't caught on to this and everybody waits until Nov. rifle season. This years buck was shot on the 2nd of Oct. I shot another booner in 2001 on Oct. 17, they were both on the alfalfa in the p.m. I'd bet any money I'd never have taken either buck in Nov b/c once the first rifle report echoes through the forest the bucks just seem to disappear, it's easy to hide out in thousands of acres of forest then slip into the food at night. In October, they are hitting the food hard, fattening up for the ensuing months of -30 and colder temps. NO October lull here, it's the frenzy period in my books.
 
I seen 3 shooter's together last night right at dark.I thought this was kinda weird as I would think that they would be all broke up in single's by now.I'm going after them tonight.Wish me luck.If I cannot get a shot I'm going to try to get them on video.I'll keep ya'll posted.
 
Buckhunter,
Had the same experience on Tuesday night... right at dark... two groups of three bucks?
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I would have thought the would have broken up by now.
 
Yes Saskguy,the spotlighting does contribute to them being skitish also.I personally don't spot alot,it's basically to verify certain bucks are still using feeding areas to plan my morning hunts.And you have to keep inmind, sometimes this is the only way to verify a nice buck is in the area,because they just don't show themselves here in the open during daylight.I mainly do my locating in late Aug. and early Sept.,and at this time it didn't seem to bother them.But when I checked on one Sun. evening he really spooked,where before they didn't.But the the problem is now,everyone is spotlighting,it's not uncommon to go down a road and see several spotlighters.The deer get pressured here from every angle,spotlighting,scouting and hunting,they wise up quickly here.I can see where Oct.is good hunting up North,but don't you think your deer are alittle head of ours in the sense of rutting behavior?Where our best hunting is late Oct' into early Nov.,it's just to hard to compare the same two areas and make them claims here.You stated once the guns sound off hunting becomes difficult,no different here,it's difficult now due to the other types of pressure I stated.I was just trying to say with all this activity here,they go pretty much nocturnal.The best time to take a nice buck here,is the first few days before they wise up,or wait till the rut,when they get alittle careless.I wish the hunting here was like up there,but way different in the terms of pressure,keep inmind we get about a million gunhunters,and around 500,000 bowhunters in the state.
 
PAHunter, point well taken. I really wasn't trying to compare the 2 areas, like comparing apples and oranges, I realize the differences, heck our province doesn't even have 1 million people let alone hunters. I was just stating that in my opinion Oct. is the best time to take a whopper here unless you have all day to sit on stand, then the rut can be good, but I don't, I'm working all week then.
I actually have a friend from Palmyra who has travelled up here to shed hunt with me, he just could not believe the amount of area I have all to myself, compared to what it's like back in PA.
In regards to the spotlighting bit, I realize it's legal in lots of states and lots of guys do it and I won't say anything negative about it. Up here the mentality is so different, the landowners who let me hunt on their land would cut off acces immediately if I spent time driving around spotlighting at night, heck they'd likely run me out of the neighbourhood, it's just unheard of and frowned upon. I have to believe that even though it happens at night that the spotlight has to somewhat educate mature bucks as to what is going on. It just isn't normal. We spend so much time worrying about scent control, stand placement and all the other jazz that maybe we neglect the fact that whietails are likely smart enough to figure out what's going on with the lights, not smart enough to figure it out completely, but smart enough to know something is up. I wasn't sure the buck I shot this year was even alive still, if I'd have tried to find out by using a light I'd bet I wouldn't have seen him when I did, or some of the other bucks in the area, i think they'd go nocturnal. Maybe I'm wrong but it's a chance I'm not willing to take.
Once again, I wasn't trying to compare the 2 areas, I was just stating that I love the Oct. muzzleloader season we have here for reasons stated before. Best of luck this season.
 
i just dont like the sound of spotlighting to put it bluntly. who cares where there at night. cant shoot them. And cant you tell what food sources they use by trails?
 
I hope spotlighting deer, does educate them, thats one reason why i like to do it, find where they are and hope they run the next time a truck comes rolling down the road. I guess you got to make it tougher for the poachers, even though its sad to say.
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Heck If they would let me, i would ride down the road and every big buck I saw after looking at him I would light a whole string of firecrackers and chuck them out the window
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might sound dumb, but i bet the poachers may have a harder time
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Back to the October lull – I’ve read an interesting theory that some of this lull is due to the general reduction in foliage. A few weeks ago a buck could feel fairly secure traveling inside the timber, shrouded by leaves, grasses and weeds –now they are much more exposed because the ground cover has laid down and the trees have lost most of their leaves. The general theory is that deer are changing their patterns as they adjust to a fairly significant change in their environment. Maybe it’s bunk – let’s just get out there and hunt.
 
Good point Liv.....I bet that would have an effect

Greg Miller outlined the dreaded October Lull in his book Proven Whitetail Tactics. It does bring up some good points and is a good read. He appears to be the type of hunter that became successful on big whitetails through trial and error and not the kind that had outfitters and guides teach them about big buck habits.

Does the October Lull exist? You bet but......can big bucks be killed during this time...yes. I think the most critical aspect for the Lull is not putting too much pressure on any given area. If access to multiple pieces of ground is not feasable, I think you should cut down on your trips to a specific area to maybe once or twice a week.

I am sure the reason the big bucks seem to get so spooky by the end of october is mainly from regular intrusions by hunters and stand setters walking thru the woods. Scent is left behind on every entry and while the bucks are on the verge of looking for love, they are also very keyed in on the surroundings and further educate themselves to our habits, stand locations, and times we are there. As far as the deer being nocturnal at this time...I think a lot of it has to do with resting and fattening the body for the upcoming rut. Also, it is getting darker earlier yet the deer are moving into the fields about the same time. ( Kind of a subjective question...are they really nocturnal or are they just moving at the same time as they did back in August/Sept timeframe)

I try to get out and hunt despite the decreased activity but bounce around from area to area. We only have about another week before the pre rut starts to unfold here and I am getting ready to hit the woods as much as I can.
 
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Well I should've known to wait before I started my whining. Last night a little 4point came thru @ 5 cutting across the 2 trails I was watching & 20 or so mins. later a nice shooter 8 pointer came the same way...now the rest of the story.

Earlier this year I had surgery ACDF anterior cervical disk fusion of my spine c6-c7. I was in an train collision @ work. 2 new guys I was working with weren't watching the other end of the train while I was backing it into the yard. I hit another train, I was knocked out, 8 stitches in my head & a blown disk in my neck were the end result of that night. I thought I wouldn't be able to bow hunt this year, but my neurologist signed a form for me to use a crossbow disabled permit. I got the crossbow 4 days after the season started, shot it for 2 days straight to get it sighted in & feel kinda comfortable with it. 5th day of the season I shot a doe with it (where I live we have to shoot a doe before we can shoot a buck). After the "Oct. lull" was over last night that 8 pointer came in finally gave me a pretty quartering away shoot me please pose I popped the safety off put the sights on him & started to pull the trigger & pulled & pulled, now this thing has a 47 pound trigger on it (or it seems like it). I bought the least expensive on I could find, they won't let me go back to work yet & with 2 kids $ is kinda tight around here, plus I knew I was gonna only use the thing for one season.
After trying & failing to get the thing to shoot I tried to work the safety back & forth, it wouldn't budge it was jammed. So I turn around & sit down take the arrow out put my foot in the stirrup grab the cocked string hoping it doesn't release while I'm holding it & try to make sure the string is fully seated. I put the arrow back in & low & behold the safety woks like it's sliding on glass. By now the buck has worked his way under some branches with leaves and I can't really see him very good about 10yds away. So right when I'm thinking of sitting on one of my stainless steel 3 blade cut on impact broadheads it starts to rain, it only rained for 5 mins & I didn't even get wet but it made so much noise I couldn't really tell if the buck snuck out or was hunkered down. After holding my breath for 30 mins it's now time to get down, he must have snuck out during the rain...the forecast tonight is possible rain 15-30 mph wind...my wife thinks I crazy but I told her the only thing I could guarantee was that I'll never shoot a buck from the couch.

The real kick in the nutz...my unit leaves for Iraq this month & the Dr.s won't let me go....so it looks like I'll be here to bug you all through-out the season.
But hey atleast the dreaded "Oct. Lull" is over, those bucks were lookin'...
 
My mistake Saskguy,I really wasn't sure when you stated,it's the frenzy period in my books.As for the spotlighting,I mainly use it as a tool in Aug. and Sept.I rarely spot now,but when I did this one time,I noticed a big difference,where it didn't seem to bother them much in Aug.,it surely does now though.Can't really look for tracks here gundog870,the deer are crossing a secondary road to get to the soybeans.I don't think the farmer would appreciate me walking in the soybeans to look for tracks.I'm just trying to keep tabs on them as they switch to the corn on the other side of the road,so I can adjust my hunting.Liv brings up a good point with spotlighting and poachers,I would honestly like to see it outlawed here.We have more hunters,which in turn means more idiots.My buddy arrowed a 170 class a couple years ago,which had a 22 round lodged between its ear and skull,wonder how that got there? Sorry to go off topic abit,just wanted to reply to some.
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Okay, back to the Oct. Lull
 
Love October ...'09 &10 killed two mature(4.5-5.5yo) bucks on food. One in the evening on clover/alfalfa and one in the morning coming into a shingle oak acorn bottom after a windy previous day. Have had better luck seeing relaxed 4.5+ y.o. bucks in Oct. over the last 4 years than I have had in November. The last three Novembers have been the WORST, in terms of mature buck movement, I have ever seen. IMO any cool day in Oct. could give you a decent chance of seeing a resident buck on your farm before he starts to expand his range.
 
On the other hand,,,if you do not have a large farm,,,only a small travel thru piece,,so you have no,"Resident Bucks". Nov is better,,to catch a traveling male from another farm,,or township,,or county!
 
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