October lull

[KentuckyTJ]

Our youth season was last weekend and this weekend the musketrifle season is open. That is what makes my deer nocturnal during October. If you don't get it done in September here it is awful tough to punch your buck tag other than the rut.

[DaveT1963]

I also think the start of the falling of leaves and changing canopy cover causes deer a little stess and often relocates them to different bedding areas as the foliage disaapears?

[centaur]

I went into what we call 'the bedroom' this morning, an area of super thick and nasty, noisy stuff that our deer use for escape cover, on the chance that I might see a mature buck. As if on cue, I spooked a real stud of a buck, bedded in the very thick stuff. I backed out, but it was a confidence builder to see this big boy, since all I have seen this fall have been little bucks. He will come out to play when he starts chasing the ladies. I will hunt more for a doe and another turkey until the real fun starts in a couple of weeks.

[stagetek]

Kind of "the calm before the storm" here in WI right now. Pretty to look at, but not much moving around. That will change soon !

[Bobby Urban]

Same thing here in Mid-Michigan with almost zero daytime movement on the private ground I hunt.  Last night I pulled 3 cards to confirm it and had only one daylight photo.  

I have this goofy Isolunar ap on my phone that predicts deer movement patterns with the moon phases and, although, I hunt when I can or the wind is right the ap seems to be rather accurate.  It had all of last week as a dud.  I also like to check it when I am driving in the evening and at night yr round and my deer sightings have coincided with the aps predictions rather consistently.  

Good news is that nearly the rest of the season(until Nov. 15) it shows strong movement as well the thing is never correct during the rut for obvious reasons!!

[YORNOC]

That is one hell of a deer in your avatar Dennis.

[jonsimoneau]

I do think there is an October lull.  This may surprise some people but I don't think hunting pressure is the biggest factor for it.  The reason I think this is that for several years I have lived next to an area that has never allowed any hunting. This place is loaded with deer.  I drive by it several times a day.  When mid-October hits it is rare to see a deer on its feet here, when almost anytime outside of this period, it is common to see them.  I'm not saying hunting pressure is not a factor, because I'm sure it is but I think the lull happens even in areas where deer are not hunted.  
    I think there are a number of reasons for the lull.  Food may be the biggest one.  Lots of different food sources are coming into season.  Corn is drying out, acorns are hitting the ground, maple leaves are falling.  This means the deer do not need to travel much to find food.  I also believe Mother Nature intended for it to be this way.  This gives deer the ability to bulk up as well as to rest up for the impending rut, which can be quite stressful to all of the deer.  Just my opinion.  Good luck guys!

[Jerry Jeffer]

Started the morning with a bruiser of an 8pt runs across the road and into the woods right where I'm going in. Went out up on the mountain. First shooting light(07:00) I heard a fight on the ridge behind me. Several minutes later they had moved the fight down much closer to me, left and behind me. Pretty loud.

Hour an half to 2 hours later a couple does come ripping down off the ridge right past me. No shot.
A minute after, a decent buck comes trotting down with his nose sniffing the doe trail. Couldn't stop him with a bleat. no shot.

Later on the way out, bumped another buck near a known scrape.

I would say things are getting hot.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by YORNOC:
That is one hell of a deer in your avatar Dennis.

Believe it or not, I killed that P&Y in the fall and a gobbler in the spring of the same year. All that in only my second yr of trad hunting and the first deer I ever killed with trad gear. The funny thing is that I haven't shot a deer since. LOL. Beginners luck!