October Lull!

[KentuckyTJ]

I think this phenomena has much to do with hunting pressure. I claim that if a hunter was to walk into a untouched area during October the deer wouldn't be on lock down only moving at late dusk and night for the most part. What are your thoughts.

[9 Shocks]

I'm not sure.  I think that it is often due to the changing of bucks patterns and food sources.  The full moon coming up is probably making things weird too.  I have never seen a lot of movement during a full moon.  I have seen the most movement during the no moon phases.  

We need a cold front!

[stagetek]

I've always believed it occurs. Hunting pressure will always have something to do with deer movement, but I do think there is a period of time, pre-rut, when things are changing, and deer movement is affected. It could happen other times of the year as well, but it's more noticeable now because it's hunting season.

[Michael Arnette]

I think its purely hunting pressure...just my 2 cents

[centaur]

No hunting pressure around here right now, but it is awfully 'lully' for the deer. Seems like it happens every year about now, and it will pick up in a week or two.

[stykbow67]

I'll ditto what centaur said, I haven't seen anything moving my last 3 sits and it's generally like this every year about this time. Halloween is usually the turning point around here, hopefully Uncle Barry will chime in with his thoughts

[kennym]

They still gotta eat and drink just as much. But there are acorns aplenty about then and a new food after all those dang soybeans sounds good.

I think they just don't have to go anywhere and possibly resting up for the rut too. They know its coming too.....

[MnFn]

I've been seeing a lot, best in years.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

A lot goes on in a deer's world in October.  After the first few days of Oct (or a bit earlier depending on the year) the patterns really change, especially for bucks.  Its real, maybe hunting pressure could enhance it, but we even see it on extremely low pressure private ground.  Feed changes with acorns dropping, bucks are feeding up and laying up not traveling... nature's way of preparing them for the rut.  I've gotten to the point that unless there is a major weather front I don't deer hunt between about Oct 5 and 25 anymore.  Mature bucks are very rarely killed in non baiting states in the Midwest during this time.  They'll move during the rut, like they always do, and its still 95+++% of the chance to kill a mature buck.... like it always is.

R

[highlow]

Lull? Seems more like extinction. I've seen more bear the last couple of weeks than deer. Acorns aplenty. Have never seen so many. It's like having the kitchen in their bedroom. Why travel when your breakfast, lunch and dinner are right at their feet. Not a lot of buck sign either. Has to heat up soon and Halloween is about the right time around here. I hope.  

[Biathlonman]

I think the current "Indian summer" can't help.  But I had my best morning this year today, saw a real nice buck and a doe, buck though was just before it was light enough to take an ethical shot.

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Since our deer season opens at the end of August the season has been rolling steady by the time October comes. There is a very significant "lull" here as well. I don't mean to debunk your opinions but I know that it has zero to do with hunting pressure here.

Personally, I feel it's a combination of factors including changes in hormones, changes in food sources, and changes in habitat. For those of you who have consistent  foliage throughout October you can correct me, but here it's always October when the trees shed their leaves. What once was a jungle is now quite barren and open. Whether this is a factor or not, it always goes hand in hand with the "lull", and nocturnal movement becomes the trend.

[Cory Mattson]

Might have seen something - Tuesday I was on a ridge and I noticed the deer eating leaves and walking back and forth - 12 different deer - This went on for 3 hours - plenty of acorns around too - and during the 3 hours I could see some of the deer in distant view - always some milling around - back and forth - it occurred to me that had I not been on that particular ridge I would have seen none of these deer - None of them moved more than 100 yards - I think I got lucky picking that stand that day - I walked in wind in my face - climbed with my lone wolf when I hit droppings and feed sign both - other than being a pretty hardwood ridge and I had permission there was nothing more remarkable about it - Then after getting lucky picking a tree I think some deer passed me off as squirrels because when I hit 25 feet (which is higher than I normally hunt) I noticed deer just 50 yards away - upwind - not knowing I was in the world. I had dozens o squirrels around me constantly and they were chasing each other. Great day - I did not shoot - the few bucks were 1 1/2 tops

Day before different place - good sign - zero deer sighted - watched a gray fox hunt - plenty of squirrels

So I do think there is an October lull - would not dismiss hunting pressure - but at least for me I think it is super abundant food combined with no real rut activity yet.
Cory<><
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[Ryan Rothhaar]

Hey Cory... what were the leaves?  You might have a hot food there... something like that is how I learned about mulberry leaves 15 years ago.  Sitting a stand on Dad's place in Iowa I watched does eating big yellow leaves off the ground 100 yards across a clover plot 2 mornings in a row...and three bucks between 140 and 150 inches cruised them those 2 mornings.  Third morning I was there by the yellow leaf tree in a new stand, watched a button head clean up the last leaves, probably a 5 gallon bucket full that AM.... then it was over, day late and dollar short again.  Figured out what that magic tree was... mulberry... I watch for 'em now.

R

[VA Elite]

i think there is no such thing. bucks get more active the shorter the days get. warm weather will suppress them some but they gotta do what they were born to do... eat, have sex, stay alive.

[Stixbowdrew]

I know of 6 bucks killed this last week that are all 150" or better. Doesn't sound like a lull to me

Around here when the combines fire up deer relocate a bit.  The hunting pressure on busier tracks will push deer off of them very quickly, as well as the pre season activities of hanging tree stands.  for our public areas it is almost like the deer, that were all over  them in early September, know right where the boundaries of the public land are.  As far as bucks go, I almost stepped on a wide eight pointer opening day, all the rest have been a little bit far off for a secure shot. Although we are seeing bucks regularly, we are seeing very few rubs and scrapes.  I suspect with this rain and coming cooler temps things will look different  shortly.  I am a little disappointed in the turkeys, they moved off the land that I have access to where I hunt deer.  Someone told them about my turkey designated four blade Herters broad heads.

[Hoyt]

I've had two opportunities with nice mature bucks on National Forest I hunt. First one was in a year round scrape first morning of the season Oct.1 at about 8 or 9 o'clock. Couldn't get my bow drawn back on him due to stand and angle. He was about 10 steps broadside.

Second one was coming up a thick drainage to a bedding area at 9:15am. He was about 17 steps, but I couldn't get him to stop in the one semi little opening he passed through and didn't have enough time to get on him as he went through at his pace.

That was about 2 wks ago and nothing but small yrling   bucks since, right on top of me. All but one in mornings. I very seldom see a mature buck or any buck in evenings where I hunt and I hunt till I can't see my broadhead.

It's like this every yr around here..unpredictable except for seeing lots of small bucks..especially yrlings about the middle of Oct...looking for a home I guess and then about wk and half before Nov. the bigger sign starts appearing and if lucky the mature bucks will start cruising from first part of Nov. till they get through.

[Jayrod]

I know a lot of people have different opinions but for sure every year with this probably being the worst all my good bucks on camera have disappeared I mean not a buck pic In weeks even the does pics are down so if you ask me?? Yes there's a October lull in my parts but for those who are covered up in deer... Ride The wave brothers!!!!

[Jayrod]

I know a lot of people have different opinions but for sure every year with this probably being the worst all my good bucks on camera have disappeared I mean not a buck pic In weeks even the does pics are down so if you ask me?? Yes there's a October lull in my parts but for those who are covered up in deer... Ride The wave brothers!!!!