Tips for hunting deer in October
Bow hunting seasons are now open in most states. Here in Wisconsin we have been hunting for a few weeks. We’ve passed shots at a few smaller bucks. The largest deer have not been able to show themselves yet.
Now is the time to hunt near rest areas. The deer have felt the changing of the seasons and have noted the increase in human activity in the forest. Mature bucks will most likely stay in the bed until just before dark, so position yourself as close to the bed area as possible without scaring the deer. I saw a doe come out of the swamp half an hour before dark, but no buck came out.
This weekend we here at AWH will be heading to Iowa for our first hunt there this year. Our goal is to bring back three great females. The farm we hunt has many females and we have to do our part in trimming the herd down. By shooting a few goats, we will help to keep the male/doe relationship more balanced. This will cause more competition for breeding males come November. This will make males more responsive to calls, noises, and lures. The second thing the shot will do is there will be fewer deer eating the farmers’ crops, and it’s good to keep the farmers happy. He’ll be more likely to let you hunt if you do him a favor by shooting more deer. So if you have a doe tag, now is the time to fill it out. You can then be very selective with your dollar tag.
October is also a good time to hunt for positions other than what you normally hunt for. I have a tendency to hunt for a certain since it has always produced good bucks in the past. But it’s located near the cama area and I think the males will stay put until dark and then they’ll take you down from your perch and out of the woods. When this starts to happen, it’s time to let the support rest for a while. Then I’ll hunt other stands that I don’t hunt much. You can catch deer leaving the rest area from a different direction and shoot them by hunting at the other post.
We’ve scouted some new hunting areas the last time we were in Iowa, so this weekend we’ll be hanging a booth or two at the new spots and hunting them a few times. You should always be looking for new places to hunt, unless you buy the land yourself you will eventually lose it. We are always looking for new places to hunt. On this hunt we will hunt in the morning and afternoon, and then explore for half the day. Hopefully, we’ll find a great new honey hole.
As October progresses that will be the time that I start hunting in the mornings, I don’t hunt in the mornings very often during the first part of the season. I have found that the mature males usually return to the roost area with the first light of day. But as we get to the latter part of the month you will start to see some scratching and rubbing being done by the younger males as they start to sense that some females are coming into heat. This is the time to start making some calls and noises. This technique has worked for me in the past. I hunted on a Saturday morning in late October, I was sitting in my funnel holder and decided to do a little rattling. Half an hour after the rattle, I looked north towards the funnel, and a deer with nice polished antlers was looking my way. I braced myself and as if on cue, he moved in front of me and I drew as he went behind a tree. He came out into one of my shooting lanes that we had cut off in August, and I pinned him and watched my arrow disappear into his chest. It was a great feeling when all the hard work paid off and everything went according to plan.
Are you still shooting your bow? It’s always a good idea to keep shooting throughout the season to stay on your toes. I keep a target on my truck and before going into the woods I shoot some practice arrows to make sure I’m still on target. You don’t need to shoot 100 arrows every day; you just need a few here and there to keep you on your toes.
If you are experiencing the dreaded “October Break,” have faith that the deer will move again. Hunt in less disturbed stands, hunt at different times, keep shooting and remember that the grind is only a few weeks away.
Good luck and shoot straight,