To tag out in the toughest month, keep an eye glued to the weather forecast and get in a stand when conditions take a turn for the worse.
As far as whitetails are concerned, October is a throw-away month for many folks—at least the first 3 weeks, anyway. This mindset stems from overblown credit given to the “lull,” and the fact that a lot of whitetail-hunting advice is dispensed from hunters who live in states such as Iowa, where the firearms’ season doesn’t interrupt rut-time bowhunting.
For the rest of us, who still wish to sit in a stand every chance we can and make the most of valuable hunting time, October gives us a chance. This is especially true when the weather gets downright nasty. Deer, now sporting their winter coats and not overly concerned with rutting activity, will move more during periods of weather that seem far more conducive to staring skyward in search of approaching mallards than climbing into a stand.
To capitalize on the best-of-a-worse-case scenario, pay close attention to the weather and plan your hunting time around the following:
PIGGY-BACKED FRONTS
Recently, throughout much of the Upper Midwest, we had a spate of near-record heat. The scorching daylight temperatures didn’t do much for deer movement; however, like all warm fronts, it came to an end. What rolled in after the heat was a cold front, which is always good news for whitetail hunters. What followed the first cold front, though, was a gift—another cold front. Temperatures that went from 80-degree daytime highs to those in the 40s presented a perfect opportunity to get into a stand. In fact, when the second front hit I started getting frequent texts and phone calls from hunting buddies about encounters with big bucks. It felt like the second week of November, not mid-October, when conventional wisdom says that the deer hunting should flat-out stink.
SPRINKLES AND DELUGES
Although Guns N’ Roses didn’t think as highly of rain during October as they did of November showers, bowhunters can thumb their nose at Axle and Slash by watching the radar like a hawk during this month. Precipitation in the light to heavy category will get deer on the move. True downpours that cause arc-building thoughts might be worth sitting out, but you better try to get into a stand as soon as the rain lets up. Deer will move then, if they haven’t already. Better yet, unlike cold fronts, rain keeps other hunters out. This is a bonus for those of us hunting public land or pressured private ground.
Embrace the challenge of hunting October whitetails. Follow the weather and eventually you’ll be rewarded.
SMILING SUNSHINE
On the note of hunting when others won’t, it does pay to hunt during those hot days of October. I know they are the least appealing, but your competition is likely to stay home. A single day with sweat-inducing heat might not be worth it, but a sustained heat wave will offer an opportunity and it’s very simple: Sit the water. Creeks, ponds, rivers, puddles, cattle tanks or any other place where the deer can stay in cover and slake their thirst are good bets. To up your odds, consider sitting water close to a green food source such as alfalfa or hay.
You’ll have the woods to yourself when it gets truly hot, and provided you play the wind to keep your sweaty, stinky body from tipping off approaching deer, you’ll be in on action. This is the least fun time to hunt. The misery will only last until you see a mature buck working his way toward you. Then those thoughts of crisp November mornings will drop through the trapdoor in your mind to make room for the present need to range, settle the pin and send an arrow on its way.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Without a doubt, mid October isn’t the best time to kill a mature buck. They are still out there, though, and they will move during daylight. This gives you a chance, especially if you take the time to follow the weather patterns and capitalize on the changing conditions. It only takes a single deviation from normal patterns to get bucks on their feet. You won’t kill them if you stay home like the rest of the weekend warriors.
