[cc142]

This is my first year hunting and I got a late start getting into the sport. I put up my first stand about a week before season came in September 7th. I have about 30 acres behind my house I'm hunting on and have already been able to harvest 3 does. The freezer is full!!!! Now I'm looking for a wall hanger for my first buck.

My question is, during this October lull, is it ok for me to do some scouting for new locations to put up a couple of lock on stands or will I mess up my rut hunting? FYI, I am only bow hunting this property and have no crop fields in or around it. The property is about 50% tall pines and 50% oak hardwoods with a thicket creek bottom bordering one side.

Any help is appreciated. Loving the sport!!!!

 

[joffutt1]

I would only scout if you were on the way to a stand or wouldn't have hunted there otherwise. Just be smart and where rubber boots and wear gloves and you shouldn't impact your site unless you're constantly bumping deer.

 

[Ches]

Do it all at once and do it mid day. One entry is not going to hurt a thing, if you go alot, they will ge on to you. Just remember, Bucks change patterns in the Rut. Look for Does and the edges of thinker stuff. But then they also cruz open oaks, so options are endless. If you want fast shooting, hang a stand 30 yards outside think stuff in open oaks. Does will try to get back into the thick stuff and bucks will try to keep them in the open oaks. They will run that edge, hard to get a shot but an adrenalin rush. Never got one that way, but they can sure make you dance in your stand.

Ches.

 

[Skeeter 58]

Just yesterday morning a friend saw one of the biggest bucks he's ever seen. It was with a doe.

If they are hungry and a cold front passes, they will still come out and eat during the day, especially early morning and late evening.

The October lull is true to some degree. But much of it has to do with leaves falling and covering up deer sign, thus making it seem as if they have not been there.

I've hunting right on through until the rut, on the same property, and still scored on a buck I had been after. I saw him several times prior.

Skeet.

 

[naturalsteel]

I used to think there was an October lull where I live until I figured out thet they were where the acorns were dropping so i just kept looking for acorns dropping and I almost always found deer. Weather does play a part in deer movement and since the cold front went through last night I saw numerous new rubs and scrapes this morning so the bucks are on their feet a little more now and with 2 more cold fronts coming and highs in the upper 40's middle of next week, I'm sure buck movement will increase tremendously and getting closer to the rut with these conditions is icing on the cake!

 

[Bwana]

There is no lull, the deer change their feeding/travel patterns...moon phase, weather conditions, hunting pressure effect daylight activity.

 

[cc142]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm going to go in mid day tomorrow and take a look. I do have an area of open oaks, great for climber or lock on, that edges the thickets along the creek. Don't think we have had a great year for acorns here though. We have our coldest days and nights of the year coming up next week. I'll let ya'll know how it goes. thanks again.