October Morning Whitetail Hunting

NYSKIER · Oct 16, 2017

Hey guys,

I know there is so much info on the web about this but what are your guys feelings about morning hunts for whitetails in October?

Will you hunt mornings during a cold front even if it is early in October?

I've got a good buck for our area and a good amount of daylight pics of him. He has only showed up in daylight except for one night however the only issue is that the buck was only appearing midday to afternoon however Friday and Saturday he showed up in the am. It wasn't uncharacteristically cool or anything so a front isn't the cause.

Should I go for this but the next chance I get? I can only get out Saturday morning this weekend.

What do you guys think?

genesis273 · Oct 16, 2017

I'm a firm believer that you can screw up a stand by hunting it too much, or if the wind is wrong etc. But if Saturday morning is your only opportunity to hunt this week, and you have some evidence of him moving in the morning, I think I'd hunt it...if the wind is right for the stand.
I have no idea what state you're hunting, but where I'm at, the bucks are about to start cruising looking for does. But up until now, they have been on acorns and afternoons have been better. Point is, by this coming weekend until Thanksgiving, I'll be in a tree as much as possible because they're about to start moving (pre rut). But that's just my opinion.

JLDemo · Oct 16, 2017

A lot of variables come into play with your scenario. But to answer your question, I'd hunt it if your set up is right. Play the wind, if the wind isn't in your favor then I'd stay out of that setup unless you can set several stands in the spot for multiple winds. But then you have to consider where the sun will be. If you hunt that particular stand too often, he'll pattern you before you pattern him. As for this early in October? If you've got a chance take it!

10Dogs · Oct 16, 2017

We affectionately call it the October lull here in NJ.
We were unseasonably warm this month. so not much action.
Halloween is usually very active.
Election day is an awesome time to hunt.

Gellar · Oct 17, 2017

I have killed my 3 biggest bucks before October 10, but I begin scouting and getting their pattern in August or September from afar. This usually means I am hunting field edges. I only hunt the stand when the wind is perfect and almost always in the afternoon. After about October 15 I will start to hunt mornings. In the morning I like to sit on a ridge with lots of mast trees that the deer will browse through all day. On cold mornings in mid October I have very good luck rattling bucks in.

NYSKIER · Oct 17, 2017

Thanks guys only hunted the stand twice in the correct wind. I definitely try not to over hunt stands until November. Hopefully the wind stays in my favor and it's a good morning this Saturday. Appreciate the input.

Crossbowguy · Oct 17, 2017

Good luck NYSKIER the bucks in my area of NY have moved on from the acorns to the apples and are now switched to corn. With it still being so warm and the deer having the winter coats on don't forget about water sources as another good ambush spot.

mixedbag · Oct 17, 2017

This time of year I think mornings are a little better due to being much cooler then the afternoons.I don't get serious about sitting in a deer stand till Halloween.This year Pa finally got it right and I can take either a buck or bear with my bow from the 30th-4th.I see bear as often as deer in my area.Taking that entire week off
Btw,my answer is to get in your stand Saturday morning if wind is right

buckbull · Oct 17, 2017

I don't bowhunt in October very much. I have had way more success not hunting October and then spending every day possible hunting the first 3 weeks of November. I earn 4.5 weeks vacation every year and burn 3 of it in November. I realize not everyone can do that. We also call bow hunting October a lull. There are usually guys that have patterned bucks all summer that will kill in the first week and then nothing else big is killed until Halloween. I do run trail cameras starting in September and checked them for the first time this past Sunday. 80% of deer activity has been nocturnal (even with does/fawns).

NYSKIER · Oct 18, 2017

Crossbowguy said:
Good luck NYSKIER the bucks in my area of NY have moved on from the acorns to the apples and are now switched to corn. With it still being so warm and the deer having the winter coats on don't forget about water sources as another good ambush spot.

Thanks crossbow guy my best stand is over a waterhole that I put in myself. Works like a charm. Started doing it last year and I've killed three deer off watering holes and seen a big uptick in activity. Even had a couple bears drink from them

Adamm88 · Oct 19, 2017

I watch the weather more than anything else and rely on the that and the correct wind direction. If the morning hunt is going to be cooler than the evening and you can get ahead of the deer coming off there feed at night than i find morning hunting more production. If your going to bump deer on your way in wait. It all depends on you scenario of what you have in front of you. When the temps get above 60 both morning and evening i dont see as many deer as they are moving in the dark and beding before first light or moving after last light, of course there is exceptions but thats my general rule.

I dont believe in the October "lull", i believe that the pressure from other hunters affect deer and by the second week in October all the deer that were previously non pressured and now receiving hunting pressure, I pretty much hunt public land and the more into October i get the more i get away from other hunting pressure, that doesnt mean necessarily far away from roads either just using pressure from other hunters to my advantage. Give me a big drop in temp mid october and ill see deer. Last but not least, hunt when you can, if you can be a little picky with you days/times hunter smarter, I would rather sit 10 quality days over hunting everyday and educating/Ruing spots for the last week in october/first weeks in november.

pointingdogsrule · Oct 19, 2017

After a hard rain or a front moving in...................be in that tree if the wind is the correct direction. They will be moving to feed.... that's just what they do. I smile all day long when I know a northwest front is moving through.

good luck to all
the dog

MN Public Hunter · Oct 19, 2017

I mostly only hunt evenings in Oct. due to the warms temps, but if it's a cool Oct I will hunt both.

NYSKIER · Oct 23, 2017

Got out Saturday Morning ended up seeing my target buck at about 80 yards but he never got close enough for a shot. We've been two for two seeing him after first getting him on cam so hopefully we can zero in and get closer to him for a shot

NYSKIER · Nov 15, 2017

Finally update ended up getting my target buck this Sunday evening. We hunted smart and had a shot at him the week before but couldn't seal the deal with a double lung shot. This weekend he came in trailing a doe 10 yards by my stand and it was game over. We were lucky enough to see a drop tine buck on its feet three weeks ago so now we may try and move the cameras around to see if its living near us or was just passing through.

October Morning Whitetail Hunting

NYSKIER

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genesis273

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10Dogs

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Gellar

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NYSKIER

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