The October Lull

[TheLBLman]

We've never seen a mature buck while hunting after the end of November. We get a surge of daylight pictures the first week of December (as the rut is winding down), and then not even trail-cam pictures during daylight after that.

My theory is that as the rut is ending (typically the end of November in your area), daily linear distance travel of mature bucks suddenly becomes almost nil. Perhaps they've been thru enough ruts to realize it's mostly a waste of energy and dangerous to continue roaming looking for estrous does after most have already been bred. However, I believe they'll often bed near what has been an active scrape, thus you can often get some daytime pics of their checking that scrape.

Reason you don't see them hunting is because if you were to choose a stand location close enough to intercept them, you've probably spooked them getting there. This can be very tough hunting, and I think the best chance of seeing them is if you come in under the cover of pre-dawn darkness, then stay on that stand until at least 1P. They will often get off their bed and walk 50 to 100 yards to check a scrape during mid-day, especially if many hours have gone by without their being aware of any human intrusion. They're just not traveling any significant linear distance.

This is the short transition period between the rut ending and post-rut beginning. In post-rut, the focus becomes security and food, in that order. They will only be interested in a doe should they stumble across one that was missed and comes into estrous.

This is very different from the transitioning of pre-rut to rut, which is commonly late October to early November (at least in much of northern Middle TN). Early November, there is an increasing amount of estrous doe scent floating in the air, and that amount is increasing daily --- this can drive bucks into a seeking frenzy over a matter of days, when they just suddenly show up everywhere. Then many are with a doe, and for a while we may not see so many. After 2 or 3 weeks, that estrous scent in the air rapidly dwindles to nothing, and we transition into post-rut.

 

[BSK]

Wes,

I specifically trail-cam monitor big traditional scrapes right against thick sanctuary cover. Mature bucks won't even visit those in daylight post-rut. Lots of nighttime pictures and just before dawn pictures, but no daylight pictures.

I'm sure mature bucks do some daylight movement, but they rarely leave thick cover, and I DON'T have cameras there.

 

[TheLBLman]

I specifically trail-cam monitor big traditional scrapes right against thick sanctuary cover. Mature bucks won't even visit those in daylight post-rut.

I generally agree, but have experienced some exception to this generality (mature bucks in scrapes during mid-day).

But when it comes to hunting those mature bucks, it's not necessary for them to actually "visit" the scrape. Sometimes all that's necessary is for them to stand up and walk a few steps to do a wind check. Your hunting set-up should not be to watch the scrape, but rather to watch toward the bedding area downwind of the scrape.

 

[landman]

Wes you hunt Stewart County or have in the past near the Montgomery Co line, we always see and kill some of the better bucks late season. Just wondering what you have seen in the past

 

[BSK]

But when it comes to hunting those mature bucks, it's not necessary for them to actually "visit" the scrape. Sometimes all that's necessary is for them to stand up and walk a few steps to do a wind check. Your hunting set-up should not be to watch the scrape, but rather to watch toward the bedding area downwind of the scrape.

The type of scrapes I monitor are right against the cover. The scrapes are on the habitat edge.

 

[Headhunter]

you have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing a mature buck from the first of December on land in Middle Tennessee where I hunt and I hunt many places, private and public, wide open fields, thickets, food sources, anywhere and everywhere, and I vary hunting spots, skip years on a place or 2, etc. and in over 20 years of hunting I have seen only 6 or 7 bucks that were mature. On another note I have only been hunting in Kentucky 3 years and in their last muzzleloader, in December, it is not anywhere near as difficult to see a mature buck. I still believe there is no doubt that 40 years of gun hunting in Tennessee till the end of December first of January cannot help mature buck sightings here.

 

[Diehard Hunter]

you have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing a mature buck from the first of December on land in Middle Tennessee where I hunt and I hunt many places, private and public, wide open fields, thickets, food sources, anywhere and everywhere, and I vary hunting spots, skip years on a place or 2, etc. and in over 20 years of hunting I have seen only 6 or 7 bucks that were mature. On another note I have only been hunting in Kentucky 3 years and in their last muzzleloader, in December, it is not anywhere near as difficult to see a mature buck. I still believe there is no doubt that 40 years of gun hunting in Tennessee till the end of December first of January cannot help mature buck sightings here.

Then hunt Kentucky! How did you turn a thread about the October lull into seeing a mature buck is easier in Kentucky?

Back on task....has anyone ever thought about the sudden change in habitat that occurs around the end of October? Surely, the fairly rapid change caused by leaf off has to leave the deer feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and some food sources have died out. In some years, if we have a lot of rain, leaf off can occur over just a few days. That paired with our slow response time as hunters adapting to changing deer behavior can result in a couple of weeks where we just aren't seeing anything, and we call it a lull.

 

[TheLBLman]

Wes you hunt Stewart County or have in the past near the Montgomery Co line, we always see and kill some of the better bucks late season. Just wondering what you have seen in the past

In Stewart Co., I have always experienced "low odds" late season, seldom seeing a mature buck (while hunting). However, I believe where you're hunting has a lot more agricultural croplands, and relatively more larger fields relative to the cover. I have experienced a little better late-season hunting in agricultural areas, especially when the acorn crop has been poor. At present, the areas I'm hunting (in Stewart) are so biodiverse that acorn production seems to be of much less impact than in times past.

It seems my best odds on a specific known mature buck may be late pre-rut to early rut (last week of October thru 1st week of November). For any mature buck, it has simply been the month of November. Lately, it seems the bucks begin re-forming bachelor groups in early December, and their focus is on food sources and security (and not moving around much). If food wasn't so widely available, I'm sure I'd have better odds during the post-rut period. Closer to the Montgomery County line, you have a lot more agriculture, and generally a lot more fields relative to the woods/cover areas, and even more so going into Montgomery County.

I thought increasing the food plot acreage might improve the odds on the late-season hunting, but so far, it's made little difference. Those older deer seem to gravitate to where they're least disturbed, which is often in the middle of a large 4-yr-old clear-cut with enough forage they don't need to venture into a food plot during daylight. Hard to hunt them when the thick cover is much taller than the deer, and they seem to have no need to come out. At least during the rut, they come out during daylight, sometimes.

 

[TheLBLman]

Back on task....has anyone ever thought about the sudden change in habitat that occurs around the end of October? Surely, the fairly rapid change caused by leaf off has to leave the deer feeling somewhat uncomfortable . . . .

I typically experience an October "lull" before most of the "leaf off" has happened, although I do think the upper canopy opening up is a factor in the October lull.

I think a bigger factor in most years may be acorns falling over a widespread area, coupled with other food sources dying out or being less attractive. Add to this that 1 1/2-yr-old "yearling" bucks often disperse miles away from where they were frequently seen during September/early October (dispersal to new home range). Add to this that bachelor groups of all-age bucks scatter like a flushed covey of quail ---- the month of October upsets the hunter's applecart.

Then add this:

Most hunters tend to over-hunt their "spots".
By sometime in October, most bowhunters have already done this, which is an additional cause of their not seeing as many deer as they did during the earlier portion of archery season. The deer have relocated, while the hunters are still hunting the same spots.

 

[landman]

Wes you hunt Stewart County or have in the past near the Montgomery Co line, we always see and kill some of the better bucks late season. Just wondering what you have seen in the past

In Stewart Co., I have always experienced "low odds" late season, seldom seeing a mature buck (while hunting). However, I believe where you're hunting has a lot more agricultural croplands, and relatively more larger fields relative to the cover. I have experienced a little better late-season hunting in agricultural areas, especially when the acorn crop has been poor. At present, the areas I'm hunting (in Stewart) are so biodiverse that acorn production seems to be of much less impact than in times past.

It seems my best odds on a specific known mature buck may be late pre-rut to early rut (last week of October thru 1st week of November). For any mature buck, it has simply been the month of November. Lately, it seems the bucks begin re-forming bachelor groups in early December, and their focus is on food sources and security (and not moving around much). If food wasn't so widely available, I'm sure I'd have better odds during the post-rut period. Closer to the Montgomery County line, you have a lot more agriculture, and generally a lot more fields relative to the woods/cover areas, and even more so going into Montgomery County.

I thought increasing the food plot acreage might improve the odds on the late-season hunting, but so far, it's made little difference. Those older deer seem to gravitate to where they're least disturbed, which is often in the middle of a large 4-yr-old clear-cut with enough forage they don't need to venture into a food plot during daylight. Hard to hunt them when the thick cover is much taller than the deer, and they seem to have no need to come out. At least during the rut, they come out during daylight, sometimes.

Wes were most of these are being seen is more along the river but not in crop round country, Its wooded tracts that do have 10% or 20% in food. Which can't be seen from roads, are back in timber area's, many that surround select cut or heavy cut timber, its not uncommon to see mature bucks feeding in these areas. And more and more we are seeing late breeding and chasing by these same bucks, even during duck season, were we are hunting dry feed areas on ridges and bluffs. I didn't know if you had been hunting some of the old Westvaco stuff

 

[TheLBLman]

. . . . . more and more we are seeing late breeding and chasing by these same bucks . . . .

I am seeing that, too.
But I believe it's more a chance opportunity for these bucks as opposed to their going around looking for estrous does. It does create some increased harvest opportunity, but still has been relatively low odds compared to the November rut.

I believe most of this late season breeding is actually the result of a healthy deer herd, where many female fawns are coming into their first estrous period. Let an older buck get a whiff of that, and he's hanging around that young doe for a couple days.

By contrast, if the herd were not as healthy, most of these fawns would not have their 1st estrous until November of the year they become 1 1/2 yrs old. We also see some estrous fawns being chased in February, but again, chance encounter by the bucks, which are not roaming in search.

 

[TheLBLman]

Let me add this. I believe the deer herd in Stewart County (and many other TN counties) has become significantly "healthier" as the herd has become better balanced in terms of buck:doe ratios. This is primarily the result of going to Unit L, and more hunters being willing to shoot as many or more does as bucks. This improved ratio helps make the November rut shorter, but more intense, resulting in all deer being less "stressed" going into the winter months. At the same time, forage habitat has greatly improved across Stewart and many other TN counties, a combination of forestry practices and more people focusing on planting plots for wildlife. Finally, between some increased doe harvests and some EHD, the deer population is a little less, even though the buck population is higher (from the improved buck:doe ratios).

 

[Headhunter]

Nice attack there Diehard.

 

[catman529]

wasn't a lull for me last year, October is when I killed the does, then November the bucks were cruising around and I killed a couple of those until gun season and then killed more does after that. It was a good year for me though so we will see how this year goes. this will be my 3rd season (4th if you count the 2 times in 2010) deer hunting.

 

[MattR]

Yep, October is when I'm going to try to get my first bow kill. I don't think there is much of a "lull". I think last year I just experienced the Cheatham Wma lull.

 

[Headhunter]

Went to Laurel Hill for a 4 day hunt in October, 18-21. Check with the TWRA and see how many were killed, or if they kept this stat, how many were even seen. I did not talk to anyone who even saw a deer and there was as much sign as I have ever seen anywhere.

 

[Elmer]

IMO there is a major October lull. I am blessed with differant places to hunt and no matter where I hunt the transition off the summer pattern is a very difficult time to hunt. Human intrusion, leaf drop, day length, and food sources changing has a lot to do with it I'm sure. I know the first week and the rut are the best times of the year, the time in between is hard

 

[timberjack86]

you have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing a mature buck from the first of December on land in Middle Tennessee where I hunt and I hunt many places, private and public, wide open fields, thickets, food sources, anywhere and everywhere, and I vary hunting spots, skip years on a place or 2, etc. and in over 20 years of hunting I have seen only 6 or 7 bucks that were mature. On another note I have only been hunting in Kentucky 3 years and in their last muzzleloader, in December, it is not anywhere near as difficult to see a mature buck. I still believe there is no doubt that 40 years of gun hunting in Tennessee till the end of December first of January cannot help mature buck sightings here.

Lots of mature Tn deer show up in the kill thread in December.

 

[TheLBLman]

Instead of saying "December", we should be saying "post-rut". Relatively few mature bucks are killed post-rut, but quite a few are taken during December in those counties where the rut peak is in December. Most areas, the rut's in November, and post-rut is December.