October 2010
Scout Now? You Bet!
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Bowhunters often scout during October, but firearms hunters seem to wait until November, which can be a mistake. No matter what weapon a hunter chooses, scouting carefully this time of year can lead to more rewarding hunting and more meat in the freezer. |
The tenth month of the year represents transition across the country. While the leaves change, crops get picked, and the deer start to feed heavily for coming rut and eventual winter, hunters should be looking for the freshest sign.
Often, bowhunters will scout during October to figure out what food sources the deer have moved to and what the added pressure of fall hunting has done to the herd. This is a smart move and highly advisable. It seems that firearms hunters are slower to adopt this way of thinking, but they could benefit greatly from burning some boot leather this month.
With many of the general firearms seasons less than a month away, hunters should get out and identify rublines, scrapes, and potential feeding and bedding areas on their property. Those hunters that run feeding stations should try to identify staging areas in interior woodlots with plenty of fresh sign and then start a program with Record Rack® Golden Deer Nuggets. This will allow the deer plenty of time to get used to the feeding station and an added bonus is that they typically feel comfortable enough in staging areas to move during daylight hours. Oftentimes, these areas will be located in thick cover within 100 yards of an agricultural field or food plot.
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Firearms hunters should get out and burn some boot leather this month. They should keep an eye out for rubs, scrapes and anything that screams staging area. Those that set up feeding stations would benefit greatly by setting them up in staging areas, which are usually located in thick cover within 100 yards of an agricultural field. |
Many firearms hunters prefer to sit in wide-open areas, especially if they hunt in an area that allows rifles, but they may benefit more from getting in the thick stuff. A feeding station in a staging area, set up within 40 or 50 yards of a quality stand, is a great way to up the odds on tagging a big buck. Plus, setups of that nature allow for high-odds shots on deer as they move through at close range.
October Tactics
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Bowhunters should attempt to call aggressively in October if they are experiencing diminished deer activity. Rattling, grunting, bleating and snort-wheezing just might draw in a buck to shooting range.
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While it seems that talk of the “lull” dominates October bowhunting, there are a few things archers can do to increase their chances of seeing deer activity. The first and most obvious is to grunt, bleat, and rattle in an attempt to coerce a buck in one’s direction. There’s nothing wrong with this and certainly these tactics work well in the right situation. But, bowhunters shouldn’t forget the snort-wheeze call as well. The snort-wheeze is an aggressive challenge call that can often turn bucks of all sizes in a hunter’s direction. The important point is to remain versatile and to not be afraid to call loudly in an attempt to make something happen.
