October Lull???

[Drew]

We have been seeing deer every time out here in SE Michigan. Saturday night I saw a doe and a nice 6pt, too far away to do anything about though. My bro in-law had a spike, 4pt, and numerous does at his stand most of the evening.

It's been really windy on a couple of the evening hunts but that didn't stop the deer from moving.

I just hope this keeps up, I'm 7/7 for seeing deer or having them come in.

[nchunterkw]

Things have dropped off here as well. I am still seeing deer, but where we had 15 different deer coming to a feeder that has dropped to 2. I think a lot has to do with the acorns. They much prefer them to corn and there are a TON in the woods. When I lived in OH, I shot several nice bucks between 10/6 and 10/10 every year, and then it got tough until around 10/25 - 10/31, so I am also in the moon phase camp. Of course, up there it was bow only from late Sept until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Here the guns start banging at varied times depending on where you are in the state. And there was a 4 day duck season on 10/1 to 10/4. Sounded like WWIII out there on that Saturday. Pretty sure that freaked them out a bit.

[peter p]

Lots of good info here but here are my thoughts.
In early season you see lots of deer at food plots in fields and everywhere else you hunt.
I call these resident deer where does raise their young in a general area doing the same thing everyday.

Once the season opens and the deer begin to notice that there is more human presence in the woods, they tend to become skittish especially if you get busted while in your stand.
The deer that busted you will not likely return anytime soon and if they do they will first look at your stand from far away to see if you are in there.

So you continue to hunt the same food plot and stands and don't see anything until late October when the deer start moving especially bucks chasing does all over the place.
Now you start seeing more and different deer coming to the food plot or fields.

One thing I've learned in early season is if you get visually busted by the resident deer it's time to move to a different area or set up a different stand.

[Doe Master]

Everyone thoughts are good .
Peter good observation but I have two spots I have not hunted yet , set up with cameras . They have stopped coming there until after dark .
I leave these two locations because they are proven performers late October .

[nchunterkw]

I get what peter is saying and I agree but not to that extent. Does bust you and stay away for a day or so then get back into their routine. That being said, another reason I hunt from the ground. If I get busted I switch up where I sit the next time (usually the wind forces this anyway) just as good practice.
Now if a mature buck busts you - different story. He is gone.

IMO this is how it all goes until any guns start going off. Then the deer get super skittish and hard to find. Youth season, duck season whatever once it happens that sets them off. Had a buddy who had a bunch of land we hunted in SE Ohio. Super thick with multi-floral rose and thorn trees. No food, but lots and lots of cover. You would see tons of deer and lots of bucks before "Boy Scout Day" then it was over. He was a big Boy Scout guy - even worked for corporate for awhile - and had like 50 scouts out every year to shoot every gun everyone owned over 1 weekend. Usually in late Oct..(I still shake my head). I never could convince him to stop that or change the timing, but pretty much every deer on his property hit the road after that weekend.