the October lull is a thing, of some sort

[neonomad]

We’ve done a little bit of low intrusion hunting, but would be neat next year to leave the property completely unmolested through mid October to compare zero pressure… that would take a lot of self control though.

The other members that are seeing cam activity drop off seem to add more evidence that it’s “a thing, of some sort”… maybe we’re learning just how super sensitive deer are to any kind of pressure, or maybe it’s moreso the other factors mentioned.

 

[elk yinzer]

It's definitely a thing. The only constant is change and you've got a little more of it than usual going on out there in mid October. Food sources are changing. Leaf drop happens, first in the understory, and that causes bedding to change. Young bucks are starting to get itchy to rut. Bowhunters have been in the woods for a few weeks and then muzzleloader and small game opens.

 

[weekender21]

It is real...I've had cameras get no pics for a week or more after getting 100+ pics a week.

Acorns?

That’s the biggest reason for the shift in my area.


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[neonomad]

If you're experiencing a lull in October or anytime, you're not sitting close to where they're spending their daytime hours. They're still moving, just not where you are looking for them.

I agree, but if their typical wandering goes from 50% of the woods to 15% of the woods… heck that’s a lull, of some sort. Obviously they don’t vaporize for two weeks.

 

[weekender21]

I have property in western NC that I typically hunt early season (September), the rut, and late season with the kids. This year I broke my hand in August and was out of town for a few weeks on a work trip.

Even with zero pressure on my property pictures (especially buck pictures), drop off in October. I only have three cell cams but run an additional 7-8 cams that I haven’t checked. In our area the lack of pictures is mainly due to shifting food sources. Bucks definitely shift their range this time of year too. Mature bucks become much more visible as the season progresses and they become more interested in traveling long distances to check scrapes etc.


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[hokiehunter373]

I agree, but if their typical wandering goes from 50% of the woods to 15% of the woods… heck that’s a lull, of some sort. Obviously they don’t vaporize for two weeks.

I disagree. They're still active they've just changed their habits due to everything else that's changed in the woods, including human intrusion. They're still bedding throughout the day and getting up and browsing throughout the day. It's just in a different location. From your example, the deer that were in the 50% of the woods are now concentrated in the 15%. Find the 15% and you should have more action packed hunts.

 

[LAKY]

I agree, but if their typical wandering goes from 50% of the woods to 15% of the woods… heck that’s a lull, of some sort. Obviously they don’t vaporize for two weeks.

I don't see a drop like that. If anything, I see a ramp up in activity. Does are not as "holed up" in fawning areas. They've experienced a huge drain on body resources due to lactation, and they need to seek out foods to replenish themselves. Bucks are breaking up due to increased testosterone levels and need to build up for the upcoming rut where they will lose a huge amount of weight. Energy food sources are big right now. Food in general is big. Find where they have a great amount of high energy food in or directly adjacent to great cover. Food sources change, bedding cover types may change, daytime browse areas may change, so cameras set in old areas of use will not see the same amount of activity. Hunters sitting where deer used to be, won't see them.

 

[kbetts]

There has to be a reason to set up where you do. I've got a good buddy that I'm trying to break of the "hang n hope".

 

[weekender21]

I disagree. They're still active they've just changed their habits due to everything else that's changed in the woods, including human intrusion. They're still bedding throughout the day and getting up and browsing throughout the day. It's just in a different location. From your example, the deer that were in the 50% of the woods are now concentrated in the 15%. Find the 15% and you should have more action packed hunts.

Solid point

Regardless of what drives the change (food, pressure, does) the deer are changing and if you’re trail cameras don’t change (move) you definitely get the impression the deer have been abducted.


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[hokiehunter373]

Another way to think of it is just because there's a "lull" for you doesn't mean there's one for the deer. The deer relocate and you need to go find them. They're still just as active as they were before and the bucks especially are becoming more active as daylight shortens and the rut approaches.

 

[elk yinzer]

The lull debate it drives me nuts that lull deniers exist. It's where the scope differences within different types of whitetail habitat are magnified. Like most internet arguments it always turns into such a narrow minded argument where people can't see beyond their location and circumstance.

A 40 acre farm with 20 deer living on it, it's not too hard to find the deer when their inhabited area shrinks or shifts significantly. It's 40 acres, you can walk it in 2 hours and find puff the magic feed tree pretty readily. Enjoy the nice easy lull on your farm, you have it good.

In the big woods we're commonly hunting areas that are mulitple thousands of acres...and still might only have 20 deer living on it. That becomes a little bit more of a proposition finding them when they shift. Then the lull becomes very real, trust me.

 

[raisins]

The lull debate it drives me nuts that lull deniers exist. It's where the scope differences within different types of whitetail habitat are magnified. Like most internet arguments it always turns into such a narrow minded argument where people can't see beyond their location and circumstance.

A 40 acre farm with 20 deer living on it, it's not too hard to find the deer when their inhabited area shrinks or shifts significantly. It's 40 acres, you can walk it in 2 hours and find puff the magic feed tree pretty readily. Enjoy the nice easy lull on your farm, you have it good.

In the big woods we're commonly hunting areas that are mulitple thousands of acres...and still might only have 20 deer living on it. That becomes a little bit more of a proposition finding them when they shift. Then the lull becomes very real, trust me.

i think there's a definition confusion too that infects this (many) discussions

some folks take the lull to mean that the deer simply all go inactive/nocturnal

other say that it is more the shift and that they are still "being a deer" somewhere....you just to figure out where that is

to me, the lull is the time between summer activity and increased rut activity (when random bucks show up) where the deer are reacting to changes in weather, vegetation, daylight, hormones, and human pressure and this makes hunting them more difficult

maybe that is other folks' definition of the lull...that time when they have trouble hunting

some might think there is nothing they can do except keep doing the same thing until the rut hits

 

[hokiehunter373]

The lull debate it drives me nuts that lull deniers exist. It's where the scope differences within different types of whitetail habitat are magnified. Like most internet arguments it always turns into such a narrow minded argument where people can't see beyond their location and circumstance.

A 40 acre farm with 20 deer living on it, it's not too hard to find the deer when their inhabited area shrinks or shifts significantly. It's 40 acres, you can walk it in 2 hours and find puff the magic feed tree pretty readily. Enjoy the nice easy lull on your farm, you have it good.

In the big woods we're commonly hunting areas that are mulitple thousands of acres...and still might only have 20 deer living on it. That becomes a little bit more of a proposition finding them when they shift. Then the lull becomes very real, trust me.

I agree with @raisins and how people define things being part of this issue. What you described to me isn't a "lull" as some people explain it. Some people just seem to think that all the deer go nocturnal and there's nothing you can do to get on them during this time. They won't hunt this time of year because they don't think there's daylight movement. That's ridiculous and does not exist. To me, what you're describing of course exists, but is not a lull. Those deer are still on their feet somewhere during the day, just in a different location. I feel like you and I agree on how things change but disagree on the terminology. I disagree with people that think deer evaporate during all daylight hours in all locations in the middle of October. It's like people that think certain deer only ever travel with a North wind straight into their face but still think those deer stay on their property and somehow don't end up in Canada.

 

[neonomad]

I agree with @raisins and how people define things being part of this issue. What you described to me isn't a "lull" as some people explain it. Some people just seem to think that all the deer go nocturnal and there's nothing you can do to get on them during this time. They won't hunt this time of year because they don't think there's daylight movement. That's ridiculous and does not exist. To me, what you're describing of course exists, but is not a lull. Those deer are still on their feet somewhere during the day, just in a different location. I feel like you and I agree on how things change but disagree on the terminology. I disagree with people that think deer evaporate during all daylight hours in all locations in the middle of October. It's like people that think certain deer only ever travel with a North wind straight into their face but still think those deer stay on their property and somehow don't end up in Canada.

the “October hunker down” doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, will keep working on the re-branding

 

[BTaylor]

I don't see a drop like that. If anything, I see a ramp up in activity. Does are not as "holed up" in fawning areas. They've experienced a huge drain on body resources due to lactation, and they need to seek out foods to replenish themselves. Bucks are breaking up due to increased testosterone levels and need to build up for the upcoming rut where they will lose a huge amount of weight. Energy food sources are big right now. Food in general is big. Find where they have a great amount of high energy food in or directly adjacent to great cover. Food sources change, bedding cover types may change, daytime browse areas may change, so cameras set in old areas of use will not see the same amount of activity. Hunters sitting where deer used to be, won't see them.

Agree with all of that but it does not take weather into account. We have been running above to well above normal temps and until this weekend havent had a drop of rain in weeks. That can have an impact on observed day time movement.

 

[BTaylor]

i think there's a definition confusion too that infects this (many) discussions

some folks take the lull to mean that the deer simply all go inactive/nocturnal

other say that it is more the shift and that they are still "being a deer" somewhere....you just to figure out where that is

to me, the lull is the time between summer activity and increased rut activity (when random bucks show up) where the deer are reacting to changes in weather, vegetation, daylight, hormones, and human pressure and this makes hunting them more difficult

maybe that is other folks' definition of the lull...that time when they have trouble hunting

some might think there is nothing they can do except keep doing the same thing until the rut hits

Very well said!!

 

[raisins]

I agree with @raisins and how people define things being part of this issue. What you described to me isn't a "lull" as some people explain it. Some people just seem to think that all the deer go nocturnal and there's nothing you can do to get on them during this time. They won't hunt this time of year because they don't think there's daylight movement. That's ridiculous and does not exist. To me, what you're describing of course exists, but is not a lull. Those deer are still on their feet somewhere during the day, just in a different location. I feel like you and I agree on how things change but disagree on the terminology. I disagree with people that think deer evaporate during all daylight hours in all locations in the middle of October. It's like people that think certain deer only ever travel with a North wind straight into their face but still think those deer stay on their property and somehow don't end up in Canada.

yep...you can't really discuss something until you agree with how you are using the various words

another pet peeve of mine is when people mix up matters of fact (how something works) with matters of preference (what we would like)....moving in and out of those things fluidly and on purpose is a primary mode of verbal manipulation (by politicians often)

 

[arrowchukker]

I believe most of these studies were focused in areas with low pressure on the deer or even outside of the hunting season.
not saying its not a good study or a refrence for someone but, its like a certain podcast I heard last week where one guy is on high pressured public and the other is on an area he can control almost everything that goes on.
its just different.

Read the studies. The PSU study is done on two separate State Forests. Both are hunted according to PA’s game laws. Watch a few of the videos that give the GPS locations. You would be amazed.

 

[Robert loper]

Read the studies. The PSU study is done on two separate State Forests. Both are hunted according to PA’s game laws. Watch a few of the videos that give the GPS locations. You would be amazed.

I will and thanks again

 

[weekender21]

Read the studies. The PSU study is done on two separate State Forests. Both are hunted according to PA’s game laws. Watch a few of the videos that give the GPS locations. You would be amazed.

MSU has a new video out as well. It’s pretty funny. Maybe anecdotal but relevant to the conversation.


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