the October lull is a thing, of some sort

[raisins]

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.

what's the synposis? I believe i saw this and i recall that they were active in October about the same.

 

[Hall17]

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.

Was going to say the same thing. If I was hunting the same way I did the first week of October right now I wouldn’t be seeing deer.

With it being the 3rd week here in PA and muzzleloader week I knew today i had to go into direct bedding. I shot a deer within 20 min

The feel pressure and they change

 

[neonomad]

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.

I think this sounds more like agreeing?

 

[Fgirtyman]

I’ve got some good camera data from 2020-2021, and this is a quick chart I’m still getting the 2022 data entered… from what I’ve seen though on the 100 acres I hunt (almost a dozen cellular cameras) the October lull is real, and for me starts about now. I know the podcast experts reiterate that it’s not real, but I think we’re debating definitions here, because there is some phenomenon. In the past from about now to the 25th, I reliably see a plunge in camera action. Each year I try to adjust cameras to better spots, in this case some deeper in timber and more on oaks. Others are on common travel corridors, a few on food plots.

I’m not saying the hunting can’t be good, I’m just more generally curious about the two week shift, and what’s really going on. My objective here is to remind myself that if I want to hunt these weeks, which are usually great weeks to be in the woods, I better keep searching for the magical spots these deer are still moving around in, as of now I def don’t know. We have soybeans and I need to note in future years if corn is better, of course they shift off the beans a few weeks ago. I’ve got some good foodplots including alfalfa, chestnuts, oats grains and brassicas, so I’ll be darned if they’re going down the road for a few weeks. I’ve hunted a few times but keep way to the perimeter, favorable winds only. Maybe the answer is simply acorns, they’re chilling and gorging. I know this topic has been hashed and rehashed, but I’m still scratching my head, it’s interesting.
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If we are talking bigger bucks they start coming out later becoming more nocturnal in my area. Mainly because of the hunter scents in the woods. The younger bucks will be acting out their future( 1 1/2 2 yr olds) during the last few minutes of daylight.
The bigger bucks get the message from hunters and become more nocturnal until the older does are coming into heat later in October in my area anyway.

 

[arrowchukker]

what's the synposis? I believe i saw this and i recall that they were active in October about the same.

One of my take aways from these studies was the deer still move in October. But the area starts to increase. In early October, a buck may be spending all his time on 40 acres. By Halloween, he may be roaming around on 250.
Much easier to locate him on 40 vs 250.

 

[raisins]

One of my take aways from these studies was the deer still move in October. But the area starts to increase. In early October, a buck may be spending all his time on 40 acres. By Halloween, he may be roaming around on 250.
Much easier to locate him on 40 vs 250.

thanks

I’ll try to read up myself but this helps

 

[neonomad]

By the way, here’s my camera deer movement sampling system. (should be in the shame thread)