This morning I found myself sitting high above a cut corn field anxiously anticipating the first deer of the season. I sat uninterrupted for quite awhile. No deer. Eventually I did see some deer, a doe and her yearling, but it was a fleeting glimpse at best.
There may not be any more well-known stigma among hunters than the October disappearing act of the North American Whitetail. As we anxiously prepare through August and September, we obsessively educate ourselves on bedding areas, travel corridors, pinch points and preferred food sources. With all this planning we hope to position ourselves for making the memory of a lifetime. But after all this preparation the deer seem to just disappear. Long gone are the days of predictable paths to food and water that had been running like clockwork since mid June.
This October already seems impossibly difficult. With daytime highs averaging in the low to mid 80’s and a noticeable lack of rain, deer movement has been limited to the cooler nights. When confronted with these kinds of hunting conditions you have to change up your game plan completely. First I stop hunting anytime past noon. Afternoon temperatures are much too hot for deer movement and you’ll end up stinking up the woods sweatin’ it to your stand. I also try to hunt a position immediately downwind of bedding areas near both water and a good food source. Despite the heat, deer will get up and move during warmer weather but may not go far. Setting up in these high value areas close to home may increase your chances of tagging out. A word of caution though- disturbing deer in or near bedding areas may cause them to relocate or push them into becoming completely nocturnal; so always get in early, hunt with the wind in your favor and never overuse a stand. If there is a bright side to the weather this season, the dry spell has allowed farmers to stay ahead of schedule at harvest. Deer use the standing corn as security cover, and are forced to move when it comes down.
No matter how daunting, just remember when the hunting gets tough this October to think outside the proverbial box a little and don’t be afraid to adjust your tactics! Good luck and Happy Hunting.
