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Many hunters choose to try and “make” something happen by using scent, calling, rattling or decoys. October is a great time to create mock scraps. This buck loves the smell emanating from the dripper.

The October Whitetail Lull: Fact or Fiction
By Todd Amenrud

If you listen to the chat in the local archery shop about this supposed "lull" that happens during October, it may make you think it is useless to pursue whitetail during this period. No doubt, a lot is changing in their world at this time and many hunters will have their excuses as to why this "calm before the storm" happens – "It’s the acorns’ fault" or "The leaves are falling and their cover is gone." I propose that these hunters are just looking in the wrong spots.

If you plan on the changes rather than using them as excuses, I think October can be a very productive time to harvest even trophy class bucks. Food sources, bedding areas and travel routes will all change at this time, stay on top of them. Rather than being surprised when the leaves fall off of the trees, bet on it! Instead of cursing the acorns, use them to your advantage.

I have some experience hunting public areas when this flood of activity happens. Setting up on the edge of an agricultural field or food plot may make for a boring sit during this period. Don’t expect the deer to make it all the way from their bedding areas to those destinations - get closer to their secure areas for a shot during legal hunting time.

When forces start to pressure deer, start hunting the escape routes and areas they are moving to. Even on your own private land and you are the only soul that steps foot on it, the pressure you put on the area can make a difference, especially to a mature buck. If you are tromping through your hunting area on a scouting trip to find one more rub on a tree you didn’t see two days ago on your last trip through, I’d about guarantee you won’t hold mature bucks on that property. If you wish to "house" mature bucks on your land you MUST give them a spot where they are left alone.

Quite honestly, in the areas I’ve had a chance to hunt that have been relatively unpressured, I really haven’t noticed a "lull." The largest buck I’ve

Before the rut kicks into gear, bucks can be slaves to their stomachs. Whether it’s acorns or a plush food plot, hunting the preferred food source during October can be the key to scoring during this time.

harvested to date, a beautiful, mature, wide, long-tined 5x5, was harvested on October 21. I hunted this buck for three weeks, but during the three weeks I only went in to try and kill him three times. I didn’t want him to sense my intrusion and all my work go for naught. All three times were in different setups and each time I got closer. On the third attempt, I sent a Rocky Mountain Premier through both lungs at 18 yards.

This buck, and the numbers of other deer I was seeing on this hunt, didn’t seem to be acting like there was supposed to be a lull. However, if I would have been tromping through their area scouting or "over-hunting" the area, I’m sure I would not have seen these sights. Mature bucks will not tolerate much before they move to avoid making contact with you.

October is the most beautiful period to be afield. The stunning fall colors produce breathtaking landscapes. However, the same chlorophyll that is dropping out of the plants, changing the leaves to those brilliant reds, oranges and yellows is also changing the food sources and the forest cover dramatically. Bedding areas and travel routes are probably going to change too.

Serious, persistent scouting and having a several-year tract record in the same area will help you to keep on top of the changes. Find the major trails and the travel routes they detour to when the chlorophyll drops from the leaves.

Expect the size and shape of their home range will be affected during this time. The cover that concealed them two weeks ago may be gone in mid-October. Whitetails are "homebodies," once they choose their adult home-range they seldom move. The size and shape of that home-range will vary depending upon the food, water and cover requirements, but seldom will they change areas completely.

I posed this question to noted whitetail hunting guru Myles Keller. Myles said, "Yes, it probably does seem like there is a lull. The bachelor groups are breaking up and food patterns are changing dramatically at that time. But, if you know where to look, there doesn’t have to be a lull. When a buck is a slave to his stomach, hunting them can sometimes seem easy." In October I rely heavily on food plots of Outfitter’s Blend, Trophy Oats and Clover Plus. The protein from the legumes in Clover Plus is very palatable and is not only a great attraction but also a great source of nutrition. The cereal grains in the other two blends can be a great source of energy for both bucks and does when the rut starts to kick into gear.

In preparing for this article I asked many hunters about the "lull." Almost everybody agreed there was most certainly a lull and most agreed that the presence of one of the whitetail’s favorite foods, acorns, was one of the major reasons for it.

Oak trees during a good year can produce up to 3,000 pounds of acorns per acre of canopy. The protein content is only around seven percent, but they have a huge fat content and are very high in carbohydrates. To us it would almost be like eating butter. For deer, acorns are a tremendous energy source.

Species of acorn that contain large amounts of tannins are very bitter. This is particularly true of the red oak acorns. The acorns of white oaks, being much lower in tannins, are nutty in flavour and are some of the best of the twelve or more species with edible fruit. Stay on top of this food source and use it to your advantage.

Aside from common sense, changes to tactics that coincide with the details we have already touched on, many hunters choose to try and "make something happen" during the October lull. The use of scent, calling, rattling or decoys can be an effective and exciting way to fill a tag.

I have had tremendous luck using scent to lure in mature bucks. Often nothing can work better then producing the smells in October of the first doe of the season to come into heat. A buck is ready to breed as early as September. It’s the does exhibiting the first signs of estrus that kick the rut into gear. Using some Special Golden Estrus in an area can change your October lull into an eruption.

To sum up what I’ve learned from questioning the better hunters I know about this topic, the key to overcoming the "October lull" is to be versatile and be able to change tactics or spots on a dime. When things change in the whitetail world you need to be able to change with them.

Todd Amenrud is the Director of Public Relations, Territory Manager & Habitat Consultant for BioLogic.