Tom Miranda of the Whitetail SLAM has authored a new book, The Rut Hunters. This Tom Miranda blog features excerpts from that book.

One strategy used by veteran buck killers during pre-rut and the October lull is known as bump and dump. In this scenario, the hunter walks into a known big buck hideout in midmorning and bumps the target buck from his bed.

Immediately, the hunter sets up his stand and climbs in. The beauty of this strategy is that the mature buck isn’t spooked by human odor in his travels yet, but is flushed out as if a farmer or woodcutter has invaded his area. Since mature deer are creatures of habit, the brute will likely return – usually later that same day – and may even attempt to lie in the same bed.

Typically hunters who locate mature bucks resist pressuring them, yet in the October lull big whitetails limit movement to a very small core area – maybe only a 50-yard circle of woods. Finding this “nest” can be tricky. If you simply don’t have the right setup or mindset to employ the bump-and-dump, consider rethinking your entire strategy.

Part of the reason for the lull is that the food sources are changing. Crops are being harvested, acorns might be dropping or already eaten up, and much of the green browse is turning brown. Deer live off of their stomachs, so what many feel is a true lull is only partially a decrease in activity. The reality is that many of the deer have switched food sources and all of a sudden your field edge stands might go dead.

To combat this, consider going out with a climbing stand or a lightweight portable to observe new areas that you haven’t hunted yet. This might be an oak ridge or a saddle well off of any field edge, or simply a wooded flat that offers good visibility. Always carry your binoculars and try to move to new spots until you pin down current deer movement.

Click here now to get Tom Miranda’s new book, The Rut Hunters!

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