October Lull ?

[Goose]

How many of you believe in the dreaded Oct. lull? I definetly notice that the movement slows down on early to mid oct and I have notes to back it up. I believe they are still there and still moving just not as much and more at night. I think the foliage drop also has something to do with it, they lose alot of cover and have to adjust to it. By me in central WI it seems that around the 15th of oct. they start moving a little better and I have more sightings. Just curious on your thoughts. Aslo do you notice when the 1.5s disperse? Seems that around the 16th of oct. we see more 1.5s roaming around.

[JOEL]

october is bow season for us .i see plenty of deer.i dont buy into the october lull

[DeerCamp]

whats that the October Lull?
 
 
 
 
Terms like that does exist in my vocab.... No offense Goose, I think the world of ya.. But it's just an excuse for a bad hunter.. If you say the deer are not moving until after dark then get some people out there and make them move. I read a LONG time ago in I believe D&DH about the "lull" and one tip for hunting it was not putting it in your hunting vocab. The deer just dont climb the tree's they are still out there. Ya just got to change the way you hunt them or get some movement going through the woods. Force the deer to move.
 
 
As for deer movements here in Michigan.. They are a slow on the state land I hunt...But I think it's cuz there is no bait out there. I am still seeing deer, not as much as I would with bait, but still seeing some. I dont think there is as many hunters in the woods this year.. After talking to a bunch, a lot werent even going to bother hunting this year cuz of the no baiting... I know thats a sad excuse, but ya gotta make the best of what your given... As far as the CWD goes... I talked to a DNR officer in my area today.. He said that the ban was just changed to indefently. He said they did that because of the farmers trying to start law suits. He also noted that if NOT ONE deer is found with CWD this deer season, that they will lift the ban for next year.
 
Dont give up Goose, Im sure a dandy one will walk by ya soon. Keep on hunting buddy.

[vipermann7]

yeah, the october lull is just another name for "youre in the wrong tree". the deer move differently, it gets darker a whole hour earlier now than it did a month ago, and food sources are changing. as the deer movement patterns change, you gotta keep up and move with them. unfortunately, many of us dont have many choices. i have pretty limited hunting area, a lot of what i hunt is farmland with very little woods on it, so when the deer stop hitting the food sources in the day light, i dotn have a lot of other places to go. but if you can move off of the food and hit some transition areas near bedding areas and get in some nice travel corridors, youre not going to feel the "lull".

[msbadger]

Aaahhh Goose I know what your saying...it's not a problem of being a good hunter it's a matter of INDIAN SUMMER...geez we are in it now...last week frosts and highs in th 50's and this week low of 50's and highs in low 80's....These deer have their winter coats and still lots of food near bedding areas...they don't want to or need to move
If your in the north like me ...you could move around in bow season but you might as well take the "Rice Crispy" boys with ya...between dry fallen leaves and the tigs that trees are shedding now ...good luck with that...lets talk of the full moon as well....dogs have been barking every night ..why...the deer are in the open field next to their kennel eating all night...my spot light doesn't lie...Good luck ...Sat. is our opener

[msbadger]

oopps

[djohns13]

Before a couple of years ago, I would have made a negative statement about the lull.  However, the last two years have made me rethink it.  You might call it the lull, you might call it Indian summer but either way, the activity in my area is definitely down compared to the last week of October and beyond.  I am certain that it is weather related but I definitely notice the reduced activity nonetheless.
 
Good shooting.

[JPH]

While the term "Lull" may be the wrong choice of words, seeing deer during daylight does get tougher in mid-October.
 
In so. Iowa & no. Missouri:
- Food sources change. Beans and alfalfa are no longer as attractive. And deer begin to feed in standing corn and under white oak trees.
- Cover is dense. The leafs are still on. the understory is thick and the crops are still in the fields.
- The weather can be lousy. This weekend it was in the 80's.
- Hormones are changing, but not to the point where they are stupid yet.
 
...either that, or I'm just a bad hunter.

[ranwin33]

Can't say I believe in it much.  I think it's more just a matter of finding what food source they've decided to be on.  We've got a couple of stands where we always see deer, no matter the weather or the month.  Then we've got a couple stands where the deer come and go.  It all seems to revolve around food and where it is available.

[Goose]

Everybodys answer has suprised me so far! Im not saying the deer go under ground but for me its tougher hunting. Like JPH said its many factors all rolled into a 10 -15 day period. I dont wanna go to close to the bedding areas yet I know they are moving in there and staying closer to them this time of year but Id rather wait a week or two. I believe Ive seen a study and the results stated that the bucks spend the most time on their bellies this time of year, next to mid summer and winter. I believe I saw this in the Drurys book. Dont know, but your answers are interesting as always.