CALM BEFORE THE STORM
October — there’s nothing like it for a whitetail hunter. At no other time of the year are so many changes taking place in the life of a mature buck. And, as most of us have learned, trying to arrow one of these brutes during the period between the early season and the heart of the rut can be a frustrating endeavor.
That’s obviously not to say mature bucks can’t be killed during the pre-rut. However, outsmarting bucks during this transition time is usually a tall order for most hunters. After years of trial and error, I’ve learned to avoid running straight for my best stands during the transition period. Repeatedly hunting good stands burns them out by the time the rut peaks.
To experience success, I’ve learned to sit back and thoroughly plan my approach. Scoring during the so-called “October lull” requires a sound understanding of deer behavior during all three of the rut’s phases.
THE EARLY ADVANTAGE
What makes mature bucks vulnerable during early
