bronko22000

I hunt public land, no agriculture and hardwood timber with lots of browse and acorns droppinig. Prior to and after putting up my stands (about Sept 1) I've been getting pics of deer on my cams. But ever since the season started last saturday I've yet to see a deer. For morning hunts I move in at first light and ease out via a route that I know the deer don't travel. Evening hunts I do the same and stay until last legal shooting time. I always watch the wind and don't hunt a site if the wind is wrong.
I've gone 7 days now, 11 sits and have yet to see a single deer. I can't understand it. It happened like this for the past 2 or 3 years. Yet come the end of October and into November the deer are running rampant everywhere with the rut coming on. I like being out there and I know I will start to see deer sooner or later. But I can't for the life of me figure out way they change their patterns around the beginning of October? Anyone have any opinions on why? Its not hunting pressure because as far as I know, I'm the only one in the area.

BrushyPines

2 words...... October Lull

super_hunt54

Brushy pretty much nailed it. I remember the same thing happening up in the Mt. Gretna SGL's quite often. I would overcome the problem by going in deeper than most do getting as far off the "beaten path" so to speak as one could. I know Pa USED to have the highest sales of Bow licenses than any other state and the SGL's would be littered with Bow "hunters" freezing the deer up and turning them nocturnal fairly quickly in the SGL's. No telling how many idiots I saw coming in to set up stands after first light. I don't know what kind of weather you guys have been having but it used to be pretty dang warm during the first couple of weeks of bow season. That will make the deer sluggish as well being as they more than likely have grown out their winter coats. About the only thing you can do is try to go deeper in and try to set up closer to bedding and water holes.

Valentine

And they go where they want to go. If the deer are not there, they are not there. In busy states I surely didn't have control over where the deer go. It was using shank's ponies, my feet.
I'd leave a dead area, and keep moving, until I found a spot where the deer went. And with the use of stands, fewer hunters are moving. No one's figured how many tree stands can occupy a hundred acres.

RWK

My friends are getting the same thing, no deer.

Bocajnala

That's mid October for ya! Right now I just hunt food sources mainly, but sounds like thats not an option for you. Remember, there's never a "bad" day in the woods.
-Jake

Thunderchicken217

No such thing as an October Lull to me. Can all be summed up in one word Acorns! Summer you see deer hit the same food source over and over and over but as soon as the oaks drop they disappear because they now have hundreds of places to get them from. Just gotta know where they usually go each year and be a little lucky that pick the right tree or oak flat that day. Good luck.

olsaltydog

I am in the same boat, acorns everywhere right now and not much movement from what I am seeing this past weekend.

rockport

You already know the answer. Its the acorns. There is no October lull.

Go find a white oak loaded with acorns.

We have a bumper crop of acorns this year.

rockport

Also if it makes you feel any better your not alone. We had a massive acorn crops this year.