If you are a bowhunter you’re probably like me and can’t wait to get in the woods and find some bucks before the rut. We all love to hunt the rut. Deer are moving good, and you never know when a big buck will show up at your stand. Early season can be great if you know where to look and what tactics to employ. During this time bucks tend to congregate near food and bedding areas, especially if the two are in close proximity. Focusing on these areas will increase your chance of harvesting a buck before the rut.
September
Kentucky has one of the earliest archery seasons in the country. The season might only be a week or two earlier than other states, but these couple weeks can show a dramatic shift in deer behavior. You could almost divide September in half as far as this goes. Early September and late September. There is a lot going on during this time and if you spend enough time hunting early you will see it too. Here I will try and break it down for you.
Early September
The archery season, here in Kentucky, opens the first Saturday in September. Ag fields are still standing, and acorns are still hanging on high in the treetops, unless you can find a white oak dropping early, more on this later. During this time many bucks are still in velvet and hanging together in bachelor groups. This is when the bucks are most predictable, probably more so than the rest of the season.
Agricultural fields are the most prominent areas to look for bucks during September. However, if you don’t have ag crops to hunt just focus on the forage in your area and the deer will be there. Whether it is corn, beans, locust trees, honeysuckle or pokeweed, locating what the deer are eating in September is the place you want to be.
During the first few days of season placing a stand within bow range of these food sources can be money. However, once you and maybe other hunters have been in the woods, you might want to relocate your stand closer to the buck’s bedding area. Ideally you will determine the direction to and from bedding areas while watching the food source those first few days. You can then make your move in that direction but be careful. As pressure increases bucks will be on the lookout for intruders. Be sure and glass in the direction you believe to be the buck’s bedding area. Oftentimes, you can see a buck in the distance and now exactly where you need to be on your next sit.
Late September
Towards the end of September bucks have shed their velvet and begin to leave the bachelor groups to find their own individual core areas. Some bucks will return to the same core area each season but more often than not, due to mast crop fluctuations and other variables, a buck will relocate to a new area. While they may return to ag fields and other forage to feed many of these feeding areas are either gone from harvest or a new forage has emerged. This is why you see deer in fields for several days or even a few weeks before season then shortly after are all but gone. I used to think that I was spooking the deer off the fields and while that could be true in some cases more times than not the deer are seeking new forage higher in protein and nutrients. This is usually acorns.
Acorns are a high energy food source. Deer will move off of browse and ag crops when acorns begin to drop. Acorns may not be dropping all over the woods and this can be beneficial for the deer bowhunter. Locating an oak tree that is dropping acorns early is the perfect place for a stand. White oaks begin to drop earlier than red oaks. Not only will some white oaks begin to drop in late September, but whitetail deer love them. These early droppers are the first thing I search for in late September and when you find a lone white oak dropping acorns you will usually find deer. Even if there is no sign when you located these fresh fallen acorns it is still a great place to place a stand. The deer will find them so be patient.
October
October is a great time to be in the deer woods. The cooler temperatures and fall colors make for comfortable hunts with a view. The deer are beginning to really transition off the browse to feed on the mast. This can be hard mast like acorns, or soft mast like persimmons. This transition during early October then the pre-rut action heating up at the end makes it easy to separate this month into two section.
Early October
Locating a loaded persimmon tree is a great place to hunt. Locate a loaded persimmon tree in the middle of a white oak stand dropping acorn and it is a no brainer stand site. I like to place a stand within range of the persimmon tree. I’ve watched deer bed close enough to the persimmon tree so that they could hear when one hit the ground and run over to eat it. I have also watched this happen with an early dropping white oak. It is comical but could lead to a nice buck coming within range of your arrow.
You will begin to see a few rubs in early October. Pay attention because mature bucks will rub earlier tan immature bucks will. Even if the rub is on a small sapling, you should consider further investigation of the area, especially if the small sapling is shredded and pushed over to the ground. This is the early stages of a buck preparing for the rut as they begin to show their dominance as well as releasing a little testosterone. I have found that these early rubs aren’t your typical rub lines like you see in late October because the bucks are still focused on food more than the rut. The buck’s focus will shift to doe bedding areas later in the month.
Early October can also be a little slow on the deer movement often referred to as the October lull. I have seen the woods go quiet during this time, but I have also had some great hunts. An old timer once told me that when the deer have put on their winter coat those warm, or even hot, October days is just too much for a deer to move around much. Not sure but it made sense to me and besides I have never worried about the October lull anyway, I’m going hunting regardless.
Late October
Late October is when the woods can really begin to become active with buck movement. Bucks begin to establish their core area and will attempt to keep any other mature buck from entering it. Hearing two buck fighting just out of sight on a cool October morning is exhilarating and you know you are in the right place for the coming days. Bucks are focused less on food and more on love as the days shorten and instincts kick in. This is the time to use calls, scents and mock scrapes.
Mock scrapes work if done properly. When you find an area where bucks are around you should make a mock scrape to lure one in. Look for an overhanging limb near a travel route and use a stick to rack back the area underneath to expose fresh dirt and squirt some dominant buck urine in the middle. Some would say this is a good mock scrape, but I have found, after many seasons with lack luster results from my mock scrapes as described above, there is one more secret ingredient. Preorbital gland scent.
I use Rack Rub Licking Branch Gel to simulate the scent left by a buck’s forehead and preorbital scent gland. Bucks will rub these glands, located on the forehead and below the eye, on the licking branch as they stand in the scrape. I was never sold too much on mock scrapes until I started adding this scent to the licking branch. I have watched every deer that came down wind of my mock scrape, with this scent applied, come and rub their heads on the licking branch. Bucks and does.
Conclusion
Man, oh man I could go on and on about hunting these two months but will cut it off here. There is so many things to study and learn about whitetail deer that it never gets old. Use these few tips to increase your odds this archery season and while you’re out there pay attention to the little things that will teach you more and more about this great animal. Happy hunting and may your season be successful.
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