Monster Bucks in October: The Opener

by Adam Hays | October 24, 2011

If I had to pick my favorite month to hunt "Monster Bucks" it would have to be October! Yeah, you heard right: October, not November. I have had my best luck in October and harvested all of my biggest bucks including all three of my 200" deer prior to Halloween. There are a few good reasons for my success during the early season, and I'm going to break them down for you here. I'm also going to separate this special month into three individual phases over the next few weeks and take a close look at them all. I like to break down the month into: The Opener (the beginning of the season); The Lull (after the first week and up to the 20th, give or take); and Red October (the last ten days of the month). During October in the Midwest, there are a lot of changes going on, almost on a daily basis, with both deer and their habitat. Each phase takes a little different approach and there can be some last-minute changes that have to be made in your setups. Above all else, you have to be as sneaky, scent free and careful as you possibly can be, not to blow your cover with a big buck! October can be a great time to kill a monster, but it may very well be the most difficult, too.

I can attribute my success in October to a few important strategies. First, I'm normally hunting a specific animal in October here in my home state of Ohio. I honestly believe that when you narrow down the playing field and concentrate on a specific animal, you increase your chances of tagging that buck. When you have a specific goal, you are more apt to attain it. I'm not just out deer hunting; I'm hunting a specific deer. Secondly, I go to great lengths when it comes to scouting and trying to decipher a big buck's travel patterns. That way, I have a pretty good idea what he's doing and where he's doing it. In October a buck is on a strict feeding pattern and is more predictable now than at any other time of the year. He is basically doing the same thing every day. This makes a big buck very vulnerable. Lastly, when you get the big picture and understand what a big buck is doing early, and why he's doing it, you can predict where he will be and when he'll be there, and wait for the perfect conditions to give you your best opportunity. I have taken all of my biggest animals the first time I hunted the stand where I shot them. The toughest part of hunting mature deer can be "not hunting them" until everything is perfect.

Let's look at The Opener. It's been eight months since the local deer herd has been harassed by hunters. Life for a deer has been carefree for the past three-fourths of the year, except for the occasional coyote or scum bag poacher. Opening weekend can be a great time to catch a big buck with his guard down. Especially this year, with most of the soybeans planted later than usual, most will still be green and should make for a great hunt. I would wager that a lot of bucks will remain on their summer food source later this year, instead of traveling back to their core areas and completely disappearing. It is very important that you don't wait for the season to open before you climb up in a stand and watch the field your chosen buck has been in all summer. Try to pinpoint where you need to be for a surprise attack the first day or two of season. It's tough to beat a buck back to his bedding area, especially during the early part of the season, so I usually leave that as a last resort and hunt him hard, exhausting all efforts in the evening before invading his bedroom. Never say never, though. If you know exactly where he beds, have a stand pre-hung and can get in there more quietly than a church mouse, it would be hard not to try it. Just remember: if you don't get it done, chances are he will know you were there and the game just got harder. I personally haven't shot a big buck on the opener at home, but I have out of state and know a bunch of other guys that have done the same.  It's a great chance to connect on a whopper. Just make sure he's moving during daylight, if it's possible, through observation or trail cameras. Don't rush in to your best spot just because the season opens and you feel like you have to be hunting. If it's not right, and the wind and moon aren't on your side, back off and watch from a distance or hunt another area. Hunt smart early, leave hunting hard for November! We'll take a look at the October Lull next.