October 1st holds a special place in the deer hunting community. Even if you hunt states that open their deer season in September, October is the unofficial kick-off to the fall deer hunting season.
When the calendar flips to 10/1, it’s game on in the whitetail woods.
Now, tagging a trophy buck on opening day is no easy task. In my 30-plus years of bowhunting experience, it’s something I’ve yet to accomplish. Partly because I don’t always hunt on opening day, and partly because I’m not working to put myself in a position to be successful right out of the gate.
It’s often said that success is when preparation meets opportunity, and there may be no better example of that than bowhunting whitetail deer. You may get lucky every now and again, but having consistent success at tagging mature bucks takes a lot of work, effort, and energy.
To find out what it takes to be successful on the opening day of bow season, I asked my good friend and fellow Bowhunt or Die team member Matt Miller for some pointers.
After moving to Illinois a decade ago, Matt has taken several great bucks on October 1st, including one on his very first sit in a treestand as an Illinois resident.
Here’s what Miller had to say.
1. Find Out Where He Is Bedding
If you want to kill a buck on opening day, your best bet is to find out where he’s bedding. That process typically starts in the late winter or early spring by scouting your hunting property. Locate buck bedding areas and confirm them with obvious sign like large beds, rubs, scrapes, and other deer sign.
Mark those locations on a hunting app like Huntstand, and then use trail cameras to confirm a buck is living in that area the following fall. Trail cameras are great because they are low impact and allow you to monitor an area without having to stomp around all over looking for sign.
2. Don't Rely On Food
Many bowhunters think the only way to kill a buck in early October is on a food source. All my opening day and other early season bucks have been killed in the timber, and up close to bedding areas.
I have never had luck with mature bucks consistently using food plots in daylight during the early season. However, I have patterned several bucks that will use the same pinch points or terrain features close to their bedding areas regularly. That is where I like to set up.
3. Entry And Exit Are Everything
Understand what the wind is doing for both your entry and exit routes and take the long way in if the wind requires it. You absolutely will not kill a mature deer if he smells or sees you on your way into the stand.
This is especially true when you’re hunting close to bedding areas. The margin for error is very small, so proceed with caution, go slow, and leave yourself plenty of time.
Hunting buck beds in the early season isn’t easy, and it isn’t for the faint of heart, but it can be an incredibly successful tactic when you put in the time and execute your plan just right.
