Say something often enough, and with conviction, and it’s amazing how many people will start to accept that something is true, even if they don’t have any proof to back it up. For years, the October lull was one of those things. How else could we explain the lack of deer movement on those warm days through the middle of October? Or the fact that so many of our target bucks suddenly seem to vanish or only show up at night? Or that so many of our friends also report the same lack of deer activity?
There’s only one rational explanation: the October lull is real!
Or is it?
Recently, I explored this topic in several online groups and solicited feedback on whether members believed the October lull was real or just a myth. Hundreds of responses from all over the country were received and tallied. Next, I consulted scientific data, particularly GPS tracking studies of whitetails throughout the summer and fall seasons. My hope is that marrying these two entities – hunter observation and science – will provide a somewhat “definitive” answer in regard to what happens to whitetail movement in October.
What is the October Lull?
Traditionally, when I began my bowhunting journey in the early 1990s, the October lull was a term used to describe that time of the fall when deer suddenly stop moving or become more nocturnal. Several factors contribute to this supposed lull in movement.
First of all, early season hunting pressure spooks deer and makes them more cautious. Second, early fall often brings spells of warm, dry weather. Hot days and only mildly cool nights don’t inspire much whitetail activity. And third, changing food sources cause deer to shift territories, so where you find them in the summer is often different than where they live in the fall.
All of these are pretty rational explanations to explain a lull in deer activity in mid-October. But what do today’s hunters really believe?
Hunter Observations About the October Lull
As mentioned, the question regarding the October lull was posed in multiple forums and hunting discussion boards online: “Is the October lull real or a myth?” Here are some of the replies (which have been slightly edited for clarity):
Nate C: (MI): “Myth…Mine are always active on their scrape lines. If mid-October is hot, then there is less movement; when it’s cold, they get up and go. They also change food sources and seem to be in the woods more than fields. Just my opinion.”
Philip R. (NY): “October lull is caused by whitetails suddenly pressured by an army [of hunters]…If possible find areas that are less pressured. The deer don’t go underground; they just seek safe areas close to food, water and security.”
Tyler G. (MI): “About the last few weeks of September to the 2nd-3rd week of October they seem to be in hiding, but once that first freeze or cold hits, they seem to move. Happens every year.”
Christopher J. (PA): “There is no October lull. It’s a misnomer. Deer still eat, drink, and move about during mid-October, but food sources and social patterns change. You can and will kill them at this time if you understand their changing habits.”
Doug F. (SC): “I’m in the Sandhills region of South Carolina and if I only had one month to hunt deer, it would be October. We don’t have a defined rut. It’s more of a trickle rut. Some will tell you it peaks around Thanksgiving and that may be the case, but I’ve killed more bucks in October than any other month. And we have the ability to kill bucks from August to Jan 1st.”
Nick B. (KS): “Late September-Oct. 20th or so, hunters typically see less mature buck movement due to their patterns and often territory changing from the summer months…I personally only chase what I consider mature deer (4.5 or older) and they are definitely not on their feet in daylight as often during daylight in the month of October. I’m hunting private, managed farms in the state of KS with dozens of cams out.
“I typically won’t hunt from 9/20-10/25 unless there is a cold front. I believe I cause more damage by over hunting areas during this slower time than my odds of killing a target buck, so it’s not worth it to me.”
What I find most interesting about these and other comments received from hunters all across the country is how varied they are, with some agreeing there’s a lull and others saying it’s a myth. But almost everyone agrees that deer this time of year are going through some type of transition, and if you’re not seeing any deer activity, then it’s because you need to adjust, too.
Whitetails must always eat and drink; therefore, they must continue to move as much in October as they do any other time of year. However, many of the hunters who responded to my query also acknowledge that movement can be affected by warm weather and/or hunting pressure. And to that point, it’s generally agreed upon that hunting pressure can make mature bucks nocturnal, a point that will be addressed in one particular study below.
Generally speaking, hunters are much more informed nowadays when it comes to whitetail behavior than they were 30 years ago. Many understand how cautious mature bucks can be and the danger of over-hunting stands and spooking deer, as explained in this response:
Denny P. (MO): “I hunt October but only when things are right. I don’t like the possibility of burning stands or anything in that nature just to go hunt. The lull is BS and only created by too much human pressure because of the ‘you can’t kill em from the couch’ line. Hunt when things are right and minimize your disturbance and maximize the time spent on stand.”
What Does Science Say About the October Lull?
Now that we’ve heard from hunters, let’s consult science.
The availability and affordability of modern GPS tracking collars has pushed wildlife research to new heights, and two entities, in particular, seem to be on the cutting edge of whitetail behavior: the PSU Deer-Forest Study and the MSU Deer Lab. Combined, these two organizations have laid to rest many myths regarding whitetail movement, including their behaviors during the month of October.
PSU Deer-Forest Study
Let’s start with the PSU Deer-Forest Study. Their research is a collaboration among the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, and the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State University. The bulk of their research focuses on public, state forest land open to all hunters.
In an October 17, 2018 post on the PSU Deer-Forest Study website, Duane Diefenbach writes that he had never heard of the October lull until a friend had asked him about it. “For someone who has studied deer movements for a very long time, you would think I would know about this consistent and predictable drop in deer activity,” he writes.
In the post, Diefenbach provides a chart depicting movement prior to October 2nd (in black), the first three weeks of October (orange), and then during the rut (green). As you can see, there’s minimal difference in deer movement between September and October, but once the rut kicks in, movement skyrockets for November.
Another interesting aspect of this chart is that it shows deer movement throughout the course of the day. There’s no difference in time of day movement of deer in September versus October, either.
The PSU Deer-Forest Study also finds that a buck’s average home range does not shrink during October. In fact, it continues to increase throughout the month, from approximately one square mile at the end of September to almost four square miles by the end of October. All bucks tracked were at least 2.5 years of age and older. (Here’s a link to that study.)
This certainly pokes holes in any theory of a lull in movement as far as bucks are concerned. But what about females? Here’s where it gets interesting.
According to the PSU Deer-Forest Study, the activity of females slows down considerably during the month of October. Their home range shrinks (although not by much) throughout the month until peak rut. This makes perfect sense as they know that the best way to be found by a cruising, lovesick buck is to stay in a relatively small area. So if you’re seeing fewer does, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not moving; they’re likely just not traveling as far.
The MSU Deer Lab
The deer research program at Mississippi State University began with the arrival of Dr. Dave Guynn and Dr. Harry Jacobson in the mid-1970s. Since then, numerous research biologists, graduate students, cooperating agencies, landowners, and many others have worked together to address management issues of regional and national importance. They conduct their research on a 50,000-acre study area.
When considering research from the MSU Deer Lab, it’s important to note that much of it is done in the southern United States, where the whitetail rut generally occurs almost a full month later than in northern states. For the sake of “apples to apples” comparison, let’s look at November movement, the month leading up to the rut, which would be equivalent to movement in October in northern states (since the rut in the north typically ramps up in early November).
This graph taken from the MSU Deer Lab’s publication “Understanding Buck Movement: How, When and Why Bucks Navigate the Landscape” shows a story very similar to the PSU Deer-Forest Study research referenced above. During the month prior to the rut, deer activity steadily increases. There is no noticeable lull in activity.
In the same study, researchers noted a decrease in time spent bedded down and an increase in time spent walking in the month leading up to the rut. As a result, the home range of bucks steadily increased, which indicates that the October lull is just a myth.
As the researchers at the MSU Deer Lab point out, it’s important to remember that “White-tailed deer are crepuscular animals, so we expect to see daily activity peak around dawn and dusk. We see that about 60 percent of the behaviors displayed during twilight hours are feeding/tending or walking movements (Figure 12). This means that adult bucks follow the activity patterns we expected with the most movement during dawn and dusk. Bucks are also bedded most often during daylight hours and least often during dusk and dawn.”
Why You’re Not Seeing Deer During the October Lull (Transition)
So if the October lull is a myth, it begs the question: Why am I not seeing deer?
A whitetail’s world is constantly changing. Bedding areas, food sources, and even safety zones can change on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Success this time of year means figuring out where emerging food sources are, where deer are now bedding, and how they’re using the property.
Add an influx of hunting pressure into certain areas, and a deer’s patterns can entirely shift. In fact, read “Is the First Sit Really the Best Sit for Deer?” to learn how hunting pressure can impact the movement of mature bucks, according to an Auburn University study.
If you’re not seeing deer in October, it’s important to take stock of your hunting tactics and adjust. And the answer isn’t always just to hunt harder or more often, especially if your hunting spots are limited. If you have an endless supply of hunting ground and more stands than you can possibly hunt in a season, then over-hunting a single stand isn’t a big deal.
But if you hunt smaller parcels and have fewer options, it’s important to minimize the impact of your presence. Often, that means only hunting when conditions are perfect for that particular stand or property, and taking extra care with scent control and how you enter and exit stands.
As with any new season, hunter activity is generally highest when a season opens. After a week or two, enthusiasm tapers off, so the October lull could also be described as a “hunter lull” as hunters settle in and become more selective about when they hunt, such as focusing on cold fronts or other weather changes that potentially get wildlife on the move.
And if you’ve made the adjustments and you’re still seeing very little deer activity, don’t worry; the reward for making it through the slow times in October is that the rut is waiting on the other side.
According to the PSU Deer-Forest Study, approximately 20% of females are bred during the last week of October, and that percentage increases through November. Although the actual dates may vary according to region, hunters everywhere can expect an uptick in movement from now until peak rut.
So while the October lull may be a myth, the fact remains that your opportunities for harvesting a mature buck steadily increase as the season progresses.
