Muster together any group of whitetail fanatics and ask them when is their preferred time to bowhunt whitetails and chances are the November rut will be their choice. More articles, Outdoor T.V, shows, videos, etc. are aimed at hunting elusive whitetails during this period of time. Rut crazed bucks are running about in a frenzy, almost asking to be shot at by archers savvy enough to exploit this weakness in the whitetails armor. But in this authors opinion there is another period of bow season that draws far less attention but can and is just as deadly a time to tag your whitetail. The time period I am referring to is the first week to 10 days of bowseason.
As September wanes, whitetails are still in their summer patterns. It is a lazy and good time of year to be a deer. Food is abundant, winter is still months away and for the most part, the fields and forests of Michigan are relatively undisturbed by humans. A whitetail’s day is basically comprised of eating and sleeping. Whitetail bucks have shed their velvet and testosterone levels are beginning to slowly increase. Core living areas for both bucks and does are still relatively small, perhaps no more than 2-300 acres.
Whitetails are a creature of habit and it is never more apparent than in the late summer and early fall. Find an appealing food source such as a bean or cornfield and most likely you will find deer feeding in them at dusk and dawn. However, do not overlook mast crops such as beechnuts, oaks and fruit bearing trees. I specifically target these food sources above any crop fields or food plots planted by humans. Natural food sources are a whitetails favorite early season food source. Mature whitetails, both bucks and does, that normally only enter a crop field just at or before dark, commonly show up under acorn laden red and white oaks just about any time of the day. Falling acorns are a dinner bell for hungry whitetails seeking to put a layer of fat on before winter.
Take the time before season to seek out the trees that contain these mast crops. Locate the trees that have mast crops growing from their branches and stow that knowledge away until bow season. There is a narrow window that you can take advantage of this food source. Normally, acorns, and beechnuts begin to fall in late September. White oaks tend to drop their fruit first followed by red oaks. When acorns are abundant they may drop their nuts right up until November. Other years when acorns are lean, the acorns may be completely dropped and eaten by mid- October. Keep in mind that besides whitetails, turkeys, squirrels and other critters seek out and consume acorns and other nuts and fruits.
Last year I was perched some 20 feet up a giant white oak on a sunny and a too warm, early October day. I was clad in a camo t-shirt and light weight camo pants. I had taken my time walking to my stand this afternoon as to not to get overheated. This particular oak was the only tree dropping any amount of acorns that I had been able to find. The acorns that were falling were but a meager amount. However, the deer sign littering the ground below me was encouraging to say the least. It appeared as if a family of hogs had been under me rooting about. Within the first half an hour, whitetails began to show up under my stand crunching on the fallen acorns.
For a better part of an hour a button buck and his sister entertained me with their squabbling as they kicked and head butted each other as both vied for the best acorn area. It was still some time before sunset when the sound of footfalls on leaves grabbed my attention. Turning my head slowly in the direction of the approaching sound, I was delighted to spot a nice buck approaching. As he walked under my stand, I came to full draw and send a carbon arrow through his boiler room. I watched as he crashed to the forest floor after a mere 50 yard run. I had the deer dressed and in the bed of my pickup before dark. As I sat in my pickup with the air conditioner running, I was once again reminded of the drawing power of acorns.
Hunting over a water source is another often overlooked but very productive bowhunting method to utilize during the early season. Whitetail deer must drink every day. Oftentimes twice when the weather is warm which it is much of the time in early October. Secluded watering holes are a great place to hang your stand of place your ground blind. Creeks, rivers, ponds and even lakes can be good spots to wait out a thirsty whitetail. Deer tend to water shortly after they rise from the daytime bed, normally before beginning to feed. Then again in the morning before the retire to their daytime bedding area. Look for runways and tracks around water sources. The more secluded the watering hole the better chance of having daytime activity. Hang or place your stand or blind downwind of a trail leading to and from the water source and you have an excellent spot to bag your early season whitetail.
I have always stated that Michigan has the most hunter savvy whitetails of any state I have bowhunted. With this said, it is no small wonder that after the first week or two of the season, most mature deer are beginning to change as far as their patterns and core living area. Bucks begin to expand their core area, doubling and more the size of their living area. Bucks will also venture out 2 or three miles on excursions well beyond their normal core area. Mature does take notice of the influx of small and big game hunters that are now intruding into their living space. Daytime movement ceases and summer patterns are disrupted and abandoned. Some call this approaching period the October lull.
Take advantage of the first couple weeks of the season. Spend as much time as you can locating mast crops and water sources and hunting near them. This is the best part of October to fill your tag. Bow hunt mostly undisturbed and uneducated deer while you can.
Be proactive and do not let the warm weather and mosquitoes deter you from filling your deer tag and freezer early. Pay heed to the above mentioned techniques and enjoy some early season success.
-Tom Nelson
