Bow hunting in October.

The weather has been to mild the last week or so. The big boys will start moving when the temp. drops.

In my opinion October is the best month for bowhunting. From Oct. 20th to rifle season is an unbelievable great time to be in the stand. Try placing your trail cameras over scrapes as these will be visited by their maker often and also by many different bucks. Rubs are hardly visited twice by the same buck so shy away from them. Grunting and rattling also works great this time of year. Bucks are starting to claim their territory and will investigate for intruders. Colder weather will get them on their feet during daylight hours also. Good luck!

It's a typical lull.....Seems every year, once they split out of their bach groups, they disappear into thin air until late Oct rolls around.

Whiskey and WSWAT,

I see my best activity and cam pics as well as get the best hunting in October.  In my opinion, in ND because of rifle hunting in Nov, that mid to late October is the absolute best bow hunting we can get.  Unless you hunt private land that doesn't get rifle hunted, then Nov would be the best.  I also have good luck the first 2 weeks following rifle season as well.  With all that if the temp doesn't start dropping soon this October is going to be tough, because everything will move in the dark.  Pray for it to drop below freezing at night and hover around or just above freezing during the day, this will HEAT UP the action.

I agree.....Last week of Oct is my favorite time to be in the stand.

Early to mid Oct, one they are on their own and completely nocturnal, not so much.

halloween night is my fav.

I hate October!!!!!   The days of 5,6 or even 10 bucks walking by together are gone.  It's no early sept BUT we (well I'm just along for the ride) are starting to see some new bucks.  Crops are coming off plus bird hunters are moving deer around.  The key to this time of the year is get VERY close to the bedding area.  Those big bucks only move a few hundred yards before dark.  It's a tuff time to hunt but worth it!  Some fo the best Oct days are when it's rained all day or for a few and then it breaks mid day.  Those nights can be good.  Last night Nikki couldn't hunt so I went scouting for her.  It had rained the last 24 hours and broke at about 3pm.  For the 1st time in 50 days a 6 year old buck she is hunting walked by her blind in broad day light.  So stick it out.  Each day you don't get your buck your 1 day closer to getting him!

Alot of transition going on now! Bird hunters messing around, Bachelor groups break up, warm weather stifles movement, crops coming off shifting deer around, Food sources can shift almostly daily, patterning movement extremely difficult right now. About 3-4 weeks from now bucks will become extremely active and mobile, then it becomes fun! Calls work! decoys work!, etc.......

It's a good time to kill some does and not worry too much about affecting a bucks routine. The two groups seem to be as seperate now as they will be. I have killed two bucks in October, October 6 and 12. Both came with less than 10 minutes of shooting light. This is the time of year that even scouting from afar the bucks seem to show up late.

huntorride365 Said:
It's a good time to kill some does and not worry too much about affecting a bucks routine. The two groups seem to be as seperate now as they will be. I have killed two bucks in October, October 6 and 12. Both came with less than 10 minutes of shooting light. This is the time of year that even scouting from afar the bucks seem to show up late.

Noticed their moving extremely late, even without any pressure.  Thought it might be the warm weather

I won't be excited about bowhunting until it cools off and we get some rain/dew to quiet things down.  I hate this hot weather.

Well since I started this post I should say my luck has changed. Set this new stand yesterday after work and sat last night and shot this P&Y buck

That's some good looking grass!