Savell is right the only thing I use a camera for is to see what is running around at night don’t care I’m just curious. During the rut tell the boys to refrain from killing does and see what is coming. The boys are just learning but I can definitely tell if that doe has something going on and many better deer will be several minutes behind
I had 3 years worth of pictures from a big non typical roaming ground I own. I hunt this piece maybe 4 times in November and I knew my neighbor would be the one to tag him and he did it was a 233 inch non typical.
What I’m saying is it’d been nice to kill that deer if he shows up but I won’t pass other good bucks waiting for something that may or may not be dead already

October lull is a myth.

Its probably just better described as the 'October change'....but ill always call it the October lull because that is the traditional term that everyone in these parts recognize.

Slow around me but this morning driving to work I saw 9 deer moving. First day of rain we have had in a while. Been D3 drought most of the year now it seems. Cooler weather, rain, and shorter daylight will get things rolling along I beleive in about a week here in midwest Missouri.
My favorite time to utilize cameras is in January. I like to see the bucks regroup and see what all made it through the slaughter season and will be going into next year. January cameras truly amaze me - harder to maintain and have to use good batteries but I really enjoy those photos much better.

The October Lull is just when the bucks disperse to their “rut” areas in my opinion. If you have property large enough you’ll see it with cameras. A mile or two is nothing to bucks heading to their rutting area. Bucks we’ve had on camera since early Summer are now heading out and others we’ve not seen until last Oct/Nov are showing back up. If you really get into deer hunting and target one particular deer you’ll know what I’m referring to.

It can be addictive sometimes keeping up with different deer. To watch a particular buck grow not only in weight and antler growth, but to notice his change in the areas he uses as he matures is enlightening. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t make it easier to kill a mature deer, but it does give you more knowledge to help kill him. On our property if you just wanted to fill tags with any legal deer, it could be done in one weekend with a rifle…that includes 10 does and 2 bucks.

Yes it’s weird I’ve hunted places for months and then shot deer that I had never seen before rifle season started. I imagine some get pushed out of other places they were hanging around at.

I only have 96 acres and a lot of neibors that invite friends and family to hunt on their small sections. Also just has some Amish buy 280 acres beside me. I don't think I'm going to have much of a heard or qualit buck come through unless its chasing or cruising. So we hunt 2 20 k acres pieces of public land a lot. It's mostly big hilly woods and less deer per square mile. A good run here is something I would not look twice at in farm country.

When we hunt in KY youth seasion the place has crops on the public and a bunch of deer.

Yep filling tags is important especially to help keep the boys motivated. And why I'm geting intrest in becoming a better buck hunter. But they can fill their tags on the farm quick and easy and boring. Hunting new areas and on public gives them more of a challenge and helps them learn. At this point and honestly the last few years I don't give much input we walk an area they decide if they want to hunt it where and how. They kill plenty of deer 7 between the 2 of them so far this year. They know how to kill deer on farmland and big woods and know about all I have to teach on it at this point. I need to expand my knowledge base and methods to keep them interested, wanting to hunt every chance they get ( youngest turns down going some times) 13 year old only lives to hunt and fish.

I personally don't care to kill big buck, but would like to have the knowledge and ability to pass on the boys that would love to shoot nice bucks each year. But honestly I'm as happy when they are all smiled shooting a yearling and really don't want them to loose that and move to antler obsession . That's the balancing act.

Maybe in getting old but I don't care to shoot deer any more. Have not shot one in about 5 years. . It's time outside and my boys and filling the free only. They fill the freezer I have no need or desire to be the shooter. I think could get excited about elk, mule deer, to something else I have never had the chance to hunt. Even then it's more the experience and meat than the shooting and would rather take the boys and watch them shoot them.

Could be Something is wired differently in me. I have never got shakey or deer fever. I distinctly rember waiting for my first deer that came out of nowhere out from under me at 10 yards walking away to turn and give me a shot. As 42 yards she turnd and gave me a quartering away shot. After I shot her I remembered saying to myself out loud " well that was not any big deal whats everyone talking about " now I do get up tight following a blood trail.

POSCO . Please promise if you kill a trophy to you that you DON'T take it to that taxidermist. !!! The neck looks ridiculus and WAY over exaggerated .

I like to hunt and have really enjoyed harvesting every deer I've ever took. If I didn't try and hold out for a decent buck I probably wouldn't get to deer hunt more than a time or two each year. I always tell everyone shoot what makes you happy and be happy about whatever you shoot. I don't like hunters that try to tell others what to shoot or not to shoot or try to belittle what someone else shoots. A lot of people around here will shoot an average buck that got them excited while hunting but then say they shot it as a management buck because they are worried about what their buddies will say. Kind of makes me sick.

My 13 year old ask me if he should shoot this buck or that one or not on the Camaras. He knows I have passed on several larger than my biggest killed. I just tell him that's a personal decision only he cam make. As long as he I'ds happy I'm happy with it for sure.

Exactly . If you're going to talk down about your kill don't kill it. That always irritates me.

Like I tell anyone, shoot what makes you happy. We do have management bucks we want to take to try and better our herd, but that’s just us.
If you shoot it, be happy about it. Some folks just get trigger happy and can’t help themselves. I have no issue with that either, I was that way at one point in my hunting life too.
For us now it’s the chase. Find that one mature buck that haunts your dreams and make it a point of him or nothing. I’ll be honest, I won’t let a buck consume me like I did before, but I will give it 100% to kill him. I guess once you kill a very nice buck, your outlook changes. I used to cringe every time I heard a rifle shot thinking was that “my” deer? In reality it wasn’t “my” deer, just a deer “I” was hunting.
We have a few on camera that I’d really like to release an arrow on, but if I got a text right now that someone killed the G2 Buck or the Droptine Buck, I wouldn’t be upset at all. I’d ride out and give them a big ole bear hug and tell them congrats and how proud I am for them!!

Agree 100%

“The excitement”! I never really felt this until I started bow hunting. Night and day in looking through a scope 100yds and looking through a peep sight 20 feet away. It took me the first couple years of seeing them that close before I could even keep from shaking. lol

Heck, nowadays, I have almost as much fun checking cams as I do actually hunting.