34A Early Rifle hunt expectations / tips

[lamrith]

Family drew 34A early hunt this year (Oct 23-29).  Usually we get the middle hunt that is a few weeks later in the season.

I am out of state so cannot get to the hunt area to do any sort of scouting before opening day.  Any changes in how the deer behave/move in this earlier hunt versus the mid/late Nov ones we are used to? 

 

Are the deer more driven to water sources, do they stick to deeper/darker draws with the higher heat?  Are bucks split more away from does or in bachelor groups so if I see a hillside covered with does should I start looking elsewhere?  Any tips or recommendations would be much appreciated.

[firstcoueswas80]

Full moon and hot. Going to be a tough hunt this year. Ive hunted October the past few years, went with a later hunt this year because of the aforementioned combination. 

[no worries]

I’ve got the same hunt this year.  I didn’t even check the lunar calendar.  It’s been super dry so far.  
Shade (deep cuts) and trails to water will be my focus.  Other than the hard rut, I find bucks together. 

[TexasHunter]

Expect lots of company too. 

[lamrith]

12 hours ago, TexasHunter said:

Expect lots of company too. 

Yeah I think 600tags?  The middle hunt we normally do is about the same 600 or 675tags so just gotta work find a spot and settle in and hope nobody else tromps thru the hillside you are watching sometimes.

 

20 hours ago, firstcoueswas80 said:

Full moon and hot. Going to be a tough hunt this year. Ive hunted October the past few years, went with a later hunt this year because of the aforementioned combination. 

We did not even look at that factor.  Oh well, part of hunting, gotta figure out a way to beat mother nature.  Least it is a rifle hunt and not archery.

[PRDATR]

Temps won't be much warmer than what you usually experienced two weeks later but the deer will be less pressured.

[CatfishKev]

Consider getting there early and pin down a buck for opening morning

[Siwash]

Glass North faces in the shade when it is hot. If you are still hunting the last few days when the moon is full don’t slip on deer midday stretch and feeding activities and expect limited morning windows with deer on their feet. As others have said, in October bucks are batched up in groups and less pressured than the 2nd/3rd hunts, usually. 

[lamrith]

On 8/7/2020 at 4:45 PM, CatfishKev said:

Consider getting there early and pin down a buck for opening morning

I am a bit limited as I am out of state, but right now we should be there late morning/noon the day before, so dropping trailer should not take long then probably out for evening glassing and see if we can put one to bed for the morning.

 

On 8/8/2020 at 3:48 PM, Siwash said:

Glass North faces in the shade when it is hot. If you are still hunting the last few days when the moon is full don’t slip on deer midday stretch and feeding activities and expect limited morning windows with deer on their feet. As others have said, in October bucks are batched up in groups and less pressured than the 2nd/3rd hunts, usually. 

Thanks, good tip on midday.  The family I hunt with have not to my knowledge worried about north facing slopes, could be why they strike out more often.  I have a few spots looking at caltopo that look good for glassing north slopes right in the areas they usually hunt, so I will try that for sure!

[Elkchaser]

Lots of pressure, use maps and find places you can hike into a mile from roads. It will be hot!

[lamrith]

You guys were not kidding!  Hunt was a fiasco!  Super dry, not a stitch of moisture even in shady draws that usually had pools of water in them.  Deer were scarce.
We saw more hunters each day than we normally do in a week of the later hunt.  Had one group of hunters duck in under us when we were setup and then start blasting up the hillside trying to hit a pair of bucks 420yrds out.  20 shots later, they injured the 2x2, then switched and shot the hanging around 2x3 with it.  Last we heard they had not recovered either deer.

 

Was great to be out and not at work, but overall, not an enjoyable hunt due to overpressure of hunters and very scarce deer.

[jdown]

Just more dead heads from douches shooting further than they can.