Whether through binoculars or on trail camera images, seeing three or more bucks together at one time never gets old – and for many hunting areas, it’s a rare treat. For most hunters, it’s not just the offseason lull that makes early season whitetail hunting sound so attractive. Rather, it has a lot to do with sightings of clumps of antlered deer during the late summer and early fall. After months of prep and intel gathering, it serves as a welcomed reward for the eyes. Despite the usual warmer temperatures of September and early October, there is a brief window of opportunity. Very brief.
I love deer hunting during the early season. It’s probably my favorite time to hunt mature whitetails. Sure, the rut is exciting and I practically plan my life around it. But that small sliver of the early deer hunting season is special in its own rite. For one, there has been much less hunting pressure. Plus, bucks are more predictable, estrus does aren’t a factor, and it’s not freezing cold. The list goes on.
Yes, the common thread that runs through September and early October are whitetail buck bachelor groups. Though this doesn’t always make them easier to kill, there are reasons why bucks can be easier to hunt and harvest during this period. Here are a few of them.
Overconfidence
With a smaller amount of hunting pressure, bucks are much less wary and can be prone to travel further from their bedding areas during the daytime. Also, much like a roving gang, they are seemingly more confident while traveling in numbers – also leading to increased daylight movement. So, if you do your homework, you have a chance to position yourself for a quality shot when bucks push the bounds of their core areas.
Running with the Wrong Crowd
How many times in our lives have we heard something along the lines of, “You’ve got to stop hanging around that kid down the street. He’s going to get you in trouble”. Like with people, deer have their bad apples too. Bad influences. For bachelor groups, those bad apples are the younger members. These bands of deer are not all the same. While some are made up of the same age class, others include a mixture of young and old bucks. I don’t know if there is any science behind it but, based on experience firmly believe that during this stage, mature bucks can be influenced by their young counterparts in the group. This can entail more flippant travel tendencies during shooting hours. When the fellowship of whitetail bucks leads to mistakes, you want to have a front-row seat. Advantage hunter.
Grub and Cover
Though hunting food sources is never a bad idea when it comes to hunting deer, there is no better time than this period. In fact, it’s now that deer are particularly focused on food. It’s by far the most prominent reason for early-season movement. Food sources vary in different areas, but whatever they are, find them. Look for trails on the outskirts of food plots, ag fields, acorns, and other soft mast and browse.
Similarly, but to a lesser degree, study and hunt areas around water sources like creek bottoms.
Finally, regarding food and water sources, bucks will commonly bed close to their preferred food source, oftentimes within 50 yards. Here, the idea is a perception of safety in moving between the two settings. A little careful scouting will no doubt reveal this.
As always, scouting is key. Take time to find and survey groups from a distance. Use trail cameras to not only locate them but determine their range and movement times. It’s crucial to manage your impact on your hunting grounds, by minimizing your footprint and leaving as little scent behind as possible.
Before you know it, it’s time for that first early season hunt. Continue to apply good judgment by determining optimal stand locations and entry/exit routes based on known trails and wind conditions. Be aware of upcoming favorable weather events such as temperature drops and rain. Once you’ve gathered this valuable intel, you’ve already done most of the important work and can put yourself in a 50-yard line seat prior to game time.
It is now that you can concentrate your efforts on making the shot count. And hopefully, you do because you usually only get one chance at a mature buck before added wisdom and a new restlessness starts to affect them. Sooner rather than later, tolerance within bachelor groups starts to run thin. Testosterone is low at this time and will, along with aggression, start its gradual rise as the rut draws nearer. If a mature early season buck is the goal, be observant and tenacious before these magical groups start to divide and conquer.
Hunting early-season bachelor group bucks is a remarkable time, but they are not a slam dunk. You either have them or two or you don’t. The best way to capitalize is to find them ahead of time with vigilant scouting. Do your homework, apply the basics, and enjoy the good times that could be on their way. Whether you’re completely ready or not, the time is now. At a minimum, savor the experience. It’s a special time of year and opportunity.
