There have been plenty questions around the campfire at deer camp over the years of when's the Best Dates with highest harvests for deer season? Well, there's a single day that comes to mind time and time again. Hands down the number one harvest date in my opinion is October 31, Halloween. Why is this such a prime time of year for Archery Hunters during the whitetail deer season? Because bucks' testosterone levels are on the rise, and doe estrus levels are beginning to change, and this triggers the start of the early stages of mature does going into heat and the rut. This is what we refer to as the "pre-rut" phase.
That's a great combination of timing and tactics for the Archery Hunter, and for any outdoorsmen who's looking to utilize the tools of the trade. Undoubtedly today, one of the most effective tools we have is the use of trail cameras. I remember the first trail camera I purchased back in 2011 and setting down at the computer with fingers crossed hoping to see just one single picture of a buck. One of the primary benefits of using the trail camera is being able to keep up to date on intel such as times, dates, temperature, and even moon phase. You can also run photos or videos depending on the area and trail camera you are using. Information such as how often a shooter buck is using a trail or scrape is key to an Archery Hunter.
That is why this time of year is like no other, because Whitetail bucks begin to become more visible, as they are consistently hitting rub lines, and checking those fresh scrapes for hot does in the area. Bucks begin to show their shy faces more frequently in daylight and are more acceptable to respond to grunt calls and rattling. This allows the archery hunter to narrow down on daylight buck movement and with the use of Trail Cameras to pinpoint the best hunting blind location along the travel route or maybe even set up an ambush spot over the trail camera itself. This exact same scenario played out for me on Halloween, October 31, 2024.
I decided to play my hand at a tried-and-true location where I had success in the past and knew the possibility of a shooter being in the area was high. If I was not successful this October 31 Halloween evening, I had scheduled vacation off the first week of November. So, setting up a trail camera and a mock scrape was my primary purpose for this evening hunt. Because I had planned to return within the next three days to hunt this location again, this is a perfect example of planning ahead to use the tools available by capturing intel for a future hunt. There's been an annual scrape about 23 yards from my tree's location, giving a lure such as a mock scrape the exact appeal needed to fool a mature buck's nose. Taking advantage of these types of situations is vital to getting curious bucks to stand exactly where needed for a trail camera or for an archery shot. There was a clear shooting lane already in place, and the stage was set for success.
I wrapped the trail camera straps around the tree about chest height, facing north, and aimed it directly at my natural shooting lane. I placed the camera facing north not only because it was the direction of the mock scrape, but because this will help with the sun casting shadows and reducing the number of false triggers that can occur when facing east or west. After making the final touches on the mock scrape and leaving some of the doe estrus scent on the licking branch I quickly and quietly climbed my way up into the hunting blind. This was a textbook, beautiful evening in the woods with very little 3-5 mph winds, and as I waited for the evening to unfold, I couldn't help but be thankful to be out in God's Creation.
It wasn't long and my attention was redirected to a snap of a twig, the familiar sounds of "crunch crunch, crunch" and some movement 75 yards off and coming down the hill. I immediately reached over and started filming on the HD Camera and began sizing up the approaching buck. There was a thick set of pine trees, and I couldn't get a detailed look at this Whitetail buck until he stopped directly at that mock scrape and my trail camera I had just placed. I knew then this was a buck I was willing to punch my archery tag on.
Every bow hunter knows that those microseconds leading up to a shot can seem like a lifetime and time just stands still, but it only takes a few moments to get your shot lined up, go to full draw, let your pins settle and let the arrow fly. Today, especially for archery hunters, consistently always dreams of capturing the moment of a shot on trail camera; lo and behold this was happening right before my eyes on October 31, 2024.
With advancing technology, the use of trail cameras has become a vital tool that is an irreplaceable part of our seasonal arsenal in the archery hunting world. It won't replace being in the moment and seeing those animals firsthand, but having the confidence when checking the SD cards and confirming that you've captured your target buck on trail camera. This gives you the confidence to climb the tree and wait for the trophy of a lifetime, all because you've taken the extra time and effort to place a trail camera!
So on this Halloween evening, not only was I able to harvest a wonderful Archery eight-point on public property, but I was able to capture the trophy on trail camera and create a memory of a lifetime.