That is an EXTREMELY interesting observation regarding the "October Lull"
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This is gonna be a long post but it illustrates when I started really paying attention to how much deer eat leaves. It was also a very memorable hunt so I'll include extra details just for the sake of the story.
I was hunting a fantastic spot in Ohio, 1st week of November. This was a great stand. Easy to access and absolutely loaded with buck sign. I'd seen a 200" class buck on this farm in the past.
It was an ideal morning. Cool, perfect wind, and the beginning of the seeking phase of the rut. It's what bowhunters live for.
My access was through a pasture to the woods and the stand was 25 yards inside. It was still dark when I reached the wood line, and all I could hear is grunting, running and crashing. There was some hard chasing going on and I had to wait until things quieted down to continue any farther. It was well after daybreak when I thought it was safe to proceed. I
did not want to blow deer out of this hot spot.
I got 15 yards from the base of the tree and I heard a deer coming. It turned out to be a shooter 10 point that passed within 15 yards but I couldn't get my bow drawn for a shot. But man, what an exciting morning so far, and it had just begun.
After the buck was gone, I finished my approach to the tree.
I hooked my bow to the haul line, re-installed the bottom 3 steps, and started my climb.
I was 6 feet off the ground and stepped onto a perfectly horizontal, 7" limb for my 4th step when I heard more deer approaching I froze in place with my back against the 20" tree trunk as 2 button bucks came less than 20 yards away and started to eat freshly fallen poplar leaves. I thought they would just feed on through but they didn't leave. And there wasn't much I could do but balance myself on that limb. Then the little buggers bedded down to chew their cud. I didn't even have my bow in my hand as it was still hanging from the haul line and I had 2 sets of eyes 15 yards away staring my way. I felt helpless with the thought of a shooter possibly coming past the tree and I was unarmed.
After an hour of watching them eat more leaves and lay right back down, I knew I needed to try to reach around the backside of the large tree trunk and feel for the haul line and attempt to retrieve my bow... all that with deer in my lap. I inched my arm around the tree and located the line and began the ultra slow-motion act of getting my bow. After what seemed like an eternity, I had my bow in my hands and the button bucks never saw me do it. It was an amazing effort if I do say so myself. These deer were still right in front of me while I nocked the arrow. I was still stuck on that limb, but at least I was now armed and hunting.
I still expected them to soon leave, but they spent the next
5 hours eating poplar leaves and chewing cud.
I was getting exhausted standing on that limb with hardly a chance to even blink but I was determined to not be busted.
Finally, after a total of 6 hours of standing on that limb and watching them dine on nothing but poplar leaves, they got up and walked out.
I could finally finish my climb and sit down and rest. I felt like I won an amazing victory as I reached the platform but I was also spent. It was an exhausting and nerve wracking morning to say the least.
Then it started to thunder and within 20 minutes there was a violent thunder/lightning storm so I had to abort the hunt!! After all that effort...I couldn't believe I was climbing back down already!
From that day on the stand's name became "Out On A Limb" because of the 6 hours I spent perched 6 feet off the ground.
That was the day when it dawned on me just how preferred leaves are for deer forage. I started paying close attention and I positive that leaves become a major food source during certain periods of the year. I know deer will be at that tree when the leaves are falling. I've seen it many times since then.