Every bowhunter has felt it: the rush of adrenaline, the moment of truth, and then—the thud of an arrow embedding in dirt or the hollow sound of a miss. In October, when deer movement is unpredictable and hunters are tuning into their rhythm, missed shots are bound to happen. But here’s the truth: a blown opportunity in October doesn’t mean failure. In fact, those moments often serve as the best lessons—lessons that can set you up for redemption in November, when the stakes are even higher.
October Is a Teacher
October hunting often feels like a testing ground. Deer are transitioning from summer patterns to pre-rut behavior, shifting food sources, and becoming wary of pressure. Hunters are also shaking off rust, adjusting to changing winds, and refining their setups.
That combination makes October the month of mistakes—mistakes you can learn from before the rut hits full stride. If November is the Super Bowl, October is preseason with live reps. The deer you spook or miss in October can be the buck you kill in November, if you adjust the right way.
Common October Misses—and What They Teach
1. Range Misjudgment
In October, deer rarely march predictably into bow range. They stage at edges, skirt cover, or hang at odd distances. Many missed shots come from overestimating or underestimating yardage.
Lesson: Carry and use a rangefinder religiously. Range landmarks before deer arrive so you’re not guessing when it matters. Those small corrections now will pay off when a November buck is chasing a doe through the same travel corridor.
2. Rushing the Shot
Early in the season, excitement is at a peak. Hunters release arrows before deer fully clear brush or before they’ve settled. The result is deflection or a clean miss.
Lesson: Learn to let down. October is the perfect month to practice passing shots that don’t feel right. By November, when a mature buck is dogging a doe at 18 yards, you’ll have the discipline to wait for the broadside.
3. Ignoring Wind Swirls
Many October sits end with deer blowing and flagging because thermals or shifting breezes carried your scent.
Lesson: Study how wind moves through your stand locations this month. If a buck busts you in October, that’s valuable intel. Adjust stand height, entry routes, or sit timing. By November, you’ll have your wind game tuned to perfection.
4. Stand Entry Mistakes
In the eagerness of early season, it’s easy to bump deer sneaking in. A missed shot sometimes happens because you already alerted the woods before climbing up.
Lesson: Use October to test entry routes. If you hear deer blowing on your approach, don’t write off the spot—change the way you access it. By November, your routes will be dialed for silent entry.
5. Equipment Glitches
October reveals flaws—squeaky stands, loose rests, sight pins that don’t line up in low light. A missed opportunity might not be your fault entirely, but your gear’s.
Lesson: Use every October mishap as a gear check. Replace what doesn’t work, silence noisy components, and double-check your bow tune. When November’s prime time comes, your setup should be bulletproof.
Why Missed Shots Aren’t the End
It’s tempting to think a miss ruins your chances. But deer often don’t abandon an area permanently after a blown shot. They shift slightly, become more cautious, but rarely vacate a core home range. If you missed a buck in October, there’s a strong chance he’ll be back once does enter estrus in November.
The hunter who learns from the mistake—and adapts—can be waiting when he returns. Many success stories of mature bucks arrowed in November start with a humbling October encounter.
Turning October Frustration into November Success
- Log the Encounter: Write down where, when, and why you missed. Those details build a blueprint for November.
- Adjust Your Stands: If deer skirted your location by 30 yards, don’t stubbornly stick with it. Move closer now before rut traffic increases.
- Refine Shooting Habits: Practice those exact distances, angles, and body positions you struggled with in October.
- Stay Patient: Don’t overhunt the spot after a miss. Give it time to cool down and return when the conditions are perfect.
Final Thought
Every missed shot stings, but October misses are often blessings in disguise. They strip away overconfidence, highlight flaws, and teach lessons that hunters carry into November—the month when big bucks throw caution to the wind.
So, instead of replaying that miss in your mind with regret, treat it as the best scouting report you could’ve asked for. The deer you missed in October might just be the one you tag in November, if you’ve learned what he taught you.
