Love or hate them, October whitetails are here. I admit that I’d rather skip hunting whitetails in October because they tend to break tradition and become antisocial. But you can absolutely be successful during the "October Lull"—you need to tailor your tactics.

Here are four ways to find an October white-tailed buck for the taking:

1. Continue to target the bachelor bucks. Bachelor groups begin disbanding by mid-October, but during the early part of the month you still might be able to tag a mature buck following the pack to prime food.

2. Find an acorn tree. Mast is at its peak during this period, and loner bucks often hit these interior honey holes rather than exposing themselves during shooting light on a green field.

3. Start a mock scrape line. Bucks are making scrapes and the intensity increases throughout October. Build your own scrape line along a known travel route and you could cross paths with a big buck.

4. Don’t forsake food sources. Sure, a big buck might avoid a feeding area until last light, but during September and October bucks gorge themselves for the upcoming rut and winter. Stick to your guns and keep watching the food.

October whitetails are no pushovers. You have to put in your time, be scent-savvy and hope to be lucky in the first and last minutes of shooting light. I’m heading out for an October whitetail. Wish me luck!