Late October in Missouri is when the woods come alive. The air gets crisp, leaves crunch underfoot, and the big bucks start moving. For serious whitetail hunters, this is prime time — and sometimes, the hunt gets real close, real fast.
That’s exactly what happened on a brisk October morning deep in the Missouri timber. I had slipped into my stand before first light, the kind of spot you dream about: a narrow ridge between bedding thickets, with rubs and scrapes lighting up like a neon sign. The forecast called for a light northwest wind — perfect for slipping in undetected.
As the sun broke the horizon, the woods stirred. A few does wandered through around 7:30, browsing nervously. I stayed still, heart steady, knowing something bigger might be close. Then, around 8:10, I heard it — the unmistakable crunch of heavy steps in the dry leaves. Not a squirrel, not a doe. Something big.
He appeared like a ghost, stepping out from behind a hickory, just 10 steps from my stand. A giant. Tall tines, thick beams, and that unmistakable swagger of a mature Missouri buck. I froze. He was quartering toward me, nose to the ground, working a scrape line.
I slowly reached for my bow, waiting for him to turn. Seconds felt like hours. When he finally swung broadside, I settled the pin behind his shoulder and let it fly. The arrow hit true, and he bolted, crashing through the timber.
It didn’t take long to find him — 60 yards away, down in a creek bottom. A true Missouri monarch, pushing 170 inches of antler, aged at least 5.5 years. The kind of buck you dream about during those long preseason scouting trips and sweaty summer hangs.
Late October is magical. Bucks are starting to cruise, checking scrapes and looking for the first hot does. They’re still patternable but getting more aggressive. If you play the wind, stay quiet, and know your spots — your chance at a giant might just step out at 10 steps, too.
This hunt was a reminder: you never know when that moment will come, but when it does, it’ll change the way you look at the October woods forever.
