BY TOM TATUM O CTOBER IS THE MONTH famous for Halloween and its costumes. But it's full of tricks and treats for camo-clad Pennsylvania bowhunters, too. The month often blows in on a balmy summer breeze and ends with frost on the pumpkin. The increasing pressure deer feel during that change-filled span also impacts hunting. So bowhunting tactics that might prove effective on opening day could fail to get results by month's end. Here's a sweet sampling from my bag of tricks that could yield treats for hunters at any time in October. The beginning of the statewide archery season gives hunters the opportunity to pursue carefree, unpressured whitetails. All but the wariest, wisest old deer are off their game and as vulnerable as they'll ever be. To take advantage of that, scout extensively in the preseason and use trail-cams to help figure out where to place stands. Active food plots, hardwood mast concentrations, bedding areas, trails and pinch points between feeding and bedding areas are good places to start. Just be careful hiking to and from your stands to try to keep deer from feeling the heat. OCTOBER BOWHUNTING IS FULL OF SURPRISES OCTOBER 2021 53