Whether you didn’t fill your tag the first go-around or just love to hunt the late season, one thing is for sure, December and early January gives you a great chance at shooting a trophy whitetail. Yes the conditions are harsher than the early seasons but whitetail bucks are still susceptible to harvest because one thing is on their mind: food. Another key point of hunting the month of December, that is not to be overlooked, is the onset of the secondary rut. Approximately one month after the peak dates of the primary rut, unbred and young does will again cycle into estrous. This leads to the prevalence of a second seeking and chasing phase. While often not as pronounced as the primary rut, the secondary rut can offer hunters with an extensive opportunity to catch a love-struck buck cruising for does during daylight hours.
Weather is key this time of year, and the colder and nastier the weather, the better your chances are. Pay attention to the drops in temperature, precipitation, and spikes in pressure. The moon-guide is prime for evening sits on food sources for the next few days, especially in areas where the weather cooperates.
A whitetail’s desire to consume food for the upcoming winter months makes them just as easy to pattern as it was during the late summer and early fall. The late season should be regarded as a prime opportunity to hunt mature whitetails. Don’t let the cold and the edgy deer deter you from packing it up for the year. Bucks need and will seek out food to put on the weight they lost during the rut and to sustain them for the next few months of winter. That is your golden ticket to tag a big late season buck. Hone in on where they are feeding and where they are bedding along with the other tips provided above to increase your odds.
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