Author: NA Deer Hunter Staff

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…

For whitetail hunters, the dreaded lockdown is one of the most unproductive times of deer season. For a few it can be one of the luckiest times, but unfortunately, far less than we hope. Lockdown is the phase when a doe becomes submissive to a buck and allows him to become her breeding partner. Although this description does little justice to the real science behind it, a simplistic view of this behavior will save many of us from ripping our hair out over hunting bucks during the lockdown phase.  This just happens to be the time when the majority of…

As more does start coming into heat this week, most bucks throw caution to the wind and abandon their limited movement patterns to search for and breed does—24/7. As a rule, the second week of the month is typically the most frantic by far. Within a short period of time, mature breeding bucks can lose a quarter of their body weight searching out and guarding does in heat—one after another. A prime-aged breeding buck will spend approximately two days with a receptive doe, after which the doe will no longer be in estrus. The buck will then leave her to…

By the last week of October, the whitetail woods will be bare of leaves, making it much easier for hunters to spot approaching deer. Sparring is a rare occurrence now, as most mature bucks are wound too tightly to even stand the sight of another male. And with dominance hierarchies in place, the buck that knows he’s the subordinate will quickly tuck tail and run from any threatening adversary. At this time, it’s not uncommon for the first batch of does to come into heat, sending local bucks into a frenzy. This is just a warm-up for what’s soon to…

Guest Editorial Written by: Representative Mark Green (R-TN) – US House of Representatives Hunting and fishing are more than just hobbies; they are a way of life. For generations, long before our nation was founded, hunters and fisherman have trapped and fished these lands. Genesis 1:28 states, “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” This is the creation mandate, and it…

We have gathered top-shelf options in the single and double-panel variations that will kick your season off on the right foot! In my time as a whitetail hunting editor, I’ve been able to observe the evolution of this highly mobile and customizable approach to deer hunting. It has been one of the fastest-developing parts of the industry in the last decade. Along with their popularity has also come a variety of hunting saddle designs that make it difficult to make a final purchase decision. Single-panel, double-panel, and hybrid saddle iterations are all available. In this article, we will be looking…

Dogs are man’s best friend, but in addition to being a best friend, they are also supporting us in a number of ways. As dogs have multiple instincts, some specialize in guarding, while others specialize in hunting. Some dogs are considered great for breeding, whereas some are only suitable for playing with kids (family dogs). So, it is better to say that dogs are always helping humans through their diverse instincts. Dogs, whether for companionship or safety, are always our bravest companions. In fact, some studies reveal that dogs can be very helpful for people experiencing stress and anxiety. Moreover, we can see that…

Shop Raw Frozen Scents Here There is no doubt that most bucks seem to have fallen off the face of the Earth come the middle of October, as compared to their high visibility just a few weeks earlier. The biggest reason is that instead of feeding in the wide open, they’re now deep in the woods, feeding on hard mast and browse. Take some time to scout for what they’re eating and set up on a bed to feed pattern. Besides pattering whitetails and what they’re eating, there is another advantage that can be used for hunting during the lockdown.…

At this point, nearly all states that hunt whitetails are open.  With the turn of the October calendar comes the unofficial “beginning” to deer season for the country.  The cameras have been running overtime across much of the country, and confirming what we already suspected…Bucks are still on their food-to-bed-to-food patterns. If you think the rut is the only time to tag a mature buck, think again. October hunting can be just as good. Whitetails are slaves to their stomach, especially in the early parts of October. They will generally be on their feet to feed every six to eight…

A look through the full season of whitetail activity as we all prepare for November, and that infamous time of the year called “The Rut.”