Author: Kevin Wilson

Every winter, my trail cameras capture countless photos and videos of coyotes moving through the same areas where I hunt deer. Sometimes they’re traveling alone. Other times they’re working a field edge, following a trail through the timber, or investigating an area where deer have been feeding. I’ve even captured footage of coyotes pursuing deer and carrying pieces of dead deer. Those encounters remind me just how effective coyotes are at surviving in the wild. They are opportunistic predators with exceptional hearing, keen eyesight, and an incredible sense of smell. They can cover ground quickly, identify danger before a hunter…

And how to get those extra hours in the extreme conditions. In case you came here just to find out what you should buy – I’ll cut to the chase and list my favorites here.  But below, you’ll find all my picks as well as how to layer for the cold weather hunts and not let discomfort be the difference between you and a successful harvest.  Spoiler alert – Sitka has separated themselves from the pack. Best Base Layer: Sitka Gear Merino Heavyweight Half Zip Top and Sitka Gear Merino Heavyweight Bottom Best Insulating Layer: Sitka Kelvin Aerolite Jacket and…

Ask 10 different deer hunters for their favorite rifle, and you’ll likely get 10 different answers. With today’s market flooded with options, the confusion between caliber vs cartridge adds another layer of complexity to this age-old debate. Visit any shooting forum and you’ll find endless discussions on this topic, often with passionate arguments from all sides. Let’s clarify some terms before diving deeper. Caliber refers specifically to a rifle’s bore diameter (like .243, .308, .375), typically measured in inches or sometimes millimeters. A cartridge is the complete round of ammunition with its industry designation (.243 Win, .308 Win, or .375…

The whitetail rut is one of the most anticipated events in the hunting calendar, sparking endless debates among hunters and wildlife experts. Among the many factors influencing deer behavior, the moon phase often stands out as a hot topic. Does the lunar cycle truly dictate when does go into estrus, or is it just another hunting myth? Drawing from decades of field experience and scientific insights, this article dives deep into the role of moon phases in the whitetail rut and offers practical tips for timing your hunts to align with peak deer activity.  It’s no secret that lunar pull…

Mock scrapes have become a game-changer for deer hunters looking to attract bucks during the rut. My phone buzzed with excitement when I saw a young buck interacting with the HODAG HempScent Rope I’d placed on a well-used trail. Over 45 years of hunting, I’ve tried countless methods, but mock scrapes stand out as one of the most powerful tools to bring bucks in close. Whether it’s natural scrapes or a mock scrape setup, understanding deer communication through scent is essential. Let me guide you through the process of creating mock scrapes and using deer…

August and September are great months to start using your trail cameras. With antler growth reaching its potential and velvet shedding, this is prime time to capture images of the deer, moose, elk, and whatever other game you might target for the season ahead. If you’re a trail camera junky, then some of this may be redundant. Still, with a growing number of us acquiring today’s high-tech trail monitoring units, reviewing a few helpful tips for preparing, setting, and maintaining them is timely. Trail cameras have completely revolutionized the way many of us hunt. Visit any online hunting message board,…

If you’ve hunted whitetails for any amount of time, you’ve heard about “the rut.” It’s that magical time of year when deer activity hits a fever pitch—bucks start moving, chasing, and making mistakes. Understanding when deer rut, how long the rut lasts, and what’s happening in each phase can completely change your success in the woods. The most prolific and accessible big game species in North America, Whitetail deer, have been studied Ad Infinitum. Their sex life has become a focus of that attention, mostly because the biggest of the big bucks become more exposed, and thereby more vulnerable, as…

Why Scent Control is Essential Scent control can make the difference between a close encounter with a deer and watching it slip away. Deer rely on their keen sense of smell to detect danger, and human odor can linger on trails or travel toward game on shifting winds. In this guide, we’ll look at practical scent control strategies for deer hunting, including how to use the wind, manage odors on clothing and boots, and choose sprays, cover scents and attractants for your next hunt. Deer, and other game, rely on their sense of smell to detect danger. Fooling their nose…

Spend time in the deer woods, employ a few tools, add up all the intel – and you’ll be well on your way to locating bigger deer, and putting venison in your freezer next fall. With a little luck, you might even score some shed antlers along the way. We all know hunters who are more successful than others? Not only do they put meat on the table year after year, but many are repeatedly tagging big mature bucks. No doubt, – good or bad – luck has some bearing on the outcome of every hunt, but more of than…

At sunrise, my wife Heather, and I had spotted a nice mule deer buck feeding in a standing canola field. She was up to bat on this, our first early season hunt of the year. So, I picked an elevated location near an old barn, set up my spotting scope, and watched as she used the wind to move in on the buck. An hour passed and I guessed she was within 80 yards. Then the buck bedded and she began her abnormally long vigil. The canola was too dense and noisy to sneak in, so she waited on the…