Ahhh, Late Season Hunting

Hunting the end of deer season is an entirely different game and a challenge many sportsmen thoroughly enjoy. So let’s take stock of the situation and see if we can stack the deck in the hunter’s favor.

Ah, Late Season... How beautiful and difficult to hunt in!

Late season Whitetail are as wary a quarry as hunters could want. Pressured by shot gunners and pushed out of their early season sanctuaries, the herd has been split up and shuffled around. Breeding is no longer priority -survival is. Weather becomes a dominant factor this time of year and our weather changed radically this month. A mid-December blizzard plunged Iowa into tundra-like territory, transforming the landscape into a beautifully harsh landscape. Under frigid conditions and deep snow, deer have recognized two major proponents to survival: security cover and food.

Hunting a food source can be the single most effective way to take a late season trophy as cold temperatures send deer to the fields. Some of the best hunting conditions unfold right before a major storm such as the blizzard earlier this month. Feeding activity started as early as 1-2pm ahead of that storm as the deer stocked up on food to help. Bitter cold can also increase the deer activity as herds feed to burn calories to keep warm.

Big deer often find safety in numbers. Last week I observed a very large and mature buck surrounded by 20 or so does. He had waited until the does were in the field for several minutes before emerging from the woods. This big buck then walked right to the middle of the herd, found a spot, and dug through the snow to get to some browse. For the next hour, he moved a total of 50 yards from that spot before shooting light ended. It looked to me like he was using the herd as a shield, relying on their senses to determine any danger. I didn’t want to make a move because of all the eyes and ears -getting to him undetected seemed quite unlikely.

When late season rolls around, deer abandon patterns easily. Read the trails and the sign and adapt to the new locations they feel safe.  Once you’ve found a good ambush point, try to use the winds and cover to keep concealed because it only takes one or two times bumping deer for them to adapt and avoid your area.

Brrrrrrr... Good gear is a must to outlast a Winter Whitetail.

Keep tabs on the blog for the rest of the season and I’ll be posting my hunts with pictures.  I’ve got an archery tag and a few front loader tags to fill yet and I can’t wait to get out there and share my struggles and hopefully successes. Enjoy the cold and have a happy New Year. Good luck and get outside!