Late Season Bowhunting Strategies

When it comes to chasing giant whitetails during the late season, it’s all about security cover! By the time snow starts to fly in December, the deer have been pressured by bow and gun hunters for 2-3 months and you can bet any buck still living will be holed up in the best cover available!

If you haven’t filled your archery tag yet don’t worry, some of the best hunting of the year is still to come! My favorite time of the season to shoot a mature deer is definitely October, but my second favorite is late season. 

When it comes to wrapping your tag around a late season giant, your success can rely greatly on your ability to find the best food source available in your area. As I discussed in my last column

I’ve read numerous articles about the second rut and heard many different opinions on this matter. As far as I’m concerned, I believe what I see and I have witnessed first-hand, bucks breeding does in October prior to the main rut and as late as February long after the November peak. Why? I’m sure it has a lot to do with buck to doe ratios, with some does not getting bred the first time around along with fawns born late and coming into estrous later than the rest of the herd. I’m not going to say I know for sure though,...