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    Spencer Neuharth
    Spencer Neuharth
    Spencer Neuharth is the senior hunting editor of MeatEater, producer of Wired to Hunt, and founder of Rut Fresh. His writing has been featured in over a dozen magazines, including Field & Stream, Petersen's Hunting, and Men's Journal. His work is a reflection of his roots as a whitetail hunter and training as a biologist.

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    Whitetail Deer

    The Dumbest Poacher of 2019
    Earlier this month, Dugan Traversie entered a plea deal with prosecutors for his role in a poaching case that dates back to last fall. Traversie was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution to Timber Lake Elk Ranch, one-year probation, and one year without hunting. Since the judgement by the U.S. magistrate seems light, I’m tacking one more punishment onto his crime: I’m declaring Traversie the dumbest poacher of 2019.
    Traversie is a member of the...

    Whitetail Deer

    3 Best DIY Whitetail States for 2020
    It’s becoming increasingly common to travel beyond the border of home states in pursuit of punching tags on North America’s most popular game animal. Although nearly every state hosts huntable whitetail populations, there are a few that stand above the rest. These states have exceptional public land opportunities, economical tags, good license availability, and trophy potential that should titillate every DIY hunter.
    Honorable Mentions
    Narrowing...

    Whitetail Deer

    Fact Checker: Do Outdoor Stores Pay Big Money for Big Mounts?
    Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker@themeateater.com.
    Claim
    Big box stores like Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops will pay premium prices for exceptional deer mounts.
    Origin
    Every time a...

    Whitetail Deer

    Rut Fresh Report: 12/12
    Sadly, the best deer hunting is over for most of the country. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to tag a mature buck in mid-December though. As Mark Kenyon said on the Wired to Hunt Podcast, “The late season is the great season.”
    Like we often preach when hunting the rut, you just need to keep it simple this time of year. But, instead of focusing on doe bedding and pinch points, look for thermal cover and obvious food. Bucks and does alike are...

    Whitetail Deer

    Are Big Rubs Made by Big Bucks?
    For archers seeking out deer sign, it doesn’t get much more obvious than rubs. In most cases, rubs start showing up in mid-September when bucks begin to feel a spike in testosterone. It’s a visual and chemical way for deer to communicate: shredding the bark off a tree while leaving behind scent from their forehead glands.
    There’s a lot of lore when it comes to rubs, as they’ve been captivating outdoorsmen for centuries. You’ll often hear...

    Whitetail Deer

    Rut Fresh Report: 11/21
    Much of the country is now on the other side of the rut, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. Although the first couple weeks of November offer the best chance at a rutting buck, the second half of the month is still a great stretch to tag a mature whitetail. In fact, for some big buck killers, this is the preferred time to strike.
    At this phase in the rut, most does have been bred and will yet again be distancing themselves from bucks. This can...

    Whitetail Deer

    Rut Fresh Report: 11/14
    The rut is a bell curve that climaxes in mid-November. Every day you get closer to that date, daylight buck movement increases. Every day you get further away, daylight buck movement decreases. This is an important concept to grasp as we approach what hunters consider the lockdown phase of the rut.
    Lockdown is when a buck finds a willing doe that’s in estrus. Many hunters imagine a two to three-day window where buck movement shuts down and that...

    Whitetail Deer

    Rut Fresh Report: 11/7
    This is it—the rut is here. If you whitetail hunt in the East, Midwest, or West, these next couple of days will be the best of the season.
    During this stage of the rut, you can ignore almost all outside factors. Temperature, barometric pressure, precipitation, and moon phase aren’t going to deter a buck from moving this week. The most important thing is that you’re in the field as much as possible.
    To kill a buck during the rut, just keep it...

    Whitetail Deer

    Fact Checker: Can You Identify a Mature Buck by Droppings?
    Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker@themeateater.com.
    Claim
    An observant hunter can identify deer sex by studying droppings. Large piles of soft scat are made by bucks, and small piles...

    Whitetail Deer

    Rut Fresh Report: 10/31
    For many serious big buck hunters, right now is the favorite time of year to tag a mature whitetail—even though we’re still a week out from the best rutting activity. The reason is that these next couple days are when those homebody bucks will get out of their beds a little sooner in the evening, freshen their favorite scrapes in daylight, and start checking doe groups for those first willing females.
    Last week, those wise bucks would have still...