Once November hits, my internal countdown clock begins driving me into a mild panic as each day passes without killing a buck. I know I’m not the only one.
A lot of us have been programmed to believe that the first two weeks of November are our absolute best chance to kill a buck all year, and if it doesn’t happen then, it might not happen at all. This is far from the truth.
In fact, the second half of November can offer plenty of...

Fall has settled across the Back 40, and deer season is in full swing. With a few target bucks identified, I’ve invited Doug Duren to hunt the late October pre-rut. Both of us are disciples of conservation writer Aldo Leopold, who famously advocated for Americans to develop a new land ethic. Leopold challenged us to shift our relationship with the land, to act as stewards instead of conquerors.
We’d love to tag a big buck, but deer down or...

You shot a deer. The first question is how long you should wait before going to look for it.
As a young hunter in the 1990s, I couldn’t help but be impressed by my uncle’s backwoods approach to this issue. Before each hunt, he’d pack a thick cigar inside his jacket. If he shot a buck, he’d smoke it down to the end and only then leave his blind to pick up the blood trail. Despite the simplistic allure of the burn down strategy, I’ve learned that...

Training and fieldwork creates a special kind of bond between a dog and its owner. But our four-legged friends often find themselves in situations where they need your help. Our new Ask A Vet series delivers advice directly from a professional, working veterinarian. Have a question about your dog? Shoot an email to themeateater@themeateater.com and we’ll dig into the concern. 
“My dog’s paws are pretty beat up after coming back from a...

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...

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
After field dressing a kill, your gas will start to smell like animal organs within 24 hours. This observation has been made...