How to Rattle in a Buck on Public Land

On managed properties, hunter interactions with bucks are considered non-life-threatening until the bucks reach the trophy antler or age kill criteria. After they reach such benchmarks, they have a high tolerance for human intrusions and are very responsive to hunter tactics—they’ve responded without consequence while growing to maturity. Aggressive rattling sequences used to call in mature bucks on managed properties (like the ones seen on TV...

How To Kill a Late-Season Buck On Public Land

If you want one of the biggest challenges in whitetail hunting, set your sights on a mature buck in December. If that’s not enough, commit to doing it on public land. After general gun season resets the deer herd to survival mode and the rut winds down to nothing, it becomes challenging just to see a buck, let alone kill one. You’ll also have to ditch most of the traditional advice on how to get it done in December. Slipping in to sit evenings...

How to Find Whitetail Sanctuaries on Public Land

Whitetail deer might be one of the most adaptable species in North America. From the suburbs to the backcountry, whitetail can scratch out a living seemingly anywhere. While many whitetail hunters seek out idealistic habitat littered with large ag fields, food plots, flowing creeks, and ample hardwood timber, it’s important to consider that they are opportunistic animals and can survive solely on grasses and browse, far from postcard whitetail...