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How to Whitetail Hunt the Big Woods After the Rut
The whitetail rut gives the best odds for putting your tag on a big woods buck. Once the rut ends, movement is at an all-time low, with deer trying to recover and hide from any human intrusion. I used to think that this time of year was nearly impossible to be consistent with killing mature bucks...
Beau Martonik
Dec 5, 2022
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Hunt
Why December Deer Hunting Can Be Amazing (or Terrible)
For most people, the worst month to hunt just might be December.
I know I’m supposed to paint a rosy picture of rut-worn bucks sprinting into food sources during cold afternoons, but that’s mostly BS. If you hunt where there’s any real pressure at all, the twelfth month of the year is often an...
Tony J. Peterson
Dec 1, 2022
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Scout
How to Pick the Right Hunting Spot
There’s a scene in just about every murder-mystery show where the detective is locked in his office with pictures, note cards, and maps tacked to a wall with strings connecting one thing to the other. A pattern, a clue, a connection–the investigator is searching for anything that can help him solve...
Mark Kenyon
Nov 30, 2022
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Contributors
Mark Kenyon
Mark Kenyon is the author of That Wild Country, founder of Wired To Hunt, and host of the industry-leading Wired To Hunt Podcast. He is a nationally published writer, a QDMA certified Deer Steward, and MeatEater's resident "whitetail guy."
Check out some of Mark's favorite gear.
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Tony J. Peterson
MeatEater Contributor Tony Peterson has penned hundreds of hunting articles, several books, and developed multiple podcasts. Peterson’s whitetail-related contributions stem from real-world experience and a passion for hunting new ground each season. He's considered one of the top whitetail hunters...
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Spencer Neuharth
Spencer Neuharth is the director of web content at 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...
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Clay Newcomb
Clay Newcomb is a 7th-generation Arkansan that grew up in the Ouachita Mountains. He's a hunter, mule skinner, curious naturalist, and observer of rural culture. He's also a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, and owner/publisher of Bear Hunting Magazine.
Check out some of Clay's favorite gear.
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Mark Kenyon
Mark Kenyon is the author of That Wild Country, founder of Wired To Hunt, and host of the industry-leading Wired To Hunt Podcast. He is a nationally published writer, a QDMA certified Deer Steward, and MeatEater's resident "whitetail guy."
Check out some of Mark's favorite gear.
Read More
Tony J. Peterson
MeatEater Contributor Tony Peterson has penned hundreds of hunting articles, several books, and developed multiple podcasts. Peterson’s whitetail-related contributions stem from real-world experience and a passion for hunting new ground each season. He's considered one of the top whitetail hunters...
Read More
Spencer Neuharth
Spencer Neuharth is the director of web content at 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...
Read More
Clay Newcomb
Clay Newcomb is a 7th-generation Arkansan that grew up in the Ouachita Mountains. He's a hunter, mule skinner, curious naturalist, and observer of rural culture. He's also a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, and owner/publisher of Bear Hunting Magazine.
Check out some of Clay's favorite gear.
Read More
Hunt
Hunt
How to Whitetail Hunt the Big Woods After the Rut
The whitetail rut gives the best odds for putting your tag on a big woods buck. Once the rut ends, movement is at an all-time low, with deer trying to recover and hide from any human intrusion. I used to think that this time of year was nearly impossible to be consistent with killing mature bucks...
Beau Martonik
Dec 5, 2022
Read More
Hunt
Why December Deer Hunting Can Be Amazing (or Terrible)
For most people, the worst month to hunt just might be December.
I know I’m supposed to paint a rosy picture of rut-worn bucks sprinting into food sources during cold afternoons, but that’s mostly BS. If you hunt where there’s any real pressure at all, the twelfth month of the year is often an...
Tony J. Peterson
Dec 1, 2022
Read More
Hunt
How to Find Bucks on Public Land After the Rut
The prospects of finding a mature whitetail buck on public land may seem like a fool’s errand and leave you disheartened. You’ve watched truck after truck leave your local public hunting area, presumably all donning firearms and all filling their tags. Why would you waste your time and sit in a...
Dylan Tramp
Nov 29, 2022
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Hunt
Rut Fresh Report: 11/24/2022
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but not because of the turkey, football, or Black Friday deals (speaking of which, you can get up to 40% off on a ton of MeatEater, First Lite, Phelps, and FHF Gear right now). Thanksgiving kicks ass because it means a long weekend of good deer hunting.
I know...
Spencer Neuharth
Nov 24, 2022
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Hunt
How to Bow Hunt During the Gun Season
Growing up, my father and I always considered the opener of Minnesota’s gun season as the end of our bow season. The properties we hunted all had plenty of shotgun groups with permission as well, so we handed over the keys to the woods to the orange army.
It never bothered me much, for the first...
Tony J. Peterson
Nov 23, 2022
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Hunt
5 Rut Funnels to Hunt in the Big Woods
Hunting whitetails in the big woods is complex. With very few designated food sources, thick cover seemingly everywhere for deer to bed, and low deer densities, the rut is the one time of year when you can increase your odds of success.
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to figure out all the...
Beau Martonik
Nov 22, 2022
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Scout
Scout
How to Pick the Right Hunting Spot
There’s a scene in just about every murder-mystery show where the detective is locked in his office with pictures, note cards, and maps tacked to a wall with strings connecting one thing to the other. A pattern, a clue, a connection–the investigator is searching for anything that can help him solve...
Mark Kenyon
Nov 30, 2022
Read More
Scout
How to In-Season Scout During the Rut
While filming our second season of One Week in November earlier this month, I faced a dilemma. Where I thought the Wisconsin bucks would be cruising was a dead zone. By November 6th, that much was clear.
It was also clear that I needed to take advantage of my last day of hunting, so I went looking...
Tony J. Peterson
Nov 15, 2022
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Scout
3 Best Locations for Trail Cams During the Rut
My trail camera strategy during the rut is more inventory-based than trying to time movement with an exact setup location. Leading up to the rut I’ve already scouted heavily (both boots on the ground and studying maps) to identify critical areas where a buck will move or use terrain or cover to find...
Alex Gyllstrom
Nov 11, 2022
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Scout
How to Whitetail Hunt Around Acorns
Every hunter knows that deer are attracted to acorns but knowing when and how to target an acorn browse pattern is a refined skill. The acorn crop varies from year to year, depending on environmental factors, which adds to the difficulty in targeting acorn browsing patterns.
On a micro level, the...
Dylan Tramp
Oct 25, 2022
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Scout
How to Successfully Deer Hunt a New Piece of Public Land
The Situation: There’s a chunk of public whitetail ground not far from your house. It consists of 400 acres of habitat you’ve never set foot on, and the season is approaching.
Step One: Birds-Eye View
The first step is to take dive into satellite imagery of the parcel via a scouting app like onX...
Tony J. Peterson
Oct 13, 2022
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Scout
How to Find the Perfect Mock Scrape Tree
You’d be hard-pressed to have a conversation with someone about deer hunting and not touch on scrapes. Scrapes are arguably the most powerful communication tool that bucks and does alike use. They get the most attention during October and early November, but some scrapes are used year-round...
Beau Martonik
Sep 26, 2022
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Scout
3 Best Trail Camera Locations For Pre-Rut
As deer hunters, we tend to focus on the rut a lot. We think of it as our big chance, the time when those dream bucks emerge from the shadows and walk around in daylight. But if the rut is your time to shine—those precious few days of PTO that you look forward to each year—why wouldn’t you prepare...
Alex Gyllstrom
Sep 20, 2022
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Manage
Manage
It’s Time to Get This CWD Bill Done
Archery seasons are well underway, and rifle hunting opportunities are right around the corner in most of the country. Unfortunately, that means hunters in more than 30 states have to contend with deer, elk, and moose that might be infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD).
CWD is an always-fatal...
Charlie Booher
Oct 7, 2022
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Manage
Does a Deer Hunting Lease Make Sense for You?
I’ll start this with a point of clarity: I have spent more money than I care to remember leasing ground to hunt. I’ve leased ground in my home state of Michigan as well as in about five other states. For the most part, I don’t regret it but, at the same time, I can’t say that I was really better off...
Tony Hansen
Oct 3, 2022
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Manage
Are the Good ‘Ol Days of Whitetail Hunting Over?
I knew exactly where I’d be hunting this fall. It was all but set in stone, and the prospects were exciting. I’d start the season off in Kansas in September with a muzzleloader in hand. I love to bow hunt but the thought of kicking off the year with a little yardage advantage sounded pretty good...
Tony Hansen
Sep 23, 2022
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Manage
Archers Are Killing More Deer Than Ever Before
Bowhunters are taking record numbers of deer across the whitetail’s range, with crossbows accelerating the long-term increases compound bows triggered a half-century ago.
That surge is most obvious in Midwestern and Northeastern states, where archery seasons are typically longer and warmer, given...
Patrick Durkin
Sep 6, 2022
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Manage
Can Whitetails and Windmills Coexist?
I was confused when I first saw the roads carved into the bean fields, perturbed when I heard the extra-long flatbeds hauling down the road, and downright bummed when I witnessed the previously undisturbed agricultural lands being swarmed by packs of orange vested workers. As windmills were erected...
Mark Kenyon
Sep 2, 2022
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Manage
How to Plant a Food Plot on a Budget
Like so many things in hunting (and life for that matter), the process of creating a killer food plot has been made far too complicated and much more expensive than it needs to be. The truth is that there is nothing complex about creating a terrific plot that will draw deer.
You don’t need any...
Tony Hansen
Aug 24, 2022
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Gear
Gear
Video: Jordan Budd's Whitetail Kit
A good layering system is key to staying out in the whitetail woods long enough to find the big buck of your dreams. Hours of glassing require warmth, but when hoofing it to that vantage point, you better be able to shed a layer or two. This complete system will have you ready for any situation...
Jordan Budd
Nov 2, 2022
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Gear
Why Hunters Should Conduct a Mid-Season Bow Checkup
The arc is always the same.
Most bowhunters engage in a ton of summer target practice, but once the deer season opens, the frequency of those sessions plummets. Then, they take their bows out into the field where they get rained on, knocked around, and generally abused. Occasionally, they sit in hot...
Tony J. Peterson
Oct 18, 2022
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Gear
Choosing the Right Layering System for your Mid- to Late-Season Deer Hunts
When it comes to the heart of the whitetail season, there is one thing that must always be true. If the timing and conditions are right, you need to be in the woods.
Whether it’s rain, wind, snow, or bitter temperatures, if you want to consistently fill those whitetail tags you’ve got to be able to...
Mark Kenyon
Oct 10, 2022
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Gear
Get All that Crap Off Your Bow
I have neither been accused of nor confessed to be a stylish sort. In fact, I suppose, I swing in the other direction. If it’s trendy, popular, or vogue, I admit to being of a different mind. While that may sound like a statement of desire for originality, it’s more a function of practicality and a...
Tony Hansen
Sep 16, 2022
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Gear
Why Hasn’t Technology Greatly Impacted Deer Hunting Success?
Cell cams. Mapping apps like onX. A supercomputer in everyone’s pocket capable of dialing up unprecedented levels of information within nanoseconds. All of these technological advancements provide a clear advantage to hunters, so wouldn’t it stand to reason that success rates should be skyrocketing...
Tony J. Peterson
Aug 15, 2022
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Gear
Video: Clay Newcomb's Saddle Hunting Tips
Here are a few tricks that help me make the most of my Tethrd system in the whitetail woods. By double tethering yourself in with Phantom Tree Saddle Kit and properly positioning your Predator Platform Kit, you'll be set to hang for a while and wait for the big buck to stroll on by.
Clay Newcomb
Aug 5, 2022
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Gear
You Should Lower Your Bow Poundage
Back in 2015, I left the gym with a fresh, sharp pain in my right shoulder. In typical guy fashion, I mostly ignored it, until I couldn’t. With fall archery seasons only weeks away, I had to get some clarity on the pain, because I was reminded of it every time I drew my bow.
The diagnosis was a...
Tony J. Peterson
Aug 4, 2022
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Latest Wired To Hunt Podcasts
Wired To Hunt
Ep. 514: Foundations - How to Train a Shed Antler Dog
On this week’s episode, Tony breaks down the strategy for training a dog to find shed antlers through nose-work and visuals.Connect with Wired To Hunt and MeatEaterTony Peterson on InstagramMeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YoutubeShop MeatEater Merch Learn more about your ad-choices...
Tony J. Peterson
Feb 22, 2022
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 513: Whitetail Therapy Session with Tony Peterson
Today on the show, Mark talks with his new therapist, Tony Peterson, about what he learned about whitetails -- and himself -- over his most demanding season ever.Connect with Mark Kenyon and MeatEaterMark Kenyon on Instagram , Twitter , and FacebookMeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and...
Mark Kenyon
Feb 17, 2022
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 512: Foundations - Shed Hunting with a Purpose
On today’s show, Tony discusses how to plan shed hunting routes, and figure out the best timing for your antler finding missions.Connect with Wired To Hunt and MeatEaterTony Peterson on InstagramMeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YoutubeShop MeatEater Merch Learn more about your ad...
Tony J. Peterson
Feb 15, 2022
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 511: First Deer Stories on the Back 40 with Evan Barrett, Forest Wagoner, and Hank Forester
Today on the show, we're talking new hunter mentorship, getting you updated on what’s happened with the Back 40 in 2021, and then diving into a couple great stories about two new hunters that I had the privilege of helping mentor on their first successful deer hunts.Connect with Mark Kenyon and...
Mark Kenyon
Feb 10, 2022
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