“deer trails”

On March 7, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts across America will unite in search of antlers during the second annual #ShedRally—the world’s largest shed hunt. Keep these tips in mind when you head out looking for the sheds of the big ones that got away last season.

The only hunters in his family were his grandfathers, one of whom he never met and the other too old to take to the field by the time the author came of age. So the offer by a family friend to take him hunting was too good to be true for a youngster.

While searching for a big buck’s discarded headgear this spring, you can accomplish other missions in your deer-hunting woods. Shed hunts can also be used for trail-cam updates, treestand maintenance, herd and habitat inventory and even a “bedroom check” of the deer population’s most tight-knit haunts.

Not a lot of open land or equipment? No problem. Small deer-attracting food plots can be grown anywhere with a few tools, a minimal budget and a little elbow grease.

Once the rut arrives, bucks spend their days avoiding hunters, sleeping and recovering in hiding spots, and you need to execute a home invasion to extract them.

The route you choose to and from your stand can make or break a season. Bill Winke has some advice for selecting the best possible routes.

Opening day has come and gone. What now? Frank Miniter offers a few pointers.

Looking for tips on trail-cam types, placement and strategies? Contributor Mike Roux may be able to help.

Here’s a week-by-week guide to staying in step with the rut this month to up your odds of tagging the buck you want.