“huntstand”

Sparkling sunshine, rainfall, snowstorms and particularly the wind all play a huge role in picking the location and hunting strategy of every setup.

Contributor Mike Roux shares some well-tested methods for scouting a new hunting location.

You don’t need a high fence—you can keep deer on your hunting tract through a variety of measures. Consider managing the number of hunters and their locations and days hunting, setting aside sanctuary or planting preferred foods.

Hunting properties vary in size and habitat but on every one of them you can create a plan to optimize the tract with shelter, food and water. Thinking about these essentials now pays later when deer perceive their reliance on the cornerstones of life.

Late-season success in Plains states like Iowa hinges on learning to hunt dwindling food sources, extreme weather and odd deer behavior.

If you hunt deer long enough you will eventually bump up against epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). The scourge can ruin a deer season and devastate deer populations. The author encountered EHD last year in South Dakota; here’s what happened.

Thanks to changes in elk behavior due to land use, development, human encroachment and more, the elk we hunt today do not behave as the species did in our granddaddies’ days. Here’s how to zero in on modern habitat where elk seek refuge, and how to hunt it.

Knowing all you can about the habitat the local deer herd calls home is critical to understanding their patterns, knowing where to place stands and how to plan and adjust for the coming hunting seasons.

Check out these monster bucks taken throughout the United States.