Hardcore deer hunters know that when snow blankets the ground and old rutted-out bucks concentrate on food sources like pigeons to a park, the late season can be the most wonderful time of the year—that is, if you’re prepared.
The big game seasons may be done, but that doesn’t mean we have to shut down our 2017-18 hunting. Between now and when spring gobblers officially call in a new hunting year, most states still have opportunities on the books, maybe more than you thought.
Though the year is winding down, there’s still plenty of birds to be had for the hunter willing to bear the cold. Grab a box of shells from this list and hit the snow-covered fields knowing these loads have what it takes to drop upland birds.
Whether scouting food plots for that end-of-season monster whitetail, chasing faint bugles in the Western high country or waterfowl hunting over a frozen field, we’ve got your feet covered.
If you’ve ever sat in a treestand in the late season, you know it can get bitter-cold. Here’s how to keep warm so you can comfortably stay on stand in even the coldest temperatures.
Without standing crops to watch over, late-season deer hunting can be about as fruitless as a white oak in winter. When cold weather and wary deer make you want to give in, bundle up and try these tactics.