It's finally here. Whitetail season is in full swing across the country. Opening day has come and gone, and the marathon has just begun. If you're new to whitetail hunting, it can be a daunting task. You may be blessed with private land or access to public land, but the strategies for approaching each can be universal. There are many ways to hunt whitetail; finding them is the first step. This article will explore a strategy for approaching the woods for the first time and locating whitetail deer.
You can save time and miles by scouting your potential hunt locations online – this is called "e-scouting." Google maps is a great place to start; the best part is it's free! They likely have the most up-to-date satellite imagery, so you can accurately see the landscape and topography. If you'd like to step up your e-scouting game, you can use platforms like onX Hunt and HuntWise. These applications can drop waypoints, track movement, analyze the distribution of various food sources (like acorn-producing trees), forecast weather, and show land access and property lines. The Wild will have an upcoming blog that will dive deeply into this topic – subscribe to their newsletter, so you don't miss it!
Put yourself in the shoes of a whitetail deer. How would you move to put the elements in your favor?
This may be the most crucial aspect of the weather to know thoroughly. Deer use the wind to their advantage by deliberately moving with the wind to pick up scents. Whitetail deer will know you're coming from several hundred yards away. Your job is to ensure that the wind is always in your face. This is especially important when you're entering and exiting your hunting location. Deer have an impeccable ability to move in the night and know you're there before you see them. That said, you can use the wind to your advantage, as deer are less able to hear you move throughout the woods. Get a wind detector (like this one), and you'll thank yourself later. The last thing to consider is how thermal movement impacts the wind. Thermals change the direction of the current due to the rising and falling of temperature. In addition, they can be shaped by the surrounding topography.
Deer are like people. They want to be comfortable when they move. It is usually still warm in most locations in the early season, so deer will likely move when temperatures are cooler in the day. If you have limited time to hit the woods, you can plan to take advantage of a cold front to increase your chances of spotting deer.
Deer don't like to move when it rains. They will hunker down, bare the elements, and tend to move less. They will, however, be inclined to move more in the following days to make up for lost time not feeding. Suppose it is a drier environment with little water. In that case, they will find places where water collects, like creek bottoms, to hydrate. You will also be able to travel quieter after it rains due to the ground being saturated with water.
The moon is predictable and goes through a series of sequential phases. Deer will be more likely to move at night when the moon is brighter in the night sky. The inverse is true when it is darker at night, so they will be more inclined to travel to food and water during the day. You should also know the times of sunrise and sunset. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk. Plan to be in an hour before sunrise and out an hour after sunset.
In the early season, deer are fattening themselves up to spend the calories during the rut, which takes place in late October and November. Therefore, it is an excellent time to take advantage of food sources that deer like in your local area. Food sources are separated into a few categories: agricultural (beans, corn, alfalfa, etc.), browse (a woody portion of leaves and stems), forbs (broad-leaved plants), mast (acorns, apples, etc.), and grasses. So naturally, you should optimize for plentiful food sources when hunting.
Deer sign comes in a few different packages. When targeting mature bucks, a perennial scrape is what you're looking for. A scrape is a circular spot in the ground where the earth has been moved, usually with exposed dirt and roughly 2 to 3 feet in diameter. Next on the list is a rub. Rubs remove the exterior tree bark on the lower trunk of a tree that is typically 1 to 3 inches in diameter. When studying a rub, it is essential to look at your surroundings. Rubs on the edge of a field or at a transition in topography can indicate staging areas. Rubs can also signal a line of travel. Multiple rubs in one location may also indicate a bedding area. That brings us to bedding. Bedding is typically found on a southwest-facing slope, with optimal wind, and/or in hard-to-reach places. Lastly, be sure to look at the ground. Deer scat and tracks indicate how recently a deer was in the area.
All of this information can be like drinking from a firehose. However, putting it together will increase your chances of harvesting a deer. It can be summed up into a simple, five-step mental checklist that you can use to put yourself in an optimal position:
You can also book a guided trip if you'd like to speed up your learning curve. Guided trips, provided by specialist outfitters, will help you find deer and place you in an optimal location for success.
Websites like The Wild HQ specialize in placing folks eager to get outdoors with expert guides and resources to accomplish their wildest dreams. They are constantly updating their tips with excursions outfitted by leaders in their respective fields. The Wild only partners with the best outfits in the industry so their customers can be confident they are booking a world-class experience for their next adventure. So be sure to book your next hunting trip with The Wild!
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Nick is an avid outdoor enthusiast and content creator who enjoys hunting and fishing. He has spent over 25 years hunting and fishing across North America. He currently lives in Austin, Texas and when he’s not outdoors he’s practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You can follow him on his Instagram and TikTok accounts to keep up with his latest adventures and get helpful tips.
