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NDA’s 3 Keys to Late Season Deer Hunting

By Brodie SwisherDecember 23, 2022
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Deer hunting in the late season can be feast or famine. It’s no easy task to fill your deer tag at this time of year. Knowing where and when to sit will require a hunter to do his or her homework. 

In particular, it’ll come down to 3 major elements to make it happen. Here’s a look at 3 keys to late season deer hunting from our friends at the National Deer Association (NDA). 

1. Identify the Food Source

Food sources are the key to late season hunting. Deer are more patternable now than at most any other time, beyond the early season. Deer will be working hard to refuel after the rut. They are in survival mode at this point. It’s all about filling their stomach. What food sources are they using where you hunt? Does your property hold the food, or will you have to hunt travel routes as they come and go to access food elsewhere? Late season food plots are great, but deer will also be utilizing other food sources on your property. Learn to identify these foods and you’ll find the deer. 

2. When Deer Are Using Food Sources

Once you locate the food source, the next step will be determining when deer are using them. Trail cameras are your best friend here. Deploy cameras to gather intel on when deer are using the food source and how they enter and exit. Late season opportunities typically revolve around those last few minutes of the afternoon. Patience is the key here. You can sit all afternoon with zero activity, only to watch the field fill up with deer 5 minutes before shooting time expires. It’s important to know when and where deer will show up to the food source, then set your stand accordingly. 

Nda's 3 Keys To Late Season Deer Hunting
Find the food source, know when deer are using it, and make quality sets to punch your tag in the late season.

3. Wind Direction

Don’t let your guard down in the late season when it comes to playing caution to the wind. A lot of hunters get sloppy in the late game and disregard wind direction. This is a big mistake. Deer have been through the rigors of hunting pressure for months. They are cautious and edgy in the late season. They won’t tolerate hunters that get sloppy when it comes to wind direction. Commit to stay clean in your approach to stand locations. Only hunt when the wind is favorable for success. Don’t think for a second that you can get away with more in the late season when it comes to wind direction. The same rules apply now when it comes to playing the wind. 

Food, timing, and going undetected are what you’ll need to plan for in the final days of the season. Use these factors to your advantage as you work toward closing out your deer season with a notched tag.  

Brodie Swisher
Brodie Swisher is a world champion game caller, outdoor writer, seminar speaker and Editor for Bowhunting.com. Brodie and his family live in the Kentucky Lake area of west Tennessee.
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