The love-kind of like relationship of hunting whitetails can be profound. A couple of weeks after Thanksgiving, I sat in my favorite chair at home near the fire. I had just put the Christmas lights on the house (the last one in my suburban cul-de-sac to do so, I might add) and the faint sound of holiday music filled the house. I was content, but exhausted.
The Hunting Season to Date
At this stage of my life, I am lucky to have time and places to hunt; and this season I did. A lot. The popular term “Rutcation” resonates with me greatly. Like previous years, much of my time and efforts revolved around hunting (and preparing to hunt) whitetails; from summer trail camera strategizing and work weekends, to the relentless pursuit of them during the rut. This entailed many highway miles, junk food, and diminished sleep. And then, the whitetail season of love was gone. Rinse and repeat. My two mature but underwhelming management bucks brought a couple sets of mediocre antlers and good memories. My freezer is full to the brim and I’m blessed. After a few days of decompressing, I was rejuvenated for the holidays; and eager for more hunting.
Where are my Bucks?
I wasn’t the only tired creature. After a heavy rut, bucks are worn out. For me, I’ve long-since known this, but keep the big buck dream alive for the whole season. However, as is often the case, subsequent trips to the field bring few buck sightings; and zero mature bucks. This can be common on 
public land and really any areas with heavy hunting pressure. I’ve certainly found this to be true in low-fence areas of Texas, where a barrage of weekend warriors regularly hunt our borders during the peak periods. To make it worse, many of them can be pretty rambunctious. Indeed, the high hunting pressure in my main hunting area annually has me wondering; Have these bucks been shot? Did they chase does beyond the stretches of our farm never to return?
Post-Rut Bewilderment
One problem is that deer decide when the rut starts and stops, not us. And it’s abrupt. Big bucks that were extremely visible during previous weeks seemingly vanish. There is little or no fresh sign indicating where they may have gone. Trail camera photos? Nada. So, what are hardcore buck seekers to do?
Post-Rut No-No’s and To-Do’s
As I always say, I’m not a whitetail expert and don’t pretend to be. But forty-plus years of chasing these wily, interesting, and sometimes frustrating creatures has taught me a few lessons. With that in mind, here are a few no-no’s and tips to consider if you want a chance at a mature buck following their yearly season of love.
- Don’t ditch all the tactics you use during the rut. There are going to be does that weren’t bred during the peak breeding period and bucks maintain contact with them. Yes, I’m a firm believer in the second late-season rut and know that these does
return to estrous. The opportunity for quality bucks returns. At this time, the tactics you use during the regular rut can again be employed. For example, don’t shy away from putting the rattling antlers together or using your favorite buck lures. Whatever strategies work for you should be revisited or at least not ignored. - Don’t assume your bucks are gone. The fact is that whitetail bucks often return to their traditional core areas and rest following the peak-rut. There have been studies indicating that they don’t typically wander too far away. They often settle in secluded or perceived safe areas reasonably near their mating season stomping grounds.
- Don’t abandon hunting amid extreme cold winter days and cozy football watching. It can be tempting; and convenient. I love bowl games and the NFL playoffs as much as the next guy. I also enjoy hunting shows. But I’ve learned that you never know what bucks may be making appearances in your absence. Cozy days spent inside during the late season are not a bad thing. But if you’re lucky enough to have late-season hunting opportunities, take advantage of it. If killing a good buck is important to you, get out there. It beats gawking at others’ big buck success on TV, while bemoaning the empty wall space above your fireplace mantle.
- Don’t ignore the food. No, not that which you feed your face with over the holidays, rather the food sources for the deer you hunt. After the primary rut, bucks will settle in locations near food sources, as they are trying to replace the weight they lost during their earlier frantic doe-chasing days. They need the vittles to withstand the cold winter. Depending on your region, this includes standing or cut crops, food plots, and automatic and free-choice feeders. Remember that once the colder days really set in, the mature nocturnal and home-body bucks can be forced to feed with the rest of the herd when faced with decreasing food sources.
- Don’t blow opportunities to continue to learn the deer behavior in your neighborhood. Like any stage of the season, being on-stand later in the
season gives you access to the ultimate classroom – one that can reveal travel patterns and tendencies in general. Through trial and error, you can learn from the spots where you see deer movement, as well as those where you see none. Such analysis can make known the times and locations optimal for hunting during this stage. Further, it can also allow you to encounter interesting deer conduct and body language in general. There is something cool about seeing a buck testing the wind, carefully navigating a timber line, or even visiting an established scrape late in the season.
Remember that, once you do your late season homework, patterning bucks is actually easier than hunting the frenzied unpredictable primary rut. If you’re lucky enough to hunt the late season, scout diligently, hunt smart, and most of all, be proactive. Beat the late season doldrums and get out there. This can be a great time to take a mature buck.
