Keys to a Successful Whitetail Deer Hunting Season

With whitetail deer hunting season just around the corner, we turned to Hayden Outdoors’ resident whitetail expert, John Tate. John is a lifelong hunter and avid outdoorsman, cutting his teeth in the Piedmont of North Carolina. He’s spent countless hours honing his hunting craft throughout some of the most desirable whitetail deer hunting regions in the country. It’s a passion, and one he’s happy to impart on up-and-comers. Here are some key takeaways from our talk with John in which he walked us through the key steps for a successful whitetail hunting season. 

The Importance of Preparation for a Successful Hunt

Whitetail deer hunting is one of the most popular hunting tags, mainly because the animals are so prolific across the country. Nearly all U.S. states have a whitetail deer hunting season, with some opening as early as August. The animals gravitate toward food plots, cropland, pasture, wooded areas, and brush. But don’t be fooled into thinking the abundance of whitetail deer makes them easy to hunt. John advises treating your whitetail deer hunting as a year-round game. “In the off-season, you need to be practicing with whichever weapon you plan to hunt with. Study onX maps, read hunting articles, watch video clips, and call your local or regional hunting division to see what the local tag regulations are.”

Preparation is essential for successful whitetail deer hunting. John recommends taking these steps to help ensure you’re prepared when opening day rolls around:

1. Set a hunting goal. If this is your first season, it could be as simple as getting out and testing your equipment. Newer hunters might care less about rack size and more about securing some meat for the upcoming year. Whatever your aim, vocalizing it can help frame your approach to the season.
2. Find a friend and then practice with that person – make it a team effort.
3. Pick a spot and plan the trip.

By doing these things, John points out that you become the guide and the outfitter. You get to do it all. “For me, I truly appreciate when it all comes together and I do shoot a deer, knowing I’ve done the work from start to finish.” 

Understanding Whitetail Behavior: Patterns and Habits

For the most part, food sources dictate whitetail deer movement, which typically is most active in the morning and evening. “Whitetails don’t move a whole lot mid-day,” John says. “They’re going from their bedding to their food source. When it starts to get warm during the day, they’re not going to expend a lot of energy.” 

This movement pattern extends as fall begins to turn to winter and the weather gets colder. “When temperatures start to drop, the deer are starting to roam around, making scrapes, rubbing trees. Bucks will be on the move, especially in the October timeframe, looking for does. That’s when you’ll see the bucks moving around pretty aggressively.” 

By late October, whitetail bucks will begin aggravating the does at the onset of the rut (mating season). In addition to mating season, food, weather, and shelter also affect whitetail behavior as they prepare for winter. 

Preparing Your Land: Ensuring a Whitetail-Friendly Habitat

When it comes to getting your hunting property desirable for whitetail deer, John has a key recommendation: Do your homework. “Learn where the animals are. You don’t want them to feel hunted. You want to get close to them, but not too close.” This means establishing whitetail-friendly habitat. 

One of the best ways you can make your property appealing to whitetail deer is by creating food plots. According to John, there are typically two different kinds – spring/summer food plots and fall food plots. Learn more about which plants and minerals appeal to the deer in your area, then create a food plot with John’s guidelines in mind: 

• Establish your food plots within close proximity to a bedding area or corridor.
• Provide enough buffer that you’re not getting too close to the bedding area and running the deer off.
• The more food you have, the more deer you’ll pull from other properties and nearby hunting zones. 

If you have to create a food plot in a newly-established area, use the modification to the habitat in a way that benefits the deer. “We don’t have as much agriculture here in the South as in the Midwest, so we have to create our food plots for whitetails. We’ll take a barren field or even some section along a creek that doesn’t have a lot of trees and clear the area where there’s good, fertile soil.”

Downed trees can provide excellent cover for deer. These trees also allow you to create access corridors in the food plot, helping to predict movement. “You can structure your food plot based on the predominant wind and better soil.” The bottom line: Plant the food and give the deer a natural source of nutrients that is protected and close to water. 

Proper Gear: Must-Have Equipment for Whitetail Hunting

“When I first started hunting, it was good enough to just have enough clothes on to stay warm. And it was all cotton! No hand warmers or battery-operated gloves and socks. I was just happy to be out there, hunting with my dad.” 

While we sometimes yearn for a more minimalistic approach to our favorite activities, the truth is that modern equipment keeps us more comfortable and allows us to get closer to the animals without being noticed. These days, the gear checklist is a little longer, but you’ll be that much happier when your hands are warm and the deer can’t smell or see you. 

John’s essential gear checklist includes:

• Rifle and ammunition or bow and quiver – If you’re bow hunting, pack an extra release
• Camo
• Well-fitted boots
• A good backpack – John recommends a 2,000 – 3,000-cubic-inch pack to accommodate packing out meat 
• Range finder
• Deer call
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Binoculars
• Plenty of food and water – you might be out all day

“That’s the minimalist list I would put together and say, ‘Go to the woods.’”

Additionally and conditions-dependent, it’s worth adding the following to your hunting kit:

• Bug repellant
• Binocular harness
• Safety vest
• Two pull-up ropes
• Small set of allen wrenches
• Extra hat
• Gloves
• Face net
• Camo face paint
• Ozone machines that kill scent
• Extra batteries for any battery-powered items

Pay special attention to scent control and camouflage. Consider washing hunting clothes with scent-free detergent and using a scent-killer treatment. Avoid body products (shampoos, soaps, and deodorants) that have perfumes or scents. Talk with your local outfitter or sporting good store about the best camo for your hunting region. 

The preparation is no joke. “It’s honestly like packing for a two-month long trip every time you go in and come out,” John says. “It might seem like overkill, but I’ve been on so many trips when I wasn’t prepared or forgot my flashlight, and it was really frustrating. I decided I’d rather be over prepared than not.” 

The Role of Timing: Best Times of Day and Season to Hunt

If you’re hoping to get into whitetail deer, early morning and twilight when they’re browsing food are your best bets. If you’ll have to pack any meat out, err on the earlier side to give yourself plenty of time. As far as what time of year you should go, John recommends this well-known prime time, but with some parameters: “During the fall rut is the most entertaining time to whitetail deer hunt. But it’s also the most frustrating because deer are as unpatternable as they will ever be during this time. Every successful bowhunter will tell you the best time to go is the first three to five days of the season, or during a good cold snap. Late season when the rut has phased out and the deer are having to focus on food again is another prime time.”

Ultimately, it comes back to John’s hunting credo: Do your homework. Study trail cams and work hard to understand how the deer are traveling and behaving. 

Mastering the Art of Stealth: Staying Hidden and Undetected

When you’re on the move during hunting season, strive to do so as quietly as possible. It can be hard to contain the excitement and enthusiasm to get out to your stand or hunting spot, but slowing down a little bit is a great way to stay out of the deer’s earshot. 

• Watch where you’re walking and avoid anything that might snap, crunch, or crumble as you step.
• Wear quiet materials that don’t swish or rub as you walk. 
• Same goes for boots – opt for footwear that doesn’t have any obvious squeaks or other noises. 
• Make sure pieces of gear are protected and not clanging against each other. Harnesses work well for gear placement on your body. 
• Before the season starts, make sure your stand is primed for hunting. Replace any ripped materials and other structural apparatus. 

Common Mistakes for New Hunters

Going back to his initial points, John notes again the importance of having a goal in mind for this season’s whitetail deer hunt. Keep it realistic (although we can all dream of that Boone and Crocket buck), and make sure you have the proper equipment to make it happen. 

Then, don’t be afraid to take small chances and follow your instincts. “I think one mistake hunters make is giving the deer a little too much credit – not that they don’t deserve it. But there are times when we’re too cautious; I know I have been. You’re walking a fine line between alerting a deer and not wanting to blow your chances. But if you’ve done your homework and you know the wind and the range – and you’ve got the wind in your favor – that right there is a huge bonus and a big jump on staying ahead of the animal.” 

Of course, the opposite can be true, too. “On the flip side, some hunters push it too much. They get impatient. I’m also guilty of that. If I have limited time, I push it, when in retrospect, I could have waited. Honestly, it’s just a gut feeling. If you’ve done your homework and studied it 17 different ways, your gut’s going to tell you what to do.” 

Conclusion

In the end, the art of whitetail deer hunting boils down to a simple truth – and a simple pleasure – for John. “I’ve been blessed to have hunted and seen a lot of really beautiful places and met a lot of great people along the way. And I hope that’s what others get out of it. At the end of the day, if you go out and give it your all, whether you tagged out on an animal or not, you got to reconnect with nature and enjoy being outdoors.”