It’s a good time to be a whitetail hunter in America. According to the National Deer Association’s 2025 Deer Report, “we are at historically high harvest levels, and the buck age structure is among the best in recorded history.” We're harvesting more than 3 million bucks across the country each season. From the pictures I've seen on social media, the recently concluded 2026 season was a banner year for big buck kills in many states. Buck Harvest by Region The NDA crunched the numbers and found that hunters in 23 of 37 states (62%) shot more bucks in 2023 (last year with hard confirmed stats) than their prior five-year average. In the Northeast, the harvest was up 4 percent; 7 [...]

Question from a reader: Mike: My brother and I hunt 40 acres, mostly timber. The old farmer has a lot of pasture land surrounding the property with cows grazing year-round. It seems that every year we run into the issue of him opening the gates and letting his cattle into the woods where we hunt. This is always a discouraging time for us, especially with the rut quickly approaching. I'm a little optimistic that the noise and movement of the cows allow for a little more cover, but it is a heartbreaker when you sit down for a morning hunt and have 10 cows walk under your stand at first light. The confidence that this is going to be a [...]

Once you fire an arrow and draw blood, it is your ethical duty to work until you find that buck or doe. Do whatever it takes, for however long it takes: five minutes or five hours or longer. Follow this advice and there's a good chance the red trail will end, happily, at your animal. See Deer Run After the thwack of the arrow, watch the deer run as far as you can see him. In thick woods, look for flashes of white as he darts through the trees. In open country, follow him with your binoculars. At the spot where you lose the buck, pick a marker—big tree, rock, fence post, etc. Climb down from your stand, walk to [...]