In my 2022 moon-rut predictions that I posted to for Outdoor Life, I spoke about a study conducted at North Carolina State that I rely on when planning my hunts across North America each season. In that project, researchers attached GPS collars to does and bucks and tracked their movements throughout the 4 major moon phases. Their data showed that during a new moon, which this rut cycle rises on October 25 and wanes on the dark side through Halloween (zero to 47% daily illumination) deer move most actively at daylight, with movement decreasing noticeably the rest of the day. Halloween week, when bucks scrape like fiends and prowl for does not quite ready to breed, is one of my [...]

Once you fire an arrow and draw a deer's blood, it is your ethical duty to work until you find him. It might take you five minutes or five hours, but heed this advice most of the time the trail will end, happily, at your doe or buck. 1. See Buck Run After the thwack of the arrow, watch the deer run as far as you can see it. In thick woods, look for flashes of white as it darts through the trees. In open country, follow a buck as long as you can 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 straight [...]

I implore you to read your state hunting regulations booklet this and every season. You’ll keep up to date on any and all rule changes, especially as pertain to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). I’ll be hunting mule deer in Montana in a few weeks, so reading this new guidance from the state was eye-opening: Scent usage: If you intend to use scents to either mask human odor or as an attractant for deer and elk, you should be aware that the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted regulations in 2021 on which ones you can use. You are safest if you use artificial scents, but you can also use scents certified by the Responsible Hunting Scent Association. You can identify [...]