Hunting a late-season deer usually includes additional challenges

ALBANY ‒ For the past two months Georgia deer have been feeling increasing pressure from what one fireside pundit recently referred to as “The Pumpkin Army.” An apt description of the thousands of armed hunters who have taken to the Georgia woods wearing the mandatory 500-square-inches of fluorescent orange above their waist while hunting deer in Georgia over the past few months.

With cold weather finally coming into the region and only four weeks left to hunt deer in most of southwest Georgia, it’s time to make the most of every hunting opportunity. For some hunters, the focus is now on filling the freezer, while other hunters are looking for their elusive “target buck” or waiting for a late- or post-rut giant to wander by looking for one last shot at love. Over the years, I’ve harvested my best bucks during the last few days of the season.

Successful late-season hunting can present challenges that require a change in tactics and stand location. In the final weeks of the season, there usually will be a final explosion of mating activity as dominant bucks that have bred all the available does in their home range travel into new territories looking for other does. With a limited number of breedable does being available, tactics like rattling and calling, which might trigger an aggressive response from a roaming buck, are worth trying. If you have included a decoy deer in your bag of tricks, it is a good time to consider having it now identify as a doe.

During this period of the season, a barometer and thermometer may provide the best clues of when to hunt. Whitetails will become more active in their feeding as a major low pressure system approaches. When the barometer shows a rapid drop in pressure, hunt as close as possible downwind of popular feeding areas and food sources. As the weather worsens, set up along the trails leading to heavy bedding cover. Generally, deer will feed heavily right before and immediately after the storm front moves through an area. This is also an excellent time to set up close to food sources when the moon is full and the deer are more prone to feeding at night.

Focus attention on areas that have not been hunted or have had low hunting pressure during the first months of the season. Sometimes the reasons these areas are not hunted are the same reasons they can be productive to the persistent hunter. The harder an area is to access by hunters, the more attractive it may be for bedding deer and those seeking day-time refuge from hunters. Areas that have heavy brush, steep inclines, ravines, and swampy wetlands are often well worth the extra effort that is required to hunt them. Deer also are more likely to focus their feeding patterns on native mast in secluded areas instead of the fields, feeders, and food plots that have been hunted heavily for months.

I recently learned of another bedding pattern associated with whitetails. Solar bedding occurs in an area that is situated on the southern slope of a hill or ridge that not only blocks the prevailing cold northern winds but allows bedding deer to benefit from the warming rays of the sun during the mid-day hours. With late-season deer turning more to nocturnal feeding patterns, locating these day-time bedding areas can increase your opportunity to harvest a buck as it moves between the bedding and feeding areas.

Another tactic is to try and schedule your hunts when others aren’t hunting or have not been hunting regularly. Deer have the habit of “patterning” the movements of the hunters in their area just as the hunters are trying to pattern them. Most properties have low or no hunting pressure during the mid-day hours. Now’s the time to switch things up.

When hunting trails leading between bedding and feeding areas paying attention to wind and hunting accordingly is critical. If the wind isn’t right don’t push your luck. You will not only have deer avoid you during your hunt but might ruin any chance of successfully hunting the route again before the close of the season. It is also important when hunting these trails to look for deer moving slowly as mature bucks tend to travel at a much slower, cautious and deliberate pace than younger deer.

Food sources are great spots to try and catch bucks looking to put weight back on after the stress of the rut. Although activity at feeders will continue, wary bucks are more likely to turn their attention to secluded feeding areas with a focus on local mast. When possible, a great tactic is to plant smaller secluded food plots focused on the late season. These secluded food sources are also attractive to those wise ole nanny does that attempt to avoid hunting pressure. If they happen to have not been bred and are in second-rut estrus, you are now sitting on a stand with a bonus feature.

If you are fortunate enough to find an isolated area which is now full of signs, including rubs, scrapes, trails, and bedding areas, be cautious as this may be a sanctuary area where deer congregate before moving to a feeding area. Although it is tempting, do not move in and set up too close to this area as you may spook them from their refuge. Instead, once again try to set up on the most likely trail leading to and from the area as well as one that is favoring current wind conditions.

Hunting during the late season requires closer attention to the details of what you wear on the hunt. Be prepared not only for the cold, but wet weather conditions as well. This is when you pull out those seldom-used items like insulated hand muffs, wool stocking caps and hand-warmers from your arsenal. It is also a time when dressing in layers is a critical factor in being able to continue hunting as the weather rapidly changes due to the previously mentioned factors. Its also a good option to have a rainsuit readily available.

When temperatures drop dramatically overnight, and a cold clear forecast is the model for the early morning hours, quietly get on your stand as unobtrusively as possible at least a half hour before daylight breaks. Be sure and check legal sunrise and sunset times as hunting early and staying late should now be the plan.

As I mentioned earlier, my two best deer were both killed during the last moments of legal shooting hours on the last day of the season. Neither deer had been seen previously. I can say that both hunts are etched deeply into my sometime sketchy memory. Sitting beside a large buck as the sun literally and figuratively sets on the season is a very satisfying feeling.

Special Photo: Georgia DNR