How To Hunt Deer

We've all heard the old wives' tales about when and why deer move. Some swear by cold fronts, others could take or leave them. Some hunt solely based on moon phase, others think it's hocus pocus. Collared deer studies suggest that deer movement doesn't really fluctuate much from day to day, but that simply doesn't align with what hunters see when hunting. So what are we to make of it all? In this...

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer Podcast, Deer Camp edition, Josh is joined by John Hudspeth (Oklahoma Outdoors Podcast), Andrew Muntz, (O2 Podcast) and Nick Otto (Huntavore Podcast) to discuss the successes, failures, and close calls of the last couple of weeks. A couple of the guys loosed an arrow (or two), and the hunting seems to be getting better and better! Tune in and enjoy a relaxed...

The second week of November is coming to a close. As buck sightings taper off, many will suppose that the bucks are simply locked down with a doe and their odds of success have just withered away. While it's true that a buck will stay with a doe for a day or two, there are a few ways hunters can capitalize on this brief window.  In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer Podcast, Josh talks with K.C....

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer Podcast Deer Camp edition, Josh is joined by Mitchell Shirk of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Podcast. The guys spend some time catching up, talk about Mitch's fall plans for PA bear, and how Josh's rutcation is going so far.  Welcome to Deer Camp! Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more awesome content! TACTACAM Huntworth DeerLab - use code HUN...

November is finally here! For many hunters, that means extended hours in the woods, lack of sleep, putting much of life on hold, and meeting adversity. As hunters, we put so much thought, planning, and work into this one period of time, that it's easy to let a few things that are out of our control get us down and get us stuck in, well, a rut. So how can we make sure to keep the right mindset so t...

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer Podcast, Deer Camp Edition, Josh is joined by Paul Campbell (O2 Podcast), Andrew Muntz (O2 Podcast), and John Hudspeth (Oklahoma Outdoors Podcast) for some deer camp chat.  The conversation covers a range of topics like scent control, fall turkey hunting, tracking wounded deer with dogs, and rut hunting strategies. Welcome to Deer Camp! Check out the Sportsm...

Aaaahhhh, sweet November is upon us! The rut will soon cure our every woe, and whitetail bucks will throw caution to the wind and run circles around our stands just waiting for us to take a shot at them… right? While the rut can be the best of the year to arrow a mature buck, this is no time to take it easy. In fact, increased buck movement should motivate whitetail hunters to work even harder to...

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer Podcast, Deer Camp edition, Josh is joined by John Hudspeth (Oklahoma Outdoors Podcast), Andrew Muntz (O2 Podcast), and Mitchell Shirk (Pennsylvania Woodsman Podcast for some laid back deer camp conversation. The guys cover a bunch of topics such as how the moon and weather may or may not impact deer movement, hunting plans for the next couple of weeks, hunt...

The rut is right around the corner! And with it comes perhaps the best opportunity of tagging a buck you will have all season. But some terrain can be more difficult to tackle than others. The big woods is one of those settings. How should you go about hunting the big woods during the rut? This week on the How to Hunt Deer Podcast, Josh talks with Jeremy and Dimitri from the Antler Up Podcast abou...

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer Podcast Deer Camp Edition, Josh talks with Nick Otto of the Huntavore Podcast and Mitchell Shirk of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Podcast. Topics covered in this episode include small game hunting, burning brownie points on an early October cold front, recent sightings, and hunting strategy for this mid-October time frame. Along the way, the guys make sure to gi...

Opening week of archery deer season has come and gone, even for folks with October 1st openers. As we drift into the middle of the month, we enter into what many have dubbed the “October lull.” Countless articles have been written that explain the October lull. The deer supposedly hole up in their beds from before first light until well after the end of legal shooting hours. Mature bucks shift to...

In this episode of the the How to Hunt Deer Podcast Deer Camp edition, Josh talks with Andrew Muntz (O2 Podcast) and Nick Otto (The Huntavore Podcast). The guys kick things off by talking about wild game processing and preparation. Next the guys turn to their adventures afield from the last week. Spoiler alert: no one killed a deer! Finally they close things down by talking plans for upcoming hunt...

Hunting pressure. Studies have shown it very quickly changes the way whitetails behave and move across the landscape. It can lead to deer-less sits and frustrating hunting for the hunter who wants to use the same old access routes to hunt the same old stands. But for those who are willing to get creative and put in the work, hunting pressure from yourself and others can actually help your hunting,...

Deer hunting is about a lot more than tagging big bucks. It's about a love for the chase. It's about growing our woodsmanship skills. It's about fostering the connection to our food. And it's about camaraderie. To celebrate deer hunting's rich deer camp tradition, several hosts of different Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network shows from around the country will join Josh each week for fun, relaxed d...

Over the last couple of years, hunting public land whitetails has become cool again. Thanks to the success of many YouTubers, hunters are taking to public land in huge numbers. While more hunters enjoying our public lands is a good thing, the increased pressure can make hunting public land a challenge. Despite the increase of pressure, however, lots of folks are still finding consistent success. W...

Out of state trips for whitetails has soared in popularity over the last couple of years. More than ever, folks are heading to whitetail destination states in search of bigger bucks, better hunting, or just new experiences. But the entire process can be daunting! When out of state, you often have just a few days to learn the place, get on deer, and tag your buck. Because of this, many are held bac...

The excitement is palpable as archery hunters are taking the woods all around the country. There’s nothing quite like those first few crisp fall mornings, sneaking in close to bedding, or watching deer vacuum up white oak acorns as they pack on weight before the rut. While the early season is full of excitement, it can also be extremely challenging. Changing food sources, shifting home ranges and...

Conventional whitetail wisdom espouses a few basic tenets for early season hunting: find where the deer bed, find where they eat, and don’t hunt mornings. While hunting mornings in the early season is very different than, say, November 5th, early season morning hunts can still be very productive. In this episode, guest Mark Haslam shares the strategies he’s used to kill mature bucks in the morning...

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer podcast, Josh talks with outdoor writer Josh Honeycutt about his approach to hunting early season bucks.  Josh Honeycutt is an outdoor writer and accomplished deer hunter who lives in Kentucky. He's had the opportunity to hunt deer in many different states at all times of the season, and he believes the early season just might be the bet time to tag a specif...

We’re now coming to the end of August. Food plots are planted, stands are hung, and the cameras are in the field doing their work. Are you forgetting anything? One often overlooked part of deer hunting is access. Many hunters pay little to no attention to how they access their properties or their stands, figuring the quickest way from point A to point B is a straight-line. But bullet proof access,...

Much of the content of this podcast, and many others, is focused on getting you a shot opportunity on a whitetail deer. But once you've taken the shot, what now? There's good news and bad news here. The bad news is, once the shot is fired, you can't control anything about the flight of your chosen projectile, the reaction of the animal, or the quality of the hit. The good news is, after the shot i...

Archery openers for many states are just around the corner, and many hunters dream of an opening day buck. But the truth is, most hunters will go home disappointed with their dreams of giant antlers smashed to pieces by the reality of opening day's challenges. It really is tough to get on deer, let alone a good buck, on opening day. But it's not impossible. In fact, there are some guys who seem to...

In this episode of the How to Hunt Deer podcast, Josh talks with Parker McDonald of the Southern Ground Hunting Podcast about hunting deer in thermal hubs. Thermal hubs are essentially areas where the thermals cause scent to collect. Bucks love to use these areas both for bedding and during the rut, as they provide security and the ability to scent check nearby doe bedding. But they can be really...

Late July/early August is a great time to do some digital scouting and hang some stands. Understanding thermals and their impact on wind currents can help you take your scouting and stand sight selection to the next level. Thermals can make or break a hunt. Not only do they influence how deer move across the landscape, but hunting with thermals in mind can be the difference between you watching as...

Bowhunters across the country have dusted off the bows to get dialed in for the upcoming archery season. Summer archery practice is a vital part of fall hunting success. If you’re like many bowhunters, there are parts of your gear you’re considering swapping out for one reason or another. One piece of gear Josh recently swapped out is his sight. The old peep and pin setup provided a cluttered sigh...