So what if you didn't collect a trophy buck, or even a supply of venison for the freezer during the regular gun season. There's still a chance — a big chance — with late-season deer. Most whitetail hunters concentrate on the regular gun season, which is held somewhere around the peak of the rut in most states. Serious bowhunters, of course, pursue deer early in the season. Many hunters, however, quit deer hunting after the normal gun season due to a number of factors. These include the opening of other seasons such as upland bird hunting or waterfowling, or they're just burned out on deer hunting. Those in the know, however, don't give up. 

Probably the most important reason for pursuing late-season whitetails is the number of hunters in the woods, and it's a better time to enjoy the hunt. This also means the deer are less hassled, and by the latter part of the late season are well into a solid winter pattern that's usually consistent. Late-season deer hunting means long hours in the stand with a bow, but a number of states are also offering late-season muzzleloading hunts, another great way to extend your deer hunting. 

Late-season whitetails can be hunted during the second rut or on food sources. Over most of the country, after the frenzy and activity of the rut and the gun-hunting season, whitetails go into seclusion for a bit. They don't move around much except for occasional forays for food. This is particularly so with bucks that have been breeding for a month or more. It's a "rest-up," downtime period that can last from just a few days to almost a month. 

Approximately a month after the peak of the rut, however, a secondary rut occurs. "I call that December rut, the clean-up time," said Harold Knight. 

During this period, does that didn't breed, as well as some young-of-the-year does, are coming into heat, and another round of doe-chasing rut activity begins. I've noticed this pattern for many years on my farm in the Ozarks. About 28 days after the peak of the rut, rubs in breeding areas will again be freshened. I've actually seen this activity continue into January, possibly with a third rut period, although with much less activity. 

The primary factor in hunting late-season deer, however, is the availability of food. Even if you're hunting during a secondary or possibly third rut period, the bucks will be with the does, and the does will be looking for food. "Always remember the food chain in winter months," said Harold. "You can usually find deer easily by finding the food crops because the acorns are getting scarce at that time of the year."  

Deer are primarily browsers, utilizing a large variety of shrubs, bushes, grasses and forbs, especially during the winter months. It's extremely hard to pattern deer on these foods as they tend to wander as they forage. In some areas acorns might  be available, but even in the best of areas will be scarce by mid winter. The best food sources during the winter months are the agricultural crops, and this can vary greatly from region to region. Corn is a top choice, either left standing or waste corn from harvesting. Green fields such as alfalfa, clovers and especially winter wheat are good choices to hunt as well. Find concentrated food sources such as these, and you're going to have a pretty good chance at putting venison on the table. Deer will often travel miles to feed in these areas and, if there's nearby cover and they aren't disturbed greatly, they'll stay put. On the other hand in country with lots of food but little cover, you may discover just the opposite. 

I hunted one such area in Nebraska several years ago with the Modern Muzzleloading folks, and the area acted like a magnet. A thousand-acre island of trees, brush and a winding river bottom were situated smack in the middle of miles and miles of treeless, flat croplands. We estimated there were over 500 deer wintering in that particular area and saw a good number of record bucks. In fact, I missed a chance at the biggest rack in my life on that property, when the wary buck took an alternate route during a drive, that put him going behind me rather than where we thought he would go. I can still see that high 10-point rack, just as I did when I turned on intuition and saw him slip into a line of trees and disappear within seconds. He had been just 50 yards away, more than close enough for my Knight muzzleloader. 

Hunting the breeding areas in the same fashion as during the normal rut can be extremely productive. Because most of the vegetation is completely gone by this time, careful attention to camouflage, staying absolutely still, and paying extra attention to scent is extremely important. "You can call deer in during the late-season," said Harold. "But I don't think it's nearly as effective as early during the preseason, and when the first rut comes in." 

Actually, late-season hunting requires what I call "ghost hunting." Instead of using the usual tactics involving calling, rattling and sex lures, you're better off if you can simply disappear in the woods. Though concentrated in food sources, and perhaps even with some rut activity, deer seem much more spooky this time of the year. Still-hunting is a good option during those days with a light rain or mist, or a soft powder snow. Slip into the woods as quietly as you can and still hunt the borders of the food sources. 

If you prefer to stand hunt, you can forget about rolling out of bed way before daylight. The best hours will be through the mid-day periods. For a number of years, once the last deer and turkey hunting seasons are over in Missouri, I've set up a Moultrie feeder I can see from my office and kept a diary of who, what and when. Most visits are between 9:30 and 11 a.m., then late in the afternoon. When a major storm is building, however, the feeder will be visited off and on throughout the day, particularly beginning three days before the storm. 

Don't quit this year when the normal hunting season is over. You may be missing the buck of a lifetime by not hunting late-season whitetails.