There’s no argument; late-season whitetails can be tough in the Carolinas. Take these expert tips and increase your chances of filling a tag.
Late-season deer hunting in the Carolinas is not for everyone, just those addicted to hunting whitetails. December can be the most-challenging time of the season, but hunters looking for the chance to fill a tag still have opportunities — and some advantages.
One advantage is that many hunters are targeting other species, leaving more space for the remaining deer hunters. In many locations, the deer pattern is definitely a post-rut scenario, but not everywhere; that presents options. Regardless of the timing of the rut and post-rut, late-season hunting requires more patience and perseverance.
The biggest reason to target deer is that the right strategy can be successful during December.
With the dramatic change in topography from the mountains to the coastal plain in both states, a variety of scenarios occur, providing distinct situations. First, determine the deer in your immediate area are in the rut or post-rut phases.
In much of South Carolina, the situation is simple, according to Charles Ruth, the chief deer biologist for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, who said except for the mountains in the state’s northwestern corner, deer will be in a distinct post-rut phase this month. Mountain deer are actually still in the rut in late-November and part of December.
In North Carolina, the situation is more complicated because of extensive terrain changes.
John Shaw, deer biologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, said the situation in North Carolina offers different situations, with deer being in the early stage of the rut, the peak of the rut, or in post-rut as you move to different areas.
Both biologists said December hunting opportunities reflect the accumulated pressure of hunting for an extensive time.
Shaw said by December deer will have been hunted for an extensive time, and that pressure will have a dramatic impact on deer movements.
“Research shows that deer, both bucks and does, will limit movement in the daytime in high-pressure areas, regardless of the phases of the season,” Shaw said. “If hunters have a place to hunt that has not been pressured hard, the chance of finding deer moving in daytime is certainly better, even if the peak breeding season has passed. Pressure has a tremendous impact on deer, and it’s cumulative during a long season.”
While the location of your hunting area with respect to the timing of the rut — or the presence of some gnarly, late-season cover — can change across the Carolinas. December’s one constant is coping with the deer’s reaction to this long-term hunting pressure. Some hunters have found answers though extensive experience.
Terry Hiers killed his first deer more than 50 years ago and has been hunting and studying them in that half-century. A former guide on several commercial hunting operations in South Carolina, he’s owned and operated 8,000-acre Blackwater Hunting Services in Ulmer, S.C., for more than 20 years.
“Hunting pressure on late-season deer is something we’ve learned to cope with over the years,” Hiers said. “Pressure on deer creates dramatic behavioral differences, and it’s not something a hunter can completely overcome, because it’s their natural inclination to adapt to hunting pressure. But hunters can adapt as well to mitigate these impacts and provide the best possible hunting under this situation.”
Hiers (803-671-4868) said that by the time the rut rolls around at Blackwater — usually mid-October into November — deer are already feeling and reacting to the pressure. The specific stand he hunts on any given day reflects a topographical distinction for hunting in the right environment for the rut or post-rut phases. His basic tactics for pressured deer are already in place.
For typical December hunting, Hiers said one adaptation is to change stands from where the deer were, to where they are right now.
“As deer transition from rut to post-rut, they often change the type of area they inhabit, meaning we have to change our hunting habits,” he said. “Deer get used to permanent deer-stand locations, and we frequently need to switch to stands that aren’t used until December. We use stands that are a bit more off the beaten path as we get into late season.”
Hiers said that because of the nature of his operation, he doesn’t use climbing stands, but he would recommend them to others. He said hunting in a climber located between two stands that were frequently hunted earlier in the season would be a perfect tactic, because getting into an area that hasn’t been hunted as much will result in hunting less-pressured deer.While the window of opportunity may be brief it, does give a hunter an edge. Ground blinds can be good in such situations.
“For our area in December, we’ll begin to start hunting stands in thick, dense cover,” he said. “We begin to use stands that have not been used early in the season as one way to overcome pressure.”
Hiers said having a food source is always a key late in the season. Pressured deer will tend to feed at night, but the early and late daytime periods can provide opportunities to see deer around food sources.
“Different types of food sources are available, and it depends on the area being hunted, but as we get into post-rut and late season, natural food is a factor I key on,” he said. “A natural food source deep in the woods is ideal. In our operation, we supplement natural forage with corn.”
Hiers said late-season scouting is essential, and he wants to be in areas that deer are frequenting. Deer patterns change with the season as well as with pressure, and being in an area that deer naturally want to use is crucial.
“I don’t random hunt,” he said. “I want to see fresh sign, with tracks, scrapes, rubs and of course, visual deer sightings while scouting or driving around the property throughout the course of the season. From pre-rut to rut to post-rut, deer often move to new areas, and fresh sign and seeing deer are my preferred ways to know where they are at any given time. When I know their location, I can hunt them effectively.”
Hiers said in addition to scouting and staying up on deer movement, he gives deer some breathing room with stand placement. For gun hunting at Blackwater, he typically sets up 130 to 150 yards away from ground zero where he expects deer to show up.
“This gives us a good buffer to mitigate slight movements from the hunter and some relief from the wind and scent,” he said. “Greater distance helps significantly on pressured deer.”
Hiers said scent control is a major factor.
“We never know exactly where a deer is going to be seen or the direction they will approach; daily wind direction plays a role in that,” he said. “Scent control is a huge factor in where we hunt any time, but on pressured deer, scent awareness is imperative. I simply don’t hunt a stand if the wind is wrong, even at the longer distance. If the hunter gets busted by a good buck because of scent at this time of the year, not only is that specific hunt ruined, but it will likely impact that stand for a while — maybe the rest of the season if it occurs during December.”
Hiers said every time a hunter goes into the woods, the activity has the potential to educate deer, so he keeps human intrusion to a minimum. He needs to scout and put out corn, but he or his guides do that alone and maximize scent elimination with clothing, rubber boots and minimum time afield.
Hiers said one positive factor for December deer hunting in the post-rut is the occasional weather front. A blast of arctic air can be a big help to hunters.
“A cold front in December where the air temperature drop is significant will usually put deer on the move,” he said. “It’s usually a short window of better deer movement, but we’ll plan a hunting strategy around the increased movement, and we’ll usually have improved hunting. Don’t avoid the cold snaps, hunt through them. This is one natural event we can use to our advantage.
“Occasionally a doe will be ready to breed even in December, and if so, bucks will follow her,” he said. “It’s not a reliable pattern, but it happens.”
Other elements of late-season hunting that will help put odds in a hunter’s favor are the use of food sources other than natural forage or corn.
Powell Kemp of the Carolina Woods and Waters in Halifax County, N.C., said providing green forage for deer at a time when food is becoming scare is one of his favorite tools to improve late-season deer hunting.
“Late season greenery attracts deer,” said Kemp (252-341-9804). “By planting greenery for late-season hunting, you can help hold deer in the area. I’ll often replant areas such as large crop fields previously harvested with late-season crops. Oats are one of my favorites, but other cold-season green crops will work. Give deer something green and fresh when other natural food is hard to find.”
Kemp will also plant smaller food plots in isolated areas that have the right cover and security for late-season bucks.
“Regardless of the specific type of crop you plant, ensure it’s something that will grow well in the type soil and terrain you have available,” he said. “It’s worth the effort.”
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