Table of contents for November/December 2025 - Whitetail in Bowhunter

FOR BOWHUNTERS across most of whitetail country, rut hunting typically means cold weather. If you’re lucky, there may even be a layer of fresh snow on the ground, quieting your approach and making it easier for you to spot approaching deer as they move across the landscape. Of course, along with that snow often comes a whipping winter wind that presents its own set of challenges — not the least of which is staying warm long enough to wait for Mr. Big’s arrival. From the rut through the late season, having bowhunting apparel you can count on to keep you warm, comfortable and concealed from deer is critical. Based on my testing, the new RiverWolf Jacket and Pant from Code of Silence fit the bill, thanks to ultra-quiet fabric, a…

THE CHASE for the buck we nicknamed G2 started in the fall of 2021. I had just killed my biggest buck to date; a deer we called Hollywood that grossed an amazing 201 inches. That was the first year my brothers, Brock and Blaine, and I really focused on land management and habitat improvement on the properties we had access to hunt, and it paid off right away. All three of us harvested really big bucks in 2021, and we also had plenty of young “up-and-comers” we had our eyes on for the future. One of the bucks we started keeping tabs on was a young 10-pointer with split G2s on both sides. That is where we came up with the nickname “G2.” BIDING OUR TIME Fast-forward to the summer…

HAD THAT BUCK ON CAMERA ALL YEAR. Then, right before the rut, he disappeared!” How many times have you or a hunting buddy said that? As a fellow deer hunter who uses trail cameras as part of his arsenal, I have been there many times. Countless research projects have confirmed what we deer hunters know all too well — buck travel increases close to, during and just after the rut. It’s common for bucks to cover long distances in their search for receptive does, sometimes traveling as many as 10 miles in a day. Given that, it is certainly not unusual for bucks to abandon familiar haunts as the rut closes in. Even if there are does where the buck spends most of his time, that doesn’t mean he won’t…

Q I’VE BEEN WATCHING you guys use decoys for whitetails for years, and I’m ready to give it a try. I need some tips and a decoy that doesn’t look like it’s on steroids or costs $600 — L. Jackson, via email A LET’S ADDRESS your second question first. There’s a new deer decoy on the market that fits the bill. Ol’ Hank from Blocker Outdoors ($199.99; blockeroutdoors.com) is lightweight, sized correctly and inexpensive. Like all bowhunting tactics, decoying is not fail-proof. You can get burned by snooty does, but the study in dominance, the entertainment value, and the effectiveness at pulling in bucks that might not otherwise come close is worth the occasional failure, in my opinion. Here are 10 tips for decoying whitetails: 1. Save your decoying efforts…

AS I SAT IN MY TREESTAND on a warm, early-October evening in 2024, I found myself in a reflective mood. Countless miles had been traversed in my 53 years of bowhunting, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the irony of much of it. My bowhunting career began with a stint in a hackberry tree, less than a mile from my home. Now, more than half a century later, I sat in a hackberry tree less than a mile from my home. It was a rather weird feeling. I’d started bowhunting simply thrilled to be out there, and as I sail into the sunset of my bowhunting life, I once again found myself with that very same outlook. As my mind flashed across an endless spectrum of memories, I realized…

A twig snaps! Then, steps in the leaves! I turn my head to the left and catch movement; a huge rack is coming straight toward me in the thicket. I quickly stand up, grab my bow off its hook, clip my release to the string, turn and draw, all in one continuous motion. By now, the buck is at 8 yards, and he turns to his right to go behind me. I frantically move my pin out in front of him but have no openings for a shot. Then, he stops. I move my pin back to him, and there is a 4-inch opening in front of the shoulder, and I have a good angle. I settle the pin low in the opening, so the arrow has clearance, and I…

THIS STORY STARTS IN THE FALL OF 2023 in the Flint Hills of Kansas. I (Cody) had been hunting hard — all day every day — trying to get on a big buck. Despite my best efforts, I really didn’t have a bead on a shooter, and I was getting pretty nervous I just wasn’t going to make it happen that year. In desperation, I decided to circle back to a property where I had permission to hunt, even though I hadn’t really seen much deer activity there on my previous visits. While there, I spotted a giant buck tending a doe out in one of the pastures — sometimes it really is better to be lucky than good! It was right before dark, and I didn’t have time to…

AS THE BUCK SPRINTED around the base of my stand for the second time, it occurred to me that I better snap out of it and prepare for a possible shot. The moment had shocked me so much that I had frozen in my seat. As the buck ran back out into the tall grass of the river bottom, I stood, grabbed my bow and put my hand on my release that was patiently waiting on my nocking loop. Just as the sound of the running buck began to fade, it started to escalate once again. As the buck ran nearer, I drew my bow and got ready. The buck came in hot, and as he entered one of my limited lanes, I let out a loud grunt, stopping him…