Deer Hunting Tips and Resources for December

The rut is winding down and long sits in the tree stand have gone from exciting to mind-numbing. If you are bored in the stand and tired of scrolling through the same boring news feed on your social channels, we have got just the thing for you! We have dug through our website and found the best, most useful, and entertaining information available related to the late phases of the rut and December deer hunting tips. Not only will you burn some time in the stand, you might also learn a thing or two! Check out this December deer hunting reading list below.

The Bone Collector Deer Hunting Reading List

We have ranked these tips and resources from 1-10, simply the best bone collector blogs related to December deer hunting!  Get ready to be hit with some deer hunting knowledge, wisdom, tips, tactics, and some good ole’ classic Bone Collector fun!

10.) Phases of the Rut

While the activity is shutting down, the rut could still be kicking in your neck of the woods. Knowing when, how, why, and where deer activity will be in relation to each phase of the rut can be crucial to capitalizing on a buck during December and the late season. This makes number 10 on the list because it is a great resource to start with before diving into more specific deer hunting tips and tactics!  If you like this blog you are going to love #9-1! 

9.) Rattling in Bucks

Despite popular belief and your own doubts, rattling deer is still a very effective deer calling tactic during the early part of December. That is why it is ranked #9 in the midst of these deer hunting tips. As the post rut begins, bucks are still desperate to find any remaining does in estrous. By this time they have encountered each other a time or two, so another fight breaking loose in their territory isn’t anything new. However, to a buck, a rattling sequence could mean one of the last does in estrous could have instigated the fighting. If you have never tried rattling this is easily one of the best resources that you will ever read!

8.) The Lockdown Phase of the Rut 

Mid- to late-November can be a depressing time depending on the area or state you are in. Deer can suddenly go from chasing does one day, only to completely disappear the next. When the majority of does hit estrous (the same time each year in your state despite “rut forecasts”), a lockdown phase can be experienced. #8 on the deer hunting tips reading list is one to remember for this year, and any year to come! How to beat the lockdown phase of the rut!

7.) Post Rut Deer Hunting Tips 

You most likely have hunted your way through the pre-rut, rut, and the lockdown phase of the rut, and are now looking for solutions as you have thus far came up empty-handed. This blog gives you exactly what you need…post rut deer hunting tactics! This blog dives into the basics of the post-rut, what is happening during this time, and most importantly what areas to hunt during this time.

6.) Hunting Gear List 

As deer hunting gets tougher and the cold weather creeps its way into your hunt, your dependency on hunting gear increases. Not only will you need additional hunting clothing layers, hand warmers, and food to keep you warm, but room to store the items and other hunting accessories. Mostly it comes down to making sure you have only what you need in your hunting pack. #6 on this list is a recent video and article on what Michael carries in his hunting pack!

5.) Deer Calls to Use 

Spinning off from #6 and #9, deer calls can be extremely valuable to use and have in your pack this time of year. However, navigating the tricky waters of why, when, where, and how to use the various calls can seem daunting. The blog below simplifies it into the 5 essential deer calls you should know for all aspects of the rut!

4.) Estrous Scent

Good ole’ estrous scent. Chances are you have smelled your fair share of it spilled in the truck…or worse your pocket! While it might seem odd, continued use of estrous scent during the post-rut can be effective at pulling in bucks! However, bucks, mature bucks at that, have smelled every deer hunter’s concoction of scent, from the cheapest to the most expensive deer scents. Using quality estrous in a unique tactic could pay off huge because of this very reason! #4 for this list is a blog all about estrous scent and utilizing one such unique product/tactic to pull in bucks on a string…literally!

3.) Deer Scents Guide

If you enjoyed the blog above, you will really enjoy a more in-depth guide to deer scents. That is why #3 is Bone Collector’s deer scents guide! This comprehensive article dives into all the deer scents and how to use them over the course of not just December, but the entire season!

2.) The Second Rut

A second rut? That’s right! Don’t give up yet, a second rut is on its way and you could be in store for more action! Biologically and ecologically speaking this is more of a continuation of the rut, a second peak rather than a “second rut”. Either way, you look at it, estrous does mean prowling bucks! This blog is ranked #2 to not only allow you to realize this opportunity but keep your hopes up!

1.) The Late Season

The late season, while cold, is one of the best times to kill a mature buck PERIOD. Perhaps even better than the rut, dare we say it! Worn and torn from the rut, hungry, and most of all cold, bucks will begin to seek late season food sources in which to develop patterns on similar to their summer patterns. If extremely cold weather slams your state, more active and frequent daylight movement will become apparent. We have ranked “Late Season Deer Hunting” as #1 because it prepares you for useful tactics for the late season well before the opportunities to use them occur. Besides the tactics, the blog also provides tips and tactics to use in case the cold weather never arrives! This, in addition to #2, should give you all the hope and push you to need to continue hunting well throughout December!

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