by Craig Enervold

Part I of a three-part series

I could not help thinking I was looking at yet another 'intoxicated' mature whitetail buck as I watched with interest at a 140" bruiser out cruising through an open field, head down and appearing in a worn out drunken stupor. Not that big of a deal, except it was just before 2:00 in the afternoon, he was alone AND it was the 18th day of November… a time typically where many bow hunters get the most frustrated and have hung their bow up for the season.

The rut, or whatever is left of it, tends to discourage most late-season archers as deer activity and sightings are pushed to an all time seasonal low, mostly due to the past two weeks of the most intense hunting pressure a deer is put through all season. It drives whatever animals that have survived the pressure to progress to an even more ‘nocturnal’ behavior.

If there ever were a time during the year (other than the first week of November) to get excited about pending opportunities with trophy class animals, for me, the week prior to Thanksgiving through the first week of December has to be it!

For the majority of bow hunters pursuing antlers, the end of October through the first week of November (or opening day of the firearms season) is typically THE time to be in a tree stand. It's especially true when considering a grueling day sit, as it is no true secret that buck activity spikes (or appears to) during this time. Most bow hunters find it obvious that as the firearms opener approaches, the intensity of deer activity is at a fever pitch and if there were ever a time during the season that a mature buck will make a fatal error, it is during this 'phase' of the breeding season.

Countless articles have been written about bow hunting and the seasonal phases of the rut, from hunting early season whitetails, to stubborn mid-season bucks, and the much anticipated 'rut period.' Much fewer will focus on the 'post breeding' phase of the rut. The reasons are obvious… there just doesn't seem to be much to write about.

In this series, I'll share why I feel that approximately November 20 through Thanksgiving and up to December 1 can be provide one of the greatest opportunities of the year.

Craig has worked in the sporting goods industry for the past 18 years. He has hunted in Alaska, Northwest Territories, Quebec, Manitoba, Ontario, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. He is currently the Archery and Optics buyer for Scheels.