Scheels Community

by Craig Enervold

Part III of a three-part series

Those that have read through to this point may already be thinking there is no way a golden late-season opportunity will exist for them, and some probably are right. But those willing to do some homework may find a few rewarding opportunities. Here are a few suggestions…

1. Look for a food source early that provides for a deer congregation in late season. Corn fields near large wooded tracts of land–especially ones possessing heavy bedding areas–may be golden opportunities! Even with heavy hunting pressure, deer numbers can remain strong after the pressure fades. Cover and a consistent food source are magnets for deer and provide excellent late season bow hunting opportunities.

2. Land bordering previously unhunted refuges, parks etc., may continue to have deer moving in and out throughout the late fall and early winter period. Look for these areas early and use informational sources such as topographical and aerial maps. These maps may hide productive bedding areas and critical deer travel funnels to and from food and bedding areas.

Also, if you are serious about filling your tag, hopefully on a good buck, be willing to drive a little further to reach these areas.

It was a Sunday morning, November 20, 2005, and I was set up between two distinct bedding areas. The weather could not have been more perfect, with little wind and warm for this time of year. I climbed into my tree stand at approximately 5:30 am this day with intent of sitting the entire day… if I had to. I was directly within the core area of the buck that was mentioned in the beginning of the Part I of this article.

Deer activity was brisk with deer passing by my stand about every 15-20 minutes. Smaller bucks passed by within easy bow range and good numbers of does and fawns were always present. By 9 am, things had quieted down. Off to my left, I could hear the distinct sound of deer running. A pair of does and 3 fawns ran by my stand, followed by a smaller yearling class buck. Things remained quiet again.

I recall looking at my watch at 9:30 am to monitor just how long I had been in the stand. I glanced up and saw a deer approaching my stand from along the edge of the field.

It was him!

He was just over 50 yards away…and closing! A large, brushy tree separated him from me at a distance of under 15 yards. The wind direction was perfect for deer passing me in the woods, but this buck on the field edge was going to pass directly through my scent path. Although I was considerably high in the tree, as soon as he hit my scent, he stopped, still concealed behind the bush. The deer sensed something was not right, and began to step out further into the field to investigate.

I was fairly certain that as soon as the deer figured out my location he was going to explode, so I drew my bow just before the deer had stopped. There was one small shooting lane through the branches of the bush and as he stepped further into the field and into this hole, I released. The deer was only 12 steps from his tree. The arrow hit perfectly behind the shoulder and I watched him run off and fold just 80 yards from the stand. My late season trophy, a 2-inch wide 5x4 had been claimed.

Whitetail bucks are aggressive, passionate and obsessive breeders and tend to rest little during the fall season breeding phases. Ignoring the late season bow hunting opportunities may cost you your long-awaited trophy. With a little thought, some homework and patience, you may find this period does provide you with unparalleled opportunities!

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.

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.

Scheels waterfowl expert Dave Aberle with dog Glock.

Dogs have long been considered ‘man’s best friend.’ Nowhere does this statement hold more truth than the hermetically sealed relationship between hunter and hunting dog.

Scheels waterfowl expert Dave Aberle knows this relationship well. He currently has three hunting dogs: A yellow lab (Gonzo), a vizsla (Nike), and a Chesapeake Bay retriever (Glock). He has also owned five other dogs in the past, including labs, springer spaniels, and Chesapeake Bay retrievers.

How long does it take to get a dog ready to be a good hunting dog? Aberle calls the training process an ongoing experience.

“Just like people learn something new all the time, those dogs are constantly learning. I’ve had dogs that are 10, 11, 12 years old and they’re still learning up to the last time they were out in the field,” Aberle remarks. “From the beginning to end of the season, it’s amazing how much they’ll learn no matter how much training you do in the summer time.”

The amount of energy and endurance a dog has to learn, hunt, and train can be closely tied to its diet, according to Aberle. He notes the importance of switching to a higher protein formula right before the training and hunting season.

Glock is Dave’s go-to dog for waterfowling. “I’ve had a couple other Chessies in the past. They were bred for waterfowling,” Aberle says. “That’s the dog I have to have.”

Watching his dogs do their work ranks among Aberle’s proudest moments of any successful hunting day.

“The birds come in, you shoot, the dog makes that good retrieve coming back… that’s what they were bred and born to do. That’s what they live for.

“People say you can’t see a dog smile, but I tell you what, when they pick up those birds, they’re smiling. They’re happy.”

**Boost your dog-training efforts by getting involved in our Dogs in Action contest. We're giving away two SportDOG Fieldtrainer 400 systems. Show us your own hunting dog in action, tell us a story, and you could be a winner!