We're at that point in the season when working up the gumption to go sit in a freezing stand or blind can be a challenge. I get it. So, consider this your pep talk. This Sunday, December 7th, is our last Best Day of the 2025 Rut, and there are a bunch of good reasons to bundle up and leave the warm house for the deer woods. Truth is, you might not even have to sit at all. But we'll get to that.
First, let's list some reasons:
Deer hunting just got a whole lot easier. With the heart of the rut over, and with both bucks and does recovering from the madness and facing a long winter ahead, they are nothing short of desperate to fill their bellies and put on some fat. That makes their movements far more predictable and your job easier: Focus on the food.
The second rut is just getting started. It doesn't compare to the main event, but a smattering unbred does and first-time-cycling fawns are coming into estrous now, and mature bucks will be looking to make the most it.
The chance of snow promises a fresh start. There nothing like a new blanket of snow to make your property and your prospects feel brand new. Hoof prints in the snow tell you exactly what your deer are up to and open up the possibility of following those tracks to their maker.
So, bundle up. Here we go.
Rut Phase: Second Rut
In some areas, the second rut is so subdued that it's no surprise some hunters question its existence. In others, it can make a noticeable difference in deer activity and hunting strategy. Either way, it's real and backed by science. Does not bred during the main event will come into estrous again about a month later and, since many deer populations are female-heavy, it only makes sense that there are going to be some unbred does at this point. Also, many doe fawns (typically those born early) will enter their first estrous cycle and provide further targets for bucks seeking mates.
Even where the second rut is strongest, it doesn't compare to the main event, generally. But if a doe that lives on your property suddenly comes into estrous now, it can make all the difference in the world for you—because mature bucks are going to find her. And one of the places they're most likely to look is where you should already be hunting: namely, the best food source you've got. Bottom line: Your best bet during this phase is to stay locked in on the food, just as the deer are, but to also keep a close eye out for any second rut activity that you can take advantage of.
Related: 10 Tips for Hunting Post-Rut Bucks
December 7 Morning Hunt Plan: Stay or Go—You Decide
When it comes to the morning hunt on Sunday, you've got a decision to make. The fact is, late-season morning hunts can be risky business. Deer that are wiped out from the rut and hyper-focus on food tend to bed close to the grub and early, which can make intercepting them from a stand or blind in the morning difficult. It's far from impossible, though. Two things can really up your odds. First, if you have the perfect approach to a morning stand that guarantees you won't bump deer off feeding areas, that's key. A great example is when deer are bedding on a south-facing slope that you can access from the top. Second, if your scouting tells you that there's second-rut activity—fresh scrapes, signs of chasing, sightings—then that ups the odds of deer being on their feet later into the morning.
So, here's where the decision comes in: If you have the right situation and conditions, a morning hunt between food and bed can definitely pay off. On the other hand, there's a good argument for leaving a hot feeding area and the woods around it undisturbed so as not to mess up your evening hunt. There's no question that deer in general and mature bucks especially will be more likely to hit an evening feeding area before dark if they are relatively unpressured. In the end, if you have a great morning setup, with low odds of disturbing deer, go for it. If not, this might be the perfect morning to change things up and hunt from your feet.
If you are a big-woods hunter, or you can drive to a large tract of land with public access, and there's snow on the ground, this day should be prime for tracking. Mature bucks will be leaving prints as they move to feed and find those last few cycling does. But unlike earlier in the rut, they won't be covering huge swaths of ground. They're tired. And that means you can catch up with them. Find a good track now and odds are the buck that made them will be bedded not to far off. Even if you bump that buck, just take a break, get back on the track, and you should be able catch up to him again—and maybe find yourself dragging out big-woods beast on the last best day of the 2025 whitetail rut.
December 7 Evening Hunt Plan: Food, Food, Food
From a strategy standpoint, evening hunts in the late season are no-brainers: Sit on the best food you've got. From a practical standpoint, however, there are a couple challenges. The first is figuring out exactly where to sit on a field or plot, and the second is exiting the spot at dark without blowing up your hotspot. So, let's take them one at a time.
If your rifle or muzzleloader season is still open, things get much easier; just use the reach of your weapon to sit far enough off the action that you can get in and out without bumping deer. Keep the wind in your favor, of course, and if need be, trim a path through cover so you can exit without stepping into the field.
If you're bowhunting, do some quick midday scouting to find the heaviest traffic, the best feeding sign, and especially any fresh rubs or scrapes that can tip you off to where a buck in entering. Fresh scrapes in and around hot late-season food sources are like a neon sign that says, "Set up here." You might even want to spend an evening or two in advance in a observation stand to figure out exactly how the deer are using the feeding area, where you should set up, and what your exit strategy will be.
Once you've got your spot picked out, get there early in the afternoon on Sunday. This time of year, especially if the weather is cold or there's snow, hungry deer can start feeding hours before dark. Then it's just a matter of waiting—and hoping. If there isn't much second-rut activity, you're in the right place, as even mature bucks can't ignore their hunger now. If there is a hot doe around, you are doubly in the right place, because bucks will have two reasons to hit that hot food source. And don't be surprised if the best buck you've seen all season steps out with five minutes left of shooting light.
Hot Tip: Don't Forget the Acorns
So, what if you don't have the hottest man-made late-season food source on your property—no standing beans or corn or brassicas sticking up above the snow? Well, that's no problem as long as you have acorns in the woods. There should be plenty of nuts still on the ground at this point, and a hot oak flat can be a killer spot right.
Favored trees are often easy to find this time of year, with lots of scuffed leaves and other feeding sign giving them away. If there's any snow on the ground, the sign will be even more obvious. A quick midday speed-scouting trip should put you in the right spot. Maybe more important, pressured late-season deer that are reluctant to stick their necks out in an open field or plot during daylight are much more likely to show up before dark at a food source within the security of the woods. So, even if you do have standing beans, corn, or brassicas, if bucks aren't showing up during shooting light, just take a look in the woods for a hot oak flat.
