Thanksgiving is almost here. The turkey. The whole family together. The communal meal and the counting of blessings. The in-laws. The unexpected guests. ("I didn't think you'd mind if I brought my new girlfriend," or "my Pomeranians.") The impromptu overnighters, the awkward dinner conversations, other people's kids, and the general, utter chaos of it all. It'll be great.
But just in case you want a little quiet time before it all gets started, we are here to point out that the day before Thanksgiving is our next Best Day of the Rut. And one of the key reasons we picked Wednesday, November 26th, is because it should be an especially quiet day in the deer woods.
With the peak of the rut over, a lot of hunters will be either tagged out or ready for a break. And many who plan to get back out there will wait for the long Thanksgiving weekend to do it. So, there's a good chance you'll have bucks all to yourself on Wednesday—bucks that have likely seen little pressure since the previous weekend.
You'll need some patience to score. The truth is that you're not apt to see a whole lot of deer this time of the season, as young bucks and does will spend a lot of time on their belies, recovering from the rut's peak and avoiding trouble. But November 26th, another red-moon day, isn't one of our best days because you'll see lots of deer; it's because if you do see a deer, it may well be a stud of a buck—one you can show off to the whole crazy crew when they show up on Thursday.
Rut Phase: Pickup Breeding
The majority of does have been bred at this point, but the rut is still going, as a handful of them will come into estrous late. From a hunting standpoint, the key to this phase of the rut is that it's mainly mature bucks that have the stamina and drive to keep trolling for mates. While most of the whitetail herd is done with the rut, the absolute biggest bucks are not just still at it; they are searching harder than ever to find a dwindling number of late-cycling does. They are going to cover lots of ground, using macro terrain and cover funnels that connect multiple properties.
Most does, as well as fawns and younger bucks, will all be getting back to a basic bed-to-feed pattern now that the rut, for them, is over. And as the winter approaches, they'll be focusing more and more on the area's best late-season food sources. Meanwhile, those big bucks still trolling are sure to swing by these areas regularly to check for ready does.
Related: The 7 Best Days of the Whitetail Rut 2025
November 26 Morning Hunt Plan: Rattle In a Cruiser
As mentioned, you can't expect to see a lot of deer today. Your goal instead is to waylay a big buck that's covering lots of ground to find a late-cycling doe. The best way to do that is to sit in a good funnel and wait it out. So, what constitutes a good funnel right now? Well, you've got a few options. A macro funnel—one that connects large blocks of cover and whose cover or terrain pinches deer through a narrow corridor—is one great choice. Here you are just betting that some mature bucks are cruising from one property to another (or just moving big on a single large property) and will get funneled past you sooner or later.
Another good option is a funnel or pinch point between a hot food source and doe bedding. In this case, bucks will be checking on does moving from feed to bed throughout the morning. Finally, if you want to keep things simple, I'll bet that you already have a favorite funnel or pinch-point stand that you love because it produces steady action all season. That, too, is a great place to be on Wednesday morning. Once you are in good spot, the keys are to just sit tight, be patient, and be ready for a giant to cruise past at any second. Oh, and bring your rattling antlers, as studies have shown that the post-rut is prime time for rattling in a monster.
November 26 Evening Hunt Plan: Hunt the Hot Food Source
The only deer that haven't turned their focus to food yet are those big trolling bucks. They are locked in on checking every doe they can get a whiff of. But they're still going to wind up on those hot foot sources, because that's where they'll find the most does in the afternoon.
The big question for you is whether to set up on the food itself or in a staging area or funnel just off the food. And the answer should come down to how pressured your bucks have been. On lightly hunted properties properties, it's nothing to watch a giant buck barge into an ag field or food plot with plenty of light left in the sky now. In that case, go ahead and climb into your blind or shooting house right on the feed and take full advantage of the reach a gun gives you (assuming that firearms season is open).
On the other hand, if your observations or trail-cam photos tell you that bucks are done sticking their noses out in the open during daylight, do some quick midday scouting to figure out where bucks are staging off the field. New rubs or scrapes are gold now, but even old buck sign can tell you where bucks generally like to hang out just inside the woods. Also, keep an eye out for any features that influence deer movement in or around the field: a gap in a fence, a stream crossing, or the head of a wash (or ravine) can help put you in the perfect place to intercept a buck scent-checking does in the field.
Hot Tip: Be the Doe
With the biggest bucks desperately searching for a small number of late-cycling does, why not at least pretend to give them what they are looking for? A feeding doe decoy, a bleat call, and doe-estrus scent (where legal) can be a killer combo right now. Run a drag rag along the edge of a hot food source, then stake a feeding doe decoy within easy shooting range, get yourself up in a nearby tree, and be ready to hit that bleat call if you see a buck.
This is a perfect ploy for pulling a buck into bow range. If the gun season is open where you are, be sure to check local regs about using a decoy, and if it's allowed, be extra careful. It's best to avoid decoys altogether on most public land, and never set up on the ground when using a decoy if there's any chance another hunter could mistake it for a real deer.
