Late Fall/Winter Deer Hunting Opportunities

You've been waiting for months. You've inspected your gear time and time again, making sure everything is ready. Hours have been spent checking game cameras and scouting locations. You've prepared mentally and physically and are ready for a successful harvest of an animal this year. The opener is so close you can almost taste it. Anticipation builds as you load your pack for tomorrow's first outing of the season. Your alarm clock rings… and as fast as you flew out of bed on opening morning, the season has ended. Did you fill your deer tag? Or is it still burning a hole in your pocket?

Fret not. There may be an opportunity for you to get back in the field one last time. The deer are rutting and a few states offer some unique tags with the late season hunt in mind. With the animals losing their heads over breeding, and the cold months triggering migrations, getting one of these late season tags can make for a truly memorable hunt.

Here are a few states offering late season deer hunts:

Colorado

Colorado is home to excellent hunting and has been known to produce absolute bruisers in both Whitetail and Mule Deer bucks. Most deer tags in the state are draws, but there is an over-the-counter deer tag available. How does a whitetail rifle hunt sound? December 1st - 31st is open in 18 different units and either sex can be harvested. Some of these hunts encompass private lands so make sure you know where you’ll be. We’d recommend a subscription to OnX maps to help form your plan. Hunters can expect to be hunting in lower elevations, sometimes near river bottoms in search of these deer. Check Colorado's Game and Fish hunting regulations for more information on this (OTC) tag, and be sure you obtain permission on Colorado's private land before you begin your hunt.

Missouri

Most of the states in the Midwest have extensive whitetail archery seasons. If your flavor is putting your time in a treestand waiting on a bruiser, Missouri is a great option. They have a late archery season running until January 15th. For those of you hoping to fill the freezer, this tag is open longer than most. Hunting with Missouri whitetail outfitters would be a wise choice for a late season hunt as your best chance of harvesting a mature buck will come from knowing where the hot food sources are.

Arizona

In the deserts of the Southwest there are a bunch of options. One state especially sticks out. Arizona has some great over-the-counter tags for coues and mule deer. We reached out to Toby Weaver at Antler Canyon Outfitters to get the scoop. “Most people want to think of us for our elk. Late season deer is phenomenal.” He tells us the season corresponds to the peak rut, January 1-31. It’s the perfect time to spot and stalk great archery deer.

Alabama

January is the month to be in Alabama. The whitetails hit the peak of the rut and are tracking up the forest. The tags are over the counter and not too steep in price. Look for the deer to hit their predominant breeding cycle the last two weeks of January. However, the state did go through a re-stocking program during much of the 20th century and their rut varies because of the introduced genetics. Archery season throughout most of the state runs through February 5th and either sex can be harvested. You can check out Guidefitter's extensive list of Alabama hunting outfitters.

Washington

How about hunting some love-crazed Washington Blacktails? Late-season general archery for Blacktail runs from Nov 23rd - Dec 31st in the northern part of the state, and is open for either sex. The forests are thick and dense. You can expect extreme weather during these months. While hunting this unit, be sure you can identify the blacktails aside mule deer. (There is a special Agriculture Tag open, but generally hunting the species is closed.) Blacktails have a brownish grey body with an all-black tail. They have stocky bodies and can weigh up to 200lbs. Like a Whitetail Deer, they flip their tail up when frightened, displaying the white bottom. These deer don't migrate much, so it’ll be good to get them in the rut. Their breeding season will have to cooperate unless snowfall pushes the deer to lower elevations. Be sure to check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and stay up to date with rules and regulations.

Ohio

When it comes to producing big mature whitetails, Ohio is ranked right up at the top with the best of them. Their archery season runs all the way through February 5th 2017, and if you want to squeeze in a December or January gun hunt, you're in luck. Ohio has a two day gun season December 17th and 18th, and a late season muzzleloader hunt January 7th-10th. Pair these dates up with a blast of cold weather and you could be in for some top notch whitetail hunting. Guidefitter has an extensive list of Ohio whitetail outfitters to help you select the right hunt for your needs.

Minnesota

Perhaps you come from good Scandinavian stock and can handle the coldest weather in the lower forty-eight. Minnesota’s whitetails usually hit their peak rut right after Thanksgiving. So, after packing on a few extra layers of turkey, pack up your warmest gear to hit the stand. Their regular archery deer season runs through the end of December. Here is a list of whitetail deer hunts in Minnesota.

There are a lot of options after most regular rifle tags have closed throughout the country. Whether you choose to hunt with a guide or DIY, you can find a tag somewhere in the United States to get you on an end of the year deer. Perhaps you simply need to fill the freezer. That's great but keep in mind, there will still be some big bucks moving around for the next couple months.