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The Latest

Deer Science

Why Did This Deer Have Super Long Hooves?

Dec 5, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

What would cause a deer to grow really long hooves? Almost every fall, we hear from a hunter who saw or killed a deer with overgrown hooves, like those in the photo above sent to…

Hunting

5 Reasons to Get Your Deer Tested for CWD

Dec 4, 2023 Dr. Jenn Ballard

Should you test your deer if you hunt in a chronic wasting disease (CWD) management zone? Do you test it even if you don’t hunt in a CWD zone? Will your fellow club members be…

Deer Science

Bucks of All Ages Succeed in the Wild Whitetail Rut. Yes, Even These.

Nov 29, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

In the frenzied breeding scramble that is the whitetail rut, are bucks and does selective about the age of their mates, or is rut success random? The answer is: Yes. There’s scientific evidence that age…

NDA Podcasts

Which Weather Factors Influence Deer Movement With Dr. Duane Diefenbach

Nov 29, 2023 NDA Staff

In this week’s episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, we’re talking with Dr. Duane Diefenbach of Penn State University’s Deer-Forest Study about the impact of various weather factors on deer movement. We dive into…

Venison

Warm Up After the Hunt With Slow Cooker Venison Chili

Nov 27, 2023 Elizabeth Kligge

Venison meals are a crucial part of our Field to Fork program. For the adults participating and learning to hunt for the first time, acquiring their own food is a key motivation, so we share…

NDA Podcasts

College Football’s National Champions Are Winning in the Outdoors Too With Georgia Bulldog Cade Brock

Nov 22, 2023 NDA Staff

As if the time involved in being successful in the classroom and performing at the highest level of college football isn’t demanding enough, Cade Brock and a few of his teammates are making a difference…

Hunting

5 Valuable Lessons From a 10-Point Buck Someone Else Tagged

Nov 15, 2023 Nick Pinizzotto

For the second time, I watched helplessly as my target buck, a 4½-year-old main-frame 10-point with a cool kicker off his right beam, fed just out of shooting range in my food plot. He was…

NDA Podcasts

The Science Behind the Whitetail Rut and Rut-Hunting Strategy With Kip Adams

Nov 15, 2023 NDA Staff

This week’s Deer Season 365 episode is all about the whitetail rut. We’re talking with NDA’s Chief Conservation Officer and wildlife biologist, Kip Adams, about the science behind the rut along with his personal rut-hunting…

Venison

Hot Honey Butter Venison Roast is a Fall Classic

Nov 14, 2023 Karli Gill

I like my venison roasts to be full-flavored and to give me a robust feeling of crisp air and fall weather. This recipe is just that. This slightly sweet and spicy twist on a familiar…

Deer Science

Strike 3 for the Myth of the Genetic “Cull Buck”

Nov 8, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

The latest scientific attempt to improve wild deer antler genetics failed to find a practical method that works in the wild, but it helped shed more light on why the genetic “cull buck” remains elusive:…

NDA Podcasts

Very Special Missouri Field to Fork Events for Senior Citizens

Nov 8, 2023 NDA Staff

The National Deer Association recently teamed up with Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries to put on some very special Field to Fork programs for the senior residents of the Baptist Home of Arcadia Valley in…

Hunting

Where You Going With That Deer? States Are Enforcing Deer Carcass Transport Bans.

Nov 8, 2023 Matt Ross

Deer hunting is supposed to be fun, and for most of us successfully killing a deer and bringing it home to turn it into proudly sourced table fare is the pinnacle of that enjoyment. That…

Hunting

10 Tips for Rattling More Bucks Using Science

Nov 1, 2023 Matt Ross

It’s November, and over the next few weeks millions of deer hunters will be hitting the woods in hopes of taking home a giant. Many will attempt rattling but will fail to see any response…

NDA Podcasts

Acorn Production Among Different Oak Species and How It Impacts Deer Behavior

Nov 1, 2023 NDA Staff

In this episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, we’re talking with University of Florida graduate student Kelsy Demeny about her research on acorn production and how it impacts deer behavior. Kelsey discusses the oak…

Deer Science

Wild Pigs Complicate Deer Movement in Hunting Season. Here’s What to Do.

Oct 30, 2023 David Jachowski

Invasive wild pigs are generally known to be bad for deer. Most hunters in the Southeast have a story of wild pigs destroying food plots or chasing deer away from food sources like acorns near…

Hunting

Ebikes for Deer Hunting. Worth a Try!

Oct 30, 2023 NDA Staff

You ever wonder about using an ebike for deer hunting? Well, if you want to reach remote spots over a variety of terrains and cover longer distances in less time allowing you to hunt with…

Hunting

How to Find the Deer You Shot: There’s an App for That

Oct 25, 2023 Brian Grossman

I’ve been a big fan of mapping apps like onX Hunt since they first hit the market several years ago. In fact, even before onX, I was using Google Maps to navigate to and from…

Hunting

If You Want a Wall Hanger, Here’s Your Chance!

Oct 25, 2023 NDA Staff

Performance Outdoors in Illinois offers 7,000 privately owned acres of pristine deer habitat. In what is known to be the best big-buck hunting area in the world, the “Golden Triangle” of Illinois, Performance Outdoors is…

NDA Podcasts

Rut Hunting Tactics With Josh Honeycutt

Oct 25, 2023 NDA Staff

It’s that magical time of year in the deer woods; the rut! For most hunters, this is the time of year that the day-to-day gets set aside for some time on the stand so in…

Hunting

WATCH: You Just Shot a Deer. Here’s How to Find It.

Oct 25, 2023 NDA Staff

Every deer you decide to harvest deserves your complete attention with regard to shot placement and follow-up to ensure a quick kill and fast recovery of your venison. There are volumes written on shot placement….

Deer Science

Do Deer Hunters Really Need to Be Concerned About Cowhorn Spikes?

Oct 18, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

When we tell deer hunters that “culling” spike-antlered yearling bucks to improve antler quality is a management mistake, a host of online experts are sure to correct us and remind us of their exception to…

Hunting

Best Trail-Camera Setups for the Rut

Oct 18, 2023 Matt Ross

Earlier this year we talked about summer and pre-rut trail-camera strategies and discussed the unique deer behavior and biology at those times of year to guide our camera placement. Now, it’s time to move into…

NDA Podcasts

Unlocking the Mysteries of Whitetail Scrapes With Miranda Huang

Oct 18, 2023 NDA Staff

In this episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, we talk with Miranda Huang, a research associate with Mississippi State University, all about whitetail scrapes. Miranda studied scrapes on a 10,000-acre property in Tennessee and…

Hunting

Look Inside Acorns to Find Deer Hunting Success

Oct 11, 2023 Cole Gander

Focusing on the best food source is an important part of every deer-hunting strategy. This time of the year, acorns are often key for most whitetail hunters. Follow along as I run through the science…

Hunting

The Kip Adams Challenge: Achieve These 5 Goals for a Rewarding Deer Season

Oct 11, 2023 Kip Adams

Hunting season is upon us throughout the whitetail’s range. It’s a glorious time of year and one filled with excitement and opportunity. We enter deer-hunting season with different expectations and avidity levels, but regardless of where…

NDA Podcasts

What You Should Be Doing Right Now to Punch Your Deer Tags

Oct 11, 2023 NDA Staff

After the excitement from the first few days of deer season wears off, many hunters get frustrated during the early part of the pre-rut for a number of reasons, ranging from lack of deer sightings…

Hunting Land Liability Insurance Don't put yourself or your family at risk!

Whether you are a landowner, or a hunter who leases land or is a member of a hunting club, hunting land liability insurance is essential because both parties assume some legal risk while on a property.

Landowners have a duty to guests and those paying to hunt (leaseholders). Hunters need liability insurance to protect themselves, other members of their hunting group, and even guests against acts for which they could be held legally responsible.

It is simply not worth risking your personal assets or your family’s financial security for unfortunate accidents or acts of others on the property you hunt.

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Advocating for wild deer and hunting

The NDA regularly engages on important conservation issues impacting wild deer and deer hunting at the local, state and federal levels. We ask all our members and followers to get engaged with these important policy issues to help us ensure the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting.

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Iowa DNR Hosting CWD Virtual Forum Prior to First Gun Season

Nov 22, 2023 Torin Miller

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a virtual public meeting on November 27th at 7 p.m. via Zoom to share updates on statewide chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance and management efforts. The…

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