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Learn all about wild deer behavior, habitat improvement, food plots, hunting techniques, and much more with over 500 free articles available on our website. If you enjoy our content, we'd love to have you as an NDA member!

Hunting

Deer Hunting Tips from a Master Naturalist: Listen to Other Wildlife

Sep 18, 2024 Elizabeth Kligge

Earlier this year, I sat down with professional naturalist and Maine guide Dan Gardoqui. He practices a technique, familiar to indigenous people worldwide, called bird language. This practice develops a deeper awareness of the environment…

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Hunting

“Age This!” Celebrates 10 Years. Why is Buck Age Still Important?

Sep 17, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

We’ve been featuring an “Age This!” buck survey in this organization’s weekly e-newsletter for 10 years now. September 17, 2014 was the first newsletter to include a reader-submitted trail-camera photo and age poll. That’s not…

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Deer Science

Can You Tell Bucks From Does by Their Tracks?

Sep 11, 2024 Matt Ross

A lot can be learned from investigating deer tracks where you hunt. I’ll even go as far as saying that deer tracks could be the number one type of deer sign to look for when…

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Hunting

4 Ideal Deer Stand Setups Boosted by Habitat Enhancements

Sep 11, 2024 Ryan Rothstein

Too often when I read articles about deer stand setups or strategies for picking stand sites, it’s usually surface-level information. We get it by now – hunt funnels, set up downwind of trails, yada yada….

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The Risks and Rewards of Targeting a Single Deer

Sep 4, 2024 Nick Pinizzotto

The weather was brutal. After an unseasonably warm and rainy stretch to kick off the Pennsylvania firearms season, I was reminded how quickly Mother Nature’s mood can change in December. I don’t prefer hunting with…

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5 Reasons to Give Saddle Hunting a Try This Season

Aug 28, 2024 Brian Grossman

When I first tried saddle hunting in 2021, it was due to the promise of a lighter, more comfortable pack deep into the public lands I loved to hunt. But I quickly found the increased…

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Is There an Empty Space Between a Deer’s Lungs and Spine?

Aug 28, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Some deer hunters call it a “dead zone” or “dead space.” Some call it “no man’s land.” Most say it is an empty space located below the spine and above the lungs of a deer,…

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12 Signs You Should Harvest More Does

Aug 21, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

How many does should you harvest? It’s a perennial question for our organization and many deer hunters. Here are 12 signs to look for that indicate you need to take more than you have been….

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4 Strategies for Talking to Non-Hunters About Deer Hunting

Aug 14, 2024 Cory Gurman

I love cooking venison, and sharing it with my friends at school is always fun and incredibly gratifying. One time I was cooking for a group of friends, and I just assumed everyone knew they…

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15 Trail-Camera Lessons Learned From Thousands of Unique Bucks

Aug 14, 2024 Josh Honeycutt

Trail-cameras have been a big part of my life, even longer than my wife. You might say I’ve been married to the former for 20 years and the latter for nearly 10. And I love…

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A Beginner’s Guide to Deer Food Plots

Aug 7, 2024 Brian Grossman

I’m not sure what it is about us hunters — or maybe just humans in general — that drives us to overcomplicate things. I see it in all aspects of life, whether it’s losing weight,…

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What We Know About a Strange Deer With Droopy Ears

Aug 7, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

In November 2022, 14-year-old Cooper Courtright of Louisiana killed a 5½-year-old buck whose ears were his most prominent and memorable feature. Both drooped to the sides of the buck’s head as if they were pinned…

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