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Deer Science

Fight Feral Hogs With Fire: What New Science Reveals

Apr 29, 2026 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

I’m just back from the International Wild Pig Conference, and I have bad news: feral hogs, wild pigs, invasive swine, or whatever you prefer to call them, are still a major problem. Shocker, I know….

Deer Science

What Makes Deer Grow Larger in Some Areas?

Apr 15, 2026 Mark Turner

Most deer hunters learn early in their hunting career that some locations produce larger deer than others. Hunters in Iowa and Kansas, for example, have a much different impression of what constitutes a big buck…

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Deer Science

The Screwworm Fly is Back and Approaching Texas, Threatening Deer

Apr 8, 2026 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

A monster that eats live deer, which we thought we defeated decades ago, is on the rise. Once chased all the way back down to South America, the New World screwworm fly is staging a…

How Do Whitetails Survive Harsh Winters? The Answer Might Surprise You.

Feb 25, 2026 Kip Adams

February is the perfect month for ice fishing, winter habitat work, and watching a highly-anticipated football game. It’s also the month that after a few hours of good outdoor exercise my dogs sleep more soundly…

This “Frosty” Silver Buck Has Biologists Stumped. See the Photos.

Dec 10, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

For three seasons now, Kevin O’Brien and his uncle and cousins, who all hunt in the same area of northwest Wisconsin, have been seeing and photographing a ghostly deer. Lots of whitetail bucks “ghost” us,…

Bucks, Does, and Dewclaws: Clearing Up One of Hunting’s Biggest Myths

Dec 3, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

At NDA, we frequently share emerging science that sometimes shatters old beliefs about deer, so we’re accustomed to hearing from skeptical hunters who are reluctant to let go of time-honored ideas. Lots of hunters have…

What Deer Research Really Says About the Rut (Most Hunters Get This Wrong)

Nov 19, 2025 Brian Grossman

While there’s still much to be learned about the whitetail rut, decades of deer research has taught us a lot about this special time of year. And much of this information will not only improve…

New Study Investigates Peak Rut Buck Movement

Nov 5, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Bucks move more during the rut than any other time of year. The rut will peak at the same time every year in a given location. These two basic rules of the whitetail rut keep…

Why Do Deer Raise Their Tails When They Run?

Oct 22, 2025 Matt Ross

Have you ever witnessed a deer raising its tail at you while it speedily ran away? Some believe it’s the deer version of flipping the bird, and to be honest it kind of feels that…

New Science: Rubs and Scrapes Glow Like Highway Reflectors to a Deer’s Eyes

Oct 15, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

In the light of day, our eyes see the pale yellow or white wood exposed by a buck that has shredded the bark off a small tree. But in twilight woods, deer eyes likely see…

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