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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!

Habitat

What is Forest Stand Improvement? A Starting Guide for Deer Habitat

Feb 11, 2026 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

On a drive home from Thanksgiving with family, a trip that took me through several eastern states, I spent a lot of time looking out the window at bad deer habitat. Acre after acre in…

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Venison

Kick Off Your Super Bowl Party With These Venison Crowd-Pleasers

Feb 4, 2026 Ben Westfall

My wife and I are always experimenting with new venison recipes, especially ones our toddlers and non-hunting friends and family will enjoy as well. Appetizers and small plates are a great way to introduce venison…

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Habitat

The Best Timing and Frequency of Prescribed Fire for Deer Habitat

Jan 28, 2026 Mark Turner and Craig Harper

Prescribed fire is the most effective and efficient tool to manage and improve deer habitat in most areas. Fire can be used to improve food and cover in ways that other practices cannot, and fire…

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Habitat

Firebreaks First: How to Plan a Safe Prescribed Burn on Your Property

Jan 21, 2026 Brian Grossman

Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools we have for improving wildlife habitat — but it’s also one that can go wrong fast if it isn’t planned carefully. During my time with the…

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Don’t Be Afraid to Call an Audible When Hunting Mature Bucks

Nov 12, 2025 Cole Gander

For many hunters across the whitetail’s range, the rut represents the best time to be in the deer woods and provides the best opportunity all season to fill a tag on a mature buck. Buck…

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5 Forest Wildlife Species That Benefit When Hunters Improve Deer Habitat

Nov 11, 2025 Kip Adams

Deer are valuable for many reasons. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates big game hunting provides over 250,000 jobs and nearly $70 billion in federal, state and local taxes annually. Whitetails provide American families…

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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…

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There is No Such Thing as a Nocturnal Buck

Oct 29, 2025 Cole Gander

We’ve all heard it before and some of us may have even said it ourselves at some point: “That buck has gone nocturnal.” After capturing countless daylight trail-camera photos all summer long, those same cameras…

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NDA’s Recommended Practices for Deer Hunters in CWD Zones

Oct 27, 2025 NDA Staff

Deer hunters who live or hunt in areas where chronic wasting disease has been found in deer are on the front lines in the fight against this disease. The National Deer Association believes that CWD…

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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…

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Venison is the Heart-Healthy, Eco-Friendly Red Meat

Oct 21, 2025 Casey Rotenberger

You spend the season putting in hours of work to harvest a deer, likely because you enjoy the sport. The enjoyment can continue long past the point of processing if you begin to realize the…

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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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