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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

Your Target Buck Got Tagged. Here’s Why You Should Keep Hunting.

Dec 6, 2023 Kip Adams

Maybe you watched him all summer. Maybe he showed up last year or this fall. Whenever he showed up, and wherever he came from, bucks that make your wish-list are special. This is especially true…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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The Hunt for a CWD Vaccine Took a Significant Step Forward

Oct 4, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

The task of hunters in the fight against chronic wasting disease in deer is to slow the spread and help buy time for science to find solutions. While potential solutions are still elusive, hunters should…

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It’s Time to Worry About Our National Doe Harvest, Especially in These States

Sep 27, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

In 1988, faced with declining hunter numbers and too many deer, our founders and leaders called deer hunters to action: reduce pressure on bucks and increase harvest pressure on does. Deer hunters responded and led…

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7 Ways To Dodge Deer Depression This Season

Sep 27, 2023 Matt Ross

For deer hunters, optimism abounds at the opening of deer season, and for good reason. We’ve waited months for the next opportunity to match wits with the wily whitetail. Our minds naturally envision the best…

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Which Deer Aging Technique is More Accurate, Jawbone or Cementum?

Sep 20, 2023 Kip Adams

There are two methods hunters can use to estimate the age of harvested deer, and both rely on deer teeth. There is a lot of misunderstanding, misapplication, and misinformation shared about these valuable deer management…

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4 Ways to Avoid Bonehead Mistakes of the First Deer Hunt

Sep 20, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

The long wait was over. Opening morning of archery season and with it a new deer-hunting season had finally arrived. I rose early, showered, dressed, geared up and headed to the woods. In the glow…

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My Birthday Buck Had Upper Canine Teeth. Yes, Deer Fangs!

Sep 13, 2023 Cheyne Matzenbacher

Fangs on a whitetail? Yes, both whitetails and mule deer can sometimes grow small, upper canine teeth. I was aware of this rare phenomenon in deer, but I got some hands-on experience in fall 2022…

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Dos and Don’ts of Deer Carcass Disposal in CWD Country

Sep 13, 2023 Cole Gander

Which taxidermist should I use? What recipe should I try when cooking up these backstraps tonight? How should I dispose of the carcass? These are just a few of the practical questions that go racing…

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Best Trail-Camera Setups for the Pre-Rut Based on Deer Biology

Sep 6, 2023 Matt Ross

Let’s continue a series aimed at helping you place your trail-cameras in the best locations to capture deer based on unique deer behavior and biology by time of year. Earlier this year we talked about…

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