Deer

In much of the U.S., the whitetail rut runs from late October to December across five phases and typically lasts six to eight weeks. As the rut progresses through each phase, buck behavior and movement patterns change, so you need an adaptable stand strategy and hunting approach.

Louisiana's 2026–2027 deer hunting season runs from August 29 through February 15, with specific dates and bag limits varying significantly by deer area (Areas 1 through 10).

The start of the whitetail rut depends on the photoperiod, a decrease in daylight, not on temperature. As this biological trigger remains consistent, peak rut-chasing dates remain strikingly similar year to year, regardless of weather patterns.

Mule deer have larger ears (mule-like, 6- 8" long), bifurcating antlers that fork twice, white rumps with a black-tipped tail, and a stiff-legged "stotting" gait when running away. Whitetails, by contrast, have smaller ears, single-beam antlers with tines off one main beam, brown rumps, and a flagging white tail that lifts straight up when fleeing.

A deer bleat is a soft, drawn-out vocalization made by does and fawns. They use it as a contact call. Bleats range from short single notes (i.e., a routine contact) to longer estrus bleats (i.e., when does are in heat during the rut).

Five must-know deer calls include the contact bleat (low-volume doe-to-fawn communication), estrus bleat (does in heat during rut), buck grunt (territorial/aggression), snort-wheeze (buck challenge), and rattling (simulated buck fight).

Georgia offers approximately 3.6 million acres of public hunting land and millions of acres of private timber and farmland ideal for white-tailed deer hunting. Private land opportunities can also help you tag out during deer season.

Deer antlers are worth $8–$15 per pound for brown (Grade A) antlers and $4–$8 per pound for white (weathered, Grade B) antlers in 2026 dealer markets. A typical 4-5 lb pair of whitetail sheds nets $30-$70.

RutCast is a powerful HuntWise rut-prediction feature that provides high-probability peak rut timing for your intended hunting zones based on photoperiod (day length), historical local rut data, and regional patterns.

Forget Times Square, MSG, or the Brooklyn Bridge; the user-friendly tagging system, carefully managed deer zones, and healthy harvest numbers draw big numbers (of hunters) local and out-of-state to The Big Apple State. 

Ask any serious deer hunter who's hunted for a while, and Ohio will inevitably come up in the conversation as one of, if not the best, deer hunting states.

The 2026–2027 deer seasons vary by region, featuring specific dates and regulations for archery, youth, gun, and primitive weapon hunts across the state's management units.