Deer hunters could not have asked for more perfect conditions to kick off modern gun season in Arkansas. Frosty temperatures opening weekend Nov. 10-11 put enough chill in the air to keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay. A campfire at deer camp was a welcome companion to hunters telling stories. The best hunting action may still be on the way, according to harvest data and biological samples collected from Arkansas deer hunters in the last few decades. Although the two days that typically have the highest harvest of the year have come and gone, a robust deer harvest throughout November is common. Weekend harvests regularly exceed 3,000 deer checked even in December. The Christmas modern gun hunt Dec. 26-28 can account for up to 10,000 or more deer being taken in a three-day time span. Hunter activity may dwindle a bit as the season wears on, but veteran hunters know the best time to catch a trophy buck’s guard down is still right around the corner. Normally, wary bucks may lose a bit of their edge as the peak of breeding season comes into play, and they focus more on finding does than avoiding danger. White-tailed deer breed in fall each year, with the most activity in Arkansas coming in a fairly brief window somewhere between October and December. While some females may be receptive to breeding earlier or later, the peak of this “rutting” activity occurs within mid- to late November in most of the state. Biologists have… [Read full story]
Leave a Reply