| There have been volumes written on hunting the | | | | areas in the west where whitetails like to hide, |
| elusive whitetail in the woods of the eastern | | | | their escape routes are limited. One of the best |
| United States. The largest concentration of | | | | methods of finding big whitetails is to find a river |
| whitetail inhabit the woods, farmlands and | | | | bottom with good tree growth and cover near |
| swamps of eastern and mid-America, but what | | | | agricultural fields. Many times the growth will be |
| about those of us that live out west? We still | | | | limited to several hundred yards on either side of |
| have whitetail, although not as many, but we | | | | the water and this is where the deer will be |
| definitely still enjoy hunting them. So the question | | | | found. Get a few friends together, set several |
| becomes, how do you hunt whitetail in the wide | | | | people in canyons and downwind on the river |
| open prairies and hills of the west? | | | | bottom and push the bottom from the upwind |
| First, unless you are talking about Coues deer, | | | | side. Any deer that are in the near vicinity will |
| which I'm not, the majority of the whitetail's | | | | head down river or try to sneak out through a |
| instincts and rituals are the same. You will still find | | | | canyon running to the river bottom. |
| the highest concentration of whitetail near | | | | You will be amazed at the quantity of deer you |
| agriculture, as long as there is sufficient cover for | | | | can see driving them out in this fashion. Often |
| them to remain out of site during the daylight | | | | times, opening day will wise older whitetail up |
| hours. Find a corn or alfalfa field with some trees | | | | enough that you will never see them again during |
| or brush nearby and you're likely to find whitetails. | | | | the season. If people have been scouting prior to |
| Second, and typical of whitetail, once the sun | | | | opening day, you won't see them at all. If you try |
| comes up, you will seldom find them standing or | | | | to drive the deer alone, they will sneak out long |
| feeding out in the open. If undisturbed, you will | | | | before you reach them and again you'll think there |
| occasionally find them feeding out in fields as the | | | | are few deer, but often that is not the case. |
| sun rises, but if they know they have some open | | | | They have just learned their lesson. They rely on |
| ground to cover to make it to their sanctuaries, | | | | their ears and noses more than there eyes and |
| they will often start early. | | | | will be gone before your close. |
| One big advantage I have found is that many | | | | |