10 pro tricks for hunting late-season whitetails

#7  FIND SEASONAL FUNNELS

As the foliage drops from deciduous trees, whitetails switch to their winter travel corridors. Those can be found where there’s dense undergrowth, concealing stands of conifers or low-lying valleys and funnels. Habitat pinch points and creek drainages rimmed with tall vegetation or sumacs are ideal funnels, making them perfect locations to check for hidden runways in the snow. The deer will opt for the paths of least resistance, yet try to remain as hidden as possible while travelling in the daytime (except during the November rut).

In the prairies, where the landscape can appear deceptively flat, spend time glassing from a high vantage point. Search for hidden, sheltered pockets of trees or brush where the deer can bed down out of the wind. If you spot a distant buck, stalk in close while keeping the wind direction in mind. Or, drop into a river drainage and slowly still-hunt along the downwind side.