Georgia Deer Hunting Reports And December Deer Strategies

Frank Timmons said was thrilled to get his son Zach Timmons in hunting camp with his wife and three kids, and even more thrilled when Zach shot a nice buck and a piebald doe. Frank said, “We left them there, walked out, gathered my grandkids, and drove the 4-wheeler to the deer as if we needed their help to find them. So fun and enjoyable to watch them ‘working’ the blood trail and investigating the situation. We ‘found’ both deer, loaded them up and went back to the cabin. To me, this is what hunting is all about. I have four generations of hunters and memories that I will carry through my life that I can look back on.”

With bucks laying down sign and chasing does, November sees a flurry of activity in the Georgia deer woods. And as usual, we’ve seen some fantastic bucks. And the action is far from over. 

Our GON Hunt Advisors report on how the hunting has been in their areas, and they also provide some tips on putting December meat in the freezer—or maybe something for the taxidermist. 

Here are their reports.

NORTH GEORGIA

Cherokee County: Tim Dangar, of Ball Ground, reports, “The rut is in full swing now in north Cherokee County. The full moon and cold temps helped kick it into overdrive. The action should be good through Thanksgiving week. You can throw everything that you consider normal activity out the window for at least another week. By the first full week in December, the bucks will begin to go into recovery mode. 

“This will be a great time to be on a choice food source. Look for food plots and green fields to be a big player for the month of December. We have had a lot of road kill in our area, especially during the November full moon. 

“Don’t let up just because the rut is coming to a close. The big boys that make it through will be real hungry starting soon. If you have a good number of does coming to supplemental feed stations, it would be wise to set up close by. What we have experienced this week is bucks coming by checking things from a distance and not getting close enough to be seen on camera. 

“Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving, and as always, stay calm and hunt on!”

Ashlyn Floyd, 16, of Canon, downed this 17-inch-wide 9-point buck while she was hunting in Hart County on Nov. 19.

Madison County: Keith Ingram, of Comer, reports, “Just as I had hoped and expected, the season has not disappointed so far. The deer have been on their feet and moving. Bucks are making scrapes under everything that hangs over an old logging road, the edges of fields or food plots, even around the edge of my yard. Through Nov. 10, the bucks were still in cruising mode and the does were still bunched up with their fawns still with them. But you could sense it was about to change because of the aggression I was noticing between them and toward their fawns. 

“And on the morning of the 14th, the switch flipped, and the chase was on. The morning was slow, up until about 9. That’s when the hardwood hollow I was sitting in just all of a sudden filled up with deer, with three different bucks chasing does. There were two really good 8-pointers after the same doe, and the bigger-racked buck actually got separated and had lost sight of the other buck and doe. I could not get a clear shot on him, so I eased my grunt call to my mouth and gave two soft grunts, and he looked my way, turned and walked right to me. I was able to take him at about 40 yards. He was a little better rack wise, but not even close to the body size of the other buck. I had seen the other buck twice during bow season, and if he can survive, will be a definite hit-lister next year.”

Hunt Advisor Keith Ingram, of Comer, with his tall-tined 8-pointer that he killed in Madison County the morning of Nov. 14.

“The rut is strong and wide open right now, and I expect it to stay that way through the end of November, just like last year. If you can do it, I think it would pay off big time to stay in the woods all day long, especially with temperatures like they are. Food sources are still good. There are still some acorns on the ground. Food plots are in really good shape and will help the deer through the winter.

“I’ve got a young friend from Macon that’s an Outdoor Dream Foundation recipient coming to hunt with me a couple days at Thanksgiving. Hoping I get him on a deer while he is here. I also will be going on the Tugaloo State Park quota archery hunt the week after Thanksgiving. Looking forward to that, it’s a fun hunt. What limited hunting I will do in my home county during December will be done close to the best food sources available. I figure that’s where the bucks will want to be after being worn down during the first round of the rut. 

“Good luck to everyone the rest of the season, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”

This is a great mountain buck from Dawson Forest WMA. Cody Ray started dragging the buck at 9:40 a.m. and didn’t get to the truck until 2 p.m. At the check station, the buck weighed 133 pounds field dressed and was aged at 4 1/2 years old. “I’m tickled I was able to harvest him, certainly on a heavily populated WMA,” Cody said.

MIDDLE GEORGIA

Fayette & Meriwether Counties: Jeff Scurry, of Fayetteville, reports, “From what I have seen every year, once the rut starts the bucks and does are on the move and don’t visit supplemental feeding areas as much. They tend to focus on food plots and agricultural areas more during this time of year. 

“Saw lots of chasing and tending, mostly 2 1/2-year-old bucks. The mature bucks seem to have moved more this past week, as well as new bucks traveling out of their home range, as seen on trail cams. Overall deer numbers are up and the herd looks healthy. 

“As the peak of the rut slows down, I recommend focusing on the does and their feeding areas. In areas where the doe numbers are high, a lot of does go through three cycles and might not get bred until late January. For a chance on a good buck, hunt the does.”

Congratulations to Ralph Kunz, who at 92 years old got his biggest buck ever. Mr. Ralph shot the deer Oct. 29 in Hancock County.

Jim Conway has contributed greatly to GON over the years as a former Hunt Advisor and author of deer-hunting strategy feature articles. This season, Jim, 72, killed an absolute beast of a buck with his bow while hunting in Fulton County.

Putnam County: Dwayne Britt, of Bishop, reports, “The rut has been all over the place this year. I saw two nice bucks chasing does opening weekend, and we’ve had a few nice bucks shot over the last several weeks. 

“On Nov. 20, I watched a buck tend to a doe in thick hardwoods, and it took them nearly 45 minutes to cover about 150 yards as he stayed about 50 yards from her and moved when she moved.  

“December can be a real productive time to hunt if you’re in the right spot. Food plots are a given in the evenings—try to get on them at least three hours before dark. Hunting pressure seems to drop and the deer get more active the deeper you get into the month. Find any green browse—briars, privet, etc. in thick cut-overs or hardwood/pine transition areas with funnels or ditches that flatten out. This is when bait should help, as acorns are gone and deer will be searching for food. With corn prices so high, find old pine stumps and thick briars, bushes anything that makes it difficult for the deer to get the corn, which should keep them coming longer.  

“At this point in the season, find those fawn does that have put on weight and just might come into season, along with that rare mature doe that didn’t get breed during the initial rut. Those mature bucks still move and eat during the day and may slip into a food plot in the evening, late morning or mid-day, as well as move through those thickets to browse or munch on the bait you provided.   

“Good luck, and I hope this helps you get some meat on the table or that late-season buck.”

Here’s a super 8-point buck from public land. Joe Lee was hunting in a Jones County section of Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge when he shot the buck with his muzzleloader at 11 a.m. on Oct. 29. “This is my first deer with a muzzleloader, and my personal best—have been hunting for 30 years,” Joe said.

SOUTH GEORGIA

Crisp County: Jodi Manders, of Cordele, reports, “We started off the season with some good trail-camera pictures and with hopes that we would see a few of those mature bucks in the daylight once the rut kicked in. 

“Let’s talk about the rut… it was not very active for the most part. We saw a few smaller bucks chasing and pushing does on maybe three days, and that’s about it. I have seen some really good Crisp County bucks taken this season despite the slow rut. Maybe it was more active in other areas of the county. 

“We have had some really good food plots, and the deer are feeding in them regular. Our hunt strategy for December will be to keep hunting those food plots and travel routes in hopes that a doe will eventually pull one of those mature bucks out in the open. So there’s still plenty of time to hunt.

“Hoping you all have success. Hunt safe, God Bless!”

First deer, and with a crossbow! Colin Sills, 5, was hunting with a crossbow on opening day of firearms season when he killed a super 8-point buck in Echols County. The Lake Park youngster made a 25-yard shot on the 175-lb. deer.

Justin Carr (left) hustled from Berry College on a Friday afternoon to get to his Talbot County lease, and it paid off with an 8-point buck. His dad also got a buck during the special hunt. Justin’s full hunt story is at gon.com/truck-buck-entries/791049.

Early County: Sam Klement has hunted his tract referred to as the Hooch for 25 years. “The southwest Georgia rut is right on schedule to heat up around the first week or two of December,” Sam said. “Our bucks are laying down some great scrapes, and smaller bucks are chasing and bumping the does around. Typically, anytime after Thanksgiving in years past with cooler temperatures setting in will have our mature deer starting to cruise and become more visible during daylight hours. 

“Now is a great time to start logging in some serious stand time and to start getting more aggressive with your horns and grunt calls. I also love using a drag rag saturated with Voo Doo deer lure. If a buck cuts this trail, nine times out of 10 he’ll trail it up providing for a shot or at least a sighting.”

Xane Bennett with the Walton County 10-point buck he shot right at sunrise on Oct. 17.

“Keep in mind, deer relate to edges. My strategy doesn’t change much this time of the year regarding stand picks. I prefer to hunt inside edges in the thickest hard-to-get-to spots approximately 150 to 200 yards back off from the fields. We have a good amount of cypress ponds and heads, as well as feeder-creek systems, that flow into the Chattahoochee River. These provide perfect ambush spots and thicker cover hotspots.

“Our food plots look great and are drawing plenty of deer, and most of the nut-bearing trees have dropped and the deer are eating on these, as well.

“Good luck to my fellow hunters out there. Stay focused and log in some stand time. You never know when a hunt of a lifetime may unfold as the rut heats up! If history repeats itself, chasing and great hunting will wax and wane through the rest of December. 

“Huntin is Good!”

USMC Major Blair Wes Paulk drove 20 hours to hunt opening day with his uncle Capt. David Newlin, and it paid off! They were hunting LIberty County when Wes got this coastal 8-pointer.

Harris County: Jimmy Harper, of Hamilton, reports, “As is usually the case, weather played a significant role in observed deer movement and hunter success during the just-completed November rut in Harris County. An extended pattern of very dry weather that began in early October continued throughout much of November. This lack of rain and resultant clear skies, combined with cool temperatures on a large number of November mornings, allowed for hunters to have many great days in the deer woods—and for some truly outstanding bucks to hit the Harris County dirt. But that same lack of rain resulted in a significant number of failed food plots, something which will no doubt have an impact on the plans of many hunters for the remainder of this season. 

“Many food-plotters planted their cool-season crops during the abundant September rains that Harris County experienced this year, but a significant number of those food plots are now struggling during this extended drought. Those of us who waited to plant until October have, in many cases, experienced close to complete failures of our annual cool-season plantings. Perennial food plots of clover and chicory that were already established are fairing a good bit better at this point than both annual plots and new perennial plantings, provided they were planted in soil that holds moisture well. These established perennial food plots should be good spots for late-season afternoon hunts for the remainder of the season, but hunting pressure will need to be kept at a low level in order to continue to enjoy observing daytime deer activity.”

Brian Brown, of Ellerslie, with the 3 1/2-year-old piebald buck he shot while hunting in Harris County.

“In addition to the food plot situation, there have been some very strange things going on in the Harris County woods this season related to deer food sources. It had initially appeared that there would be a very sparse white oak acorn crop this year on the multiple properties where I hunt. However, in reality, the white oak acorns simply dropped late—very late. In ‘normal’ years, I usually start seeing white oak acorns dropping in Harris County by mid-October, with the majority of these acorns dropping in late October. This year, very few white oak acorns dropped in October. Instead, these acorns started raining down in mid-November. Muscadines were a similar story. They started dropping, as they usually do, in late August and into September. What was unusual —so unusual that I can’t ever remember it happening before—was that muscadines were still ripening, falling and being eaten by deer in Harris County right up until our first frost of the year in mid-November. Someone a lot smarter than me can try to explain all of this. But the takeaway is simply that in-season scouting is extremely important, since it’s becoming obvious that just because something usually happens, hasn’t happened before, etc., doesn’t mean that you can count on it happening or not happening again unless you verify it for yourself on your own hunting grounds.

“So, for December and January hunting, find the active food sources —whatever they are on the property you hunt—and you’ll find the deer, even in the late season. The closer those food sources are to heavy cover, the better they should be for daytime deer movement. And if your time to hunt is limited, like it is for most folks, I’d suggest focusing on afternoon hunts more than mornings for the remainder of the season, especially if you plan to hunt on or near food plots. 

“Merry Christmas to the GON Family!”

Hayden Youmans is looking to crack the all-time Treutlen County records with his 150-class buck.

Macon County: David Keene, of Oglethorpe, reports, “Our bucks have been chasing does all week. We still have white oaks dropping. I took a nice 9-point on Monday, Nov. 17, and I also took two hogs. My 10-year-old grandson Greyson Keene took his first harvest Saturday afternoon. Now to try for Bigfoot.”

Congrats to 10-year-old Greyson Keene, grandson of Hunt Advisor David Keene. Greyson got his first deer on Nov. 20.

Twiggs County: Richie Green, of Jeffersonville, reports, “Looks like another good year for Georgia hunters. Man there are some studs getting killed this year. Two of my shooters bit the bullet, literally, on one of my leases because they followed her to someone else’s land, but hey that’s hunting—unless you have other ways to keep them there. But I do have other places to hunt, so all is not lost.

“Alan Sanders kept one on his property in the upper part of Twiggs. He manages his little paradise to benefit all the critters, and it’s working out for him. He killed a super 8-point that was looking for a doe or a place to find one on Halloween evening.”

Alan Sanders with his Twiggs County 8-pointer. The buck was cruising for a doe on Halloween evening.

“Another upper Twiggs County giant got killed by Kenny McCrimmon on the 29th of October. He’s been letting the 130s and 140s walk for three years, and it paid off big time with a 13-point non-typical that green scored 176 6/8. He was chasing a doe through the food plot, and he was about 30 yards into it when Kenny got the gun out the window and his buddy, Keith Walker, hollered to stop him. But the buck only slowed down, and there was a tree in the way. It was a miracle Kenny got the shot off, but it was a good one and he only ran 30 yards. They’re growing ’em big up there. Way to go guys.

“Now’s the time to slow down and get in the thick stuff or close to the bed. The rut was right on track here according to the trail cams and people putting good bucks down. But now it’s slowed down a lot on my cameras and will only get worse till that December rut gets here, and it will be a lot slower than the first. I’m putting nitrogen on my plots at the first sign of rain and throwing out T-Lees roasted corn to help me. Big acorns are about gone now, but water oaks never go away it seems like, so they will be hitting those in December along with the food plots.

“It seems like deer season just got here, and we’re halfway through already. Time waits for no man or deer. Good luck to all, and see you at the Outdoor Blast next year.”

Kenny McCrimmon with his Twiggs County non-typical 13-point buck that was chasing a doe across a food plot on Oct. 29. The rack has been taped at more than 170 inches.

Christian Woodall with his 8-point that has an 18 1/2-inch inside spread. Christian got the buck on Nov. 2 while hunting in Washington County.