LATE-SEASON RUTTING
The rut is on during Minnesota's firearms hunt, generally speaking, and that creates some unique opportunities for hunters. Bucks and does are on the move because of their rutting patterns, as well as being pushed around by all the people in the woods. By the time the woods have quieted down after the firearms season, most of the breeding for the year has been completed.

This does not mean, however, that the rut is over. Cornicelli said in the Southern Farmland Region, young does will come into estrus during December and January, and about a third to half of them are bred.

"Every once in awhile you'll see a fawn with its spots into September or October, and it's usually from a doe that was bred late the season before and didn't give birth until July or August," Cornicelli said.

Bucks are not actively searching as much as they are when the rut is going full bore, but a buck will not pass up a doe in heat even into December and January, Cornicelli noted. This tends to make big bucks tough to pattern during December, especially since they tend to stay on their own rather than with a larger group.

"I don't know of anybody who does well for big bucks in December," Cook said.

The scene is different in the northern two-thirds of Minnesota, however, where most of the bucks and does tend to group up once the rut is through.

"The bucks tend to stop bugging the does in the middle of November, and they can be grouped up throughout most of the muzzleloader season," Cornicelli said. He should know because last year he shot two deer on the same day with his muzzleloader, and one of the whitetails was in a group of five and the other was in a herd of seven.

UNIQUE CHALLENGES
Dressing in layers is fairly common knowledge, but a lot of late-season hunting rookies tend to forget this when heading out into the cold of December.

If you are walking to an area or still-hunting/stalking, you are going to get warmer than if you are just sitting in one spot for a few hours. Luttrell said having several layers of clothing that you can easily remove or put on -- depending on the conditions and what type of hunting you are doing -- is the best way to stay dry and reduce scent.

Having additional clothing on also means your muzzleloader or bow will sit differently and, most likely, shoot differently. Both Cook and Luttrell said they practice shooting with the added bulk of winter clothing. Making sure to keep your hands warm but easily accessible is another challenge, especially for bowhunters.

With so much ground cover gone and almost all the leaves off the trees, seeing a long distance in the woods provides and advantage to both the deer and the hunter. The contrast and tracking ability provided by the snow tends to favor the hunter, however. With increased visibility, some hunters may be tempted to take shots of a greater distance than they would normally attempt, but the same rules apply.

Luttrell said bowhunters should realize that the same distance they've sighted in at applies but only if they are accurate at those distances with bulkier clothing. "I know some guys who can split a hair at long distances but can't hit the side of a barn 12 feet away with their winter clothing on."

Muzzleloaders present a different challenge, Cook said, because a lot of hunters treat a muzzleloader like they do a rifle.

"A muzzleloader is lethal up to 200 yards, but no matter what the companies say and advertise, a muzzleloader without a scope is a 100-yard gun for most hunters, even with magnum charges," he said.

Virtually the entire state of Minnesota is open to deer hunting during December, so take advantage of that fact and get out there. The odds of running into another hunter are low but the odds of finding large groups of deer are pretty darn good. Get away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season for some relaxing late-season deer hunting. Besides that, everyone loves a little venison sausage around the holidays!