The woods look a lot different now than they did just a few weeks ago. Snow is on the ground, temperatures are dropping, food sources are fading fast, and hunting pressure has been at its peak. Welcome to December — the late season — one of the most challenging yet rewarding phases of deer season.

In this article, we break down proven late-season deer hunting strategies based on how whitetails behave once the primary rut winds down. Whether you’re hunting in Michigan or across the Midwest, these tactics will help you understand late-season deer movement, identify the best bedding areas, and capitalize on the most productive food sources. We’ll also cover how to hunt the second rut and increase your chances of tagging a mature buck before the season closes.

Understanding Late Season Deer Behavior: The Shift to Survival Mode

By December, everything in the deer woods has changed.
Food sources that were abundant in September and October are now dormant, covered by snow, or completely gone. Vegetation has died back, cover feels more open, and temperatures drop sharply.

Because of this, deer — especially mature bucks — transition into full survival mode. Their priorities shift to:

• Conserving energy
• Staying warm
• Minimizing exposure
• Rebuilding lost body weight after the rut

Most of a deer’s daily decision-making revolves around these survival needs. That means predictable bedding, secure cover, and high-energy food sources become the foundation of every successful late-season hunt.

Why Morning Hunts Are Tough in December

During late season, deer often return to bedding well before daylight, especially after cold nights. Hunting close to bedding areas in the morning risks bumping deer you never even see.

Because of this, most hunters — including us — avoid morning sits in December unless targeting the second rut. Your odds are much higher in the afternoon, when deer rise from bedding and move toward food.

Top 4 Late Season Bedding Areas

To hunt deer effectively in December, you must first identify where they bed this time of year. While bedding areas vary from property to property, nearly all late-season bedding ties back to one theme:

Survival.

Here are the four bedding areas deer rely on most during December:

1. Thermal Bedding Cover (Cedar, Spruce, White Pine)

Conifer stands are some of the best late-season bedding locations.

Why they work:

• 2–5°F warmer than surrounding hardwoods
• Needles block snow, wind, and scent-dispersing drafts
• Provide tight security and visual cover

In cold climates like Michigan, deer flock to cedar swamps, spruce pockets, and white pine clusters.

2. Leeward Sides of Hills (Wind Protection)

Wind chill can make a 25°F day feel like 10°F — and deer know this.

On cold, windy days, deer bed on the leeward side of hills to escape the wind.
Example:

• Wind from the north → deer bed on the south-facing leeward slope
• Wind from the south → deer move to the north-facing leeward slope

This is one of the most consistent bedding patterns in December.

3. Solar Bedding (South-Facing Slopes)

On calm, sunny days, deer often bed on south-facing hillsides to absorb heat from the sun. This helps them warm their bodies without burning extra energy.

These spots are especially productive after long cold spells when deer seek warmth.

4. High Stem Count Security Cover (Thick, Nasty Bedding)

After two full months of hunting pressure — especially after firearm season — deer retreat to the nastiest, densest cover available, including:

• Tag alder swamps
• Autumn olive tangles
• Multiflora rose thickets
• Young regen cutovers

This is where mature bucks hide when hunter pressure peaks.
In states like Michigan, with 500,000+ firearm hunters each season, this bedding type becomes critical.

Late Season Food Sources: Bucks Return to Bed-to-Feed Patterns

Once the rut ends, bucks begin recovering from the 25% body weight loss they often suffer in November. That means they go right back to predictable feeding patterns similar to early season.

Top late-season food sources include:

✔ Brassicas (turnips, radish, rape)

✔ Cereal rye

✔ Standing soybeans

✔ Standing corn

✔ Cut corn fields

✔ Acorns (if still present)

High-carbohydrate foods help deer rebuild fat reserves needed for winter survival.

Proximity Matters

A food source 300–800 yards from bedding likely won’t produce daylight movement in December. Deer simply won’t expose themselves after heavy pressure.

But a food plot 20–80 yards from thermal bedding?

That’s where you’ll see daylight activity.

Hunting the Second Rut (December 5–12)

Yes — there is a second rut.

The second rut occurs when:

• Adult does not bred in November cycle again (~28 days later)

• Doe fawns reach breeding weight for the first time

On most Michigan properties, the second rut spikes around:

December 3–7, lasting 5–7 days.

Bucks know this. They begin cruising again, checking doe bedding areas, and sometimes showing surprising daylight movement.

Best setups for the second rut:

• Downwind of doe bedding
• Pinch points between two bedding areas
• Trails from bedding → late-season food
• Warm weather? Focus on bedding
• Cold weather? Food becomes king

Morning sits become more viable during this week.

Late Season Timing: Hunt Afternoons & Cold Fronts

Cold fronts are gold.

When temperatures drop sharply, deer rise earlier to feed.

Best late-season days:

✔ Day after a snowstorm
✔ First sunny day after heavy cloud cover
✔ Significant drop in temperature
✔ High barometric pressure

Combine a cold front, a nearby bedding area, and a prime food source and you have one of the best chances of the entire year.

Final Thoughts: Master Late Season Deer Hunting in December

Late-season success comes down to understanding one simple truth:

Deer behave differently in December than they did in October or November.

They shift bedding.
They shift food sources.
They move less — and more carefully.

If you adapt to them — not the other way around — your odds skyrocket.

The formula for late-season success:

• Identify current bedding areas
• Focus on afternoon hunts
• Prioritize thermal bedding, leeward hillsides, and thick cover
• Hunt nearby high-energy food sources
• Capitalize on the second rut
• Hunt cold fronts

Follow this approach, and December might just become your favorite time of the season.