Best Deer Hunting Magazines for 2018
It wasn’t that long ago that magazines were the ultimate source of deer hunting knowledge. In the last decade, though, the media landscape has changed with the addition of blogs, podcasts, and forums. Still, there is plenty of information to be mined from those glossy pages, and here are my five favorites.
North American Whitetail is the go-to magazine for big buck fans. The magazine heavily focuses on the details of giant whitetails, putting you in the treestand for some of the coolest deer stories ever told. You can bet that if a record breaker hits the dirt, North American Whitetail will be one of the first with the tale.
The magazine also has a reputation for providing reliable tips for growing, managing, and hunting whitetails. They always have some of the best recipes for getting your venison from field to table, too.
For those who are passionate about deer biology, Quality Whitetails is the best there is. Created by the Quality Deer Management Association, the magazine concentrations on food plots, habitat improvement, herd management, data collection, and more. They also bring you the latest developments in the world of whitetail science, answering the tough questions that hunters have.
One of the best parts of the magazine is that you’re funding a great cause. QDMA is all about providing reliable information for better deer and deer hunters. For just $35, your membership gets you some QDMA swag, access to seminars, and a year of Quality Whitetails.
Although it’s the geared toward “the total outdoorsman,” Field & Stream offers tons of insight on whitetails. In particular, their August and September issues are loaded with deer hunting intel. One of my favorite things that they’ve done since I was a reader is their best days of the rut series, which factors in things such as moon phase, season dates, and weather history.
Field & Stream also offers some of the most genuine gear reviews in the industry. They don’t just cater to those who buy ad space with them, but instead give honest breakdowns of the best and worst gear that they test.
Devoted to the continent’s most popular big game, North American Deer Hunter is a digital magazine that’s completely free. The goal of the mag is to be the voice of the deer hunting community, and after just two short years of publication they’ve accomplished that.
A great thing about the magazine is that it tends to have fresh writers. Unlike other titles on the list, North American Deer Hunter has bylines from plenty of 20-somethings and 30-somethings. Being young isn’t a common trait among whitetail authors, which gives this magazine a unique take on topics.
Focused on just those who hunt with a stick and string, Bowhunter is perfect for deer enthusiasts who don’t worry about firearm seasons. The magazine has some good reads when it comes to whitetails, but it mostly made the list because of one of my favorite writers, Tony Peterson.
Tony has the best content when it comes to do-it-yourself whitetail hunting with archery equipment. His public land buck resume is an impressive one, and he brings that knowledge to every issue of Bowhunter. Because his hunting style is relatable, Tony’s work has become a must read for fellow archers who can’t afford an outfitter or lease.
