It’s the final week of the New York State Southern Zone Regular big game season that will end this Sunday, and the emotional divide among hunters has grown as wide as a fresh deer track in wet snow.

Some folks are already leaning back in recliners with photos of a heavy-beam buck glowing on their phones. Others have tagged does and tucked away neatly wrapped steaks, roasts, and ground meat for the winter ahead. A handful have even donated meat to local processors supporting area food programs – a good thing, making sure needy kitchens get a taste of the season’s success. And then there’s the other crowd. The ones still holding a tag like a lottery ticket they’re running out of chances to cash. For them, it’s officially panic time.

The weather, of course, is joining in the drama. Forecasts call for chilly days in the 20s and 30s, bursts of wet snow and cold rain, bouts of hail, perhaps, and winds that swirl like they’re trying to confuse both deer and hunters. It might not be pretty, but this brand of December instability is often the spark that triggers deer to move more than they have in weeks. The trick is to be in the woods when they do it.

For hunters still trying to fill a tag, this last week is all about timing, patience, and grit. Deer that dodged shots, slipped through thickets, or simply vanished during the chaos of opening week have now fully transitioned into survival mode. They are tuned in. They’ve felt the pressure. They know the game. But even the smartest buck still needs to eat, and that truth is what keeps tag-holders climbing back into tree stands.

Earlier in the season, Forster Barimore from nearby Gerry, New York, took this hefty 12-point buck in Ohio with his crossbow. Photo courtesy of Autumn Hill

Food is the heartbeat of the late season. Cut cornfields, brassica plots, brushy browsing pockets, and any oak tree stand that still holds leftover acorns is worth watching. But sitting right on top of the groceries is rarely the best play this time of year. Deer that have spent two weeks listening to human footsteps crunch through leaves tend to stage back in the cover, moving toward food only when they’re confident the coast is clear. The most successful late-season hunters often set up fifty to a hundred yards off the open food source, tucked into a transition line where the woods tighten, thicken, or dip into shadow. That’s where the deer pause, gather themselves, look around, and scan for danger before stepping out. Sometimes that pause is all the opportunity you might need.

The weather swings are another late-season ally. A few hours before a front moves in, deer often get on their feet early to feed. The first calm, quiet window after the snow stops can be the best daylight movement of the week. Even the nuisance of swirling winds can work in hunter favor if approached strategically. Sneaking into a spot with the wind steady and in your face, then staying alert to shifting patterns, can keep your scent out of the travel corridors the deer trust most. There are some really big deer that live here.

If there is one overlooked secret of this final stretch, it’s the midday hours. Hunters conditioned to early mornings and last light often head home too soon, leaving the woods peaceful between ten and two. They’re getting ready for the big football game, perhaps. Bucks that have been bumped from pressure zones sometimes use that lull to slip back toward thick bedding cover or pick up a late breakfast. If you can tough it out for a longer sit, especially in this week’s cold, you may just catch a survivor moving when almost no one else expects him to.

Let’s not forget those hunters who have already succeeded. If you’ve tagged out, you’re likely spending more time in the kitchen than the stand right now. Venison backstrap medallions seared in butter with a little salt, pepper, and garlic are hard to beat after a long season. A slow-cooked roast with carrots, potatoes, and broth will warm up any evening that still feels like warmer times. A pot of venison chili simmering on the stove makes perfect sense on days when the wind sounds like it’s trying to take the siding off the house.

Whoever you are, tag-filled or tag-empty, this last week is the essence of deer season in Western New York. It carries the tension, the hope, the close calls and hard lessons, and the knowledge that every hunt from here on might be the last chance until next year. Some hunters will push deeper into ravines and thick brush. Others will rely on a favorite stand that has come through before. A few will call it a year, it’s over, satisfied with full freezers or simply grateful for the time outdoors.

For those still grinding, the ones watching the forecast, cleaning the rifle and slug barrel just ’cause, and promising themselves “just one more sit”- take heart. Deer are still moving. Opportunities still come late. Every season, the final week writes a few unforgettable stories. You could be one. Drop me a note and a picture to share your story. Now is the time to be out there. Good luck, hunt safe, and may the last tracks you follow lead to heavy footsteps ahead, and on the drag back.

Gotta love the outdoors!

Outdoors Calendar

Dec. 2: Niagara Musky Association, monthly meeting, Eldredge Club, 17 Broad St., Tonawanda, 7 p.m. start.

Dec. 4: WNY Walleye Assoc., monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, Hamburg.

Dec. 6: WNY Trout Unlimited, Christmas Party, Duff’s, 3090 Orchard Park Rd., West Seneca, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., $10 entry.

Dec. 8 – 16: NYS Southern Zone Late Archery/Muzzleloader Big Game hunting season.

Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: NYS Southern Zone late archery/crossbow/muzzleloader special deer-only season. Regular firearms are not allowed.